The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-09-21
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THURSDAY. .sEPTEMBER 81, 1895
Mckinley Alarmed.


dent of the n. Y. Journal, writing
under date of Friday last, says
The Cabinet had another three
hour meeting today. 1t was the
second recent meeting of such
unusual length, and its result is both
interesting and important.
Officially it is stated that money
order system for Cuba is being de
yised at these lengthy councils,
Actually, however, the Cabinet has
been devising a plan by which Presi-
dent Mckinley may be extricated
from the slough of imperialism into
which he has plunged himself by his
recent public uttersnces.
In brief, President Mckinley is to
cease proclsiming, by word of mouth,
his plans for the government of the
Philippines. The Philippine Com
mission is to be hurried here to form
luate q report and prepare a series
of recommendations. These the
President will approve.
He will then turn over the entire
matter to Congress, with the expla
nation that the Administration de-
sires to express no further opinion, in
order that it shall not appear to be
coercing Congress to do something
which Congress, perhaps, may not
care to do. The Republican legisls-
tive leaders will then see that the
Administration scheme is carried
out.
In other words, the Philippine
Commission is to bear the brunt of
all further criticism for the Philip
pine policy, if more criticism is
forthcoming. 1t is to be the
buffer. The Commission presumably
has the confidence of the people,
because Admiral Dewey and two
eminent college professors are in
cluded in its mbership.
1t is contended by Republican
politicians that Mckinley has made
some grave errors of late, and that
continued daily criticism of him from
now until the Republican National
Convention will make him Pfesi-
uentlRl lmpOSslOllty'
This subject was snxiously discuss
ed blythe Cabinet at the meetings of
last Tuesday and today. Tuesdays
meeting consumed two hours snd
fifty minutes today's took three
hours. Not even before or during
the Spanish war were the Cabinet
meetings so protrscted.
The substance of the situation is
that the President has been politely
rebuksd by his managers, told to
keep quiet and not to make himself
the target for denuncistion. 1t is
understood the leaders of every
Republican State have put them
selves on record as condemning the
Presidents uhusual-and, in their
opinion, unnecessary-boldness in
projecting his personality into the
Philippine discussion.
The attention of the Republican
politicians was directed to this matter
two weeks ago. They then began
communicating with each other by
letter and personal conference
throughout the country. Represen'
tations on the subject were made to
Cabinet members and also to the
President. The discussion of the
question increased to such an extent
that the matter was formally taken
up at the Cabinet meeting of last
Tuesday.
M'KINLEY's MISTAKES.
Yesterday the decision was reached
that the Philippine Commission must
be sent for at once and be forced to
assume entire responsibility for the
Administrations Philippine pro-
gramme. Cable messages were &C.
cordingly sent to Colonel DENLY and |
Dean Worcester, who had expected |
to remain some months longer at |
Manila. Today the discussion of the |
details of the plan was resumed.
The points on which Mckinley is
alleged by Republican party leaders
to have made mistakes are:
First-Gross Inconsistency has
been shown by the President in his
ire itment OF the Sulu group and of
the Philippine Islands. The politi-
clans say that while it was perhaps a
good thing, from the military stand.
point, to treat with the Sultan of the
Sulus without bloodshed, yet the
President by his arrangement with
the Sultan has produced the impress
sion that q Republican administra-
ton fevOrs polygamy, slavery and
the bribery of the Sultan by an an
nual fee of $4,000. The heather
Sulus, it is pointed out, are enjoying
measure of liberty, while the
Christian Filipinos are only asking
what has been granted to Moham-
medan despot.
Second-The people of the United
States, it is alleged, will not sustain
the Presidents act in melting Mo.
hamnedan savages to attack the
Christian insurgents at Zambosngo
and elsewhere.
MISTAKE IN THE sULUS.
Third-It was a mistake not to
have demanded the unconditional
possession of the Sulu Islands. Had
such demand been refused, the
army should have subju-
gated the Sulus precisely after the
manner pursued in the Philippine
Islands. In other words, the treat.
ment of the Sulus. when compared
with that Of the Filipinos, is indie
fensible.
Fourth-The present relation of the
United States Government TO the
Sulus is one Of open and unadulterated
and not of expansion, the
Sultan being merely prince who is
paid an annual fee to allow the United
States flag to float over his dominions.
Fifth-The President has permitted
General Otis to publish proclama.
lion in Manila the plain terms of