The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-27
Only Partially True.

~HE Anti-Imperialist league is
strictly non-partisan organiza-
ton, composed of republicans
and democrats alike, and it disclaims
all purpose of negotiating or combin-
ing with any party.
In recently published statement, the
league says: 1T simplifies our efforts
that neither the country nor any politi-
cal party in it is responsible for Mr..
McKinley's war, or is in any way bound
to support it,"
This may be polite way of putting
1t, and natural enough when we con-
slider the bi-party elements of which the
league is composed. A republican anti
imperialist is unwilling to admit that
the policy so utterly repugnant to
either true republican or true Ameri-
can principles can be laid at the door of
his party. In this he is only partially
| right. 1t is true that the policy of i'm
perialism, with militarism as it's
brother, originated with Mr.. Mckinley
and the little coterie of party manipu-
| lators by which he is surrounded and
| controlled. At the same time, just so
far as the republican party sustains
! the president in his course, it makes the
| policy its own and becomes particeps
| criminis.
Moreover it is obvious that where
| the republican party has touched the
! question in it's state conventions it has
almost universally Endorsed the presi-
| dents policy. There is no way by which
the policy of a party can be deter
mined save through the declarations of
its recognized leaders, and there can be
no doubt that Mr.. Mckinley has the
support of at least a majority of his
| party.
1t is now conceded, even in admin
istration circles, that the Philippine
campaign has thus far been failure.
The volunteer soldiery have fought with
the most magnificent courage, defeating
the Filipinos in every actual battle and
| covering themselves with glory; but the
fact remains that so far as substantial
results are concerned, General Otis is
Just where he started. Since this con-
fessed failure, a feeble effort has been
by the specious plea that he has had no
policy, and that he has been simply
executing the law.
But everyone knows that this is ut
| terly false and mere subterfuge to
save him. If the result had been diff
ferent-if the policy pursued had been
completely successful and the islands
|
1 anyone doubt that the magnificent re-
| suit" would have been modestly claim
ed by Mr.. Mckinley as a triumph of his
policy?
Even as it is, some of his supporters
are insisting that he is strictly in the
| George Washington and Abraham Lin
coin class. Why? If he has had no
policy, what has he done beyond the
simple drawing Of his salary, which the
| least distinguished of his predecessors
did quite as we'll as he? While if ne
has had policy, then 1T is as plain as
light that up to the present time, at
least, the result has been thousands
of lives sacrificed, hundreds of millions
of treasure expended and nothing
gained.
In short, the disposition of Mr.. Nc
Kinley and his supporters has been and
will be, as the Standard has heretofore
| observed to claim all the glory if there
Is any, and to shirk all responsibility
for failure The only way the republi-
can party can segregate itself from Nc
Kinley's policy is by repudiating it.
This it almost certainly will not do
unless, as the compaign Of 1900 APP
proaches, it finds itself losing ground.
Then we may be sure that it will do
| ANYTHING that the exigency of the pO-
litical situation may seem to require