Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-20
AN ORDINANCE or SECESSION.

When the term "~copperhead" was APP
piled to the so-called an;i-imperialistic
newspapers II was used in no spirit of bit
terness, but because their attack upon the
government in times of war justified the
appelation. 1t is true. those newspaper
made an effort to show that freedom of
speech indicated no lack of patriotism on
their part, and hat their criticisms of the
curse pursued by the administration
Were in line with what they believed to
be the best interests Of the country.
Time has demonstrated, however, the
correctness Of the criticisms laid against
them, for they have gone from bad to
worse until wen the apparently harsh
term of "copperhead' but feebly ex-
trend Of such leading democratic journals
we need only to quote from the Helena
Independent, which is recognized as one
of the ablest. if not the ablcst edited
newspaper representative Of it's party in
this state. Under the heading-'The
same yesterday, today and tomorrow
which the Anaconda Standard might
classify as a plagiarism on the Inflnity-
the Independent of last Saturday says:
On the subject of the war with Spain
and the war IN the Filipinos The Inde-
pendent has held a consistent position
from the beginning until the present
time. 1t approved the war with Spain,
IT d!sarproves the war on the Filipinos.
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the conviction Of The Independent grows
tirmer that it was lignt in the beginning,
is right now. II will be right until the
war is ended in a manner consistent with
the declaration of Independence and the
constitution of the United States. The In
dependent always maintains a judicial
and impartial frame of MIND, and is will
ing at all times to be CONVINCED. but, like
a Certain other fellow. it is willing to bet
any amount of money that nobody can
convince US we are wrong on this sub
ject.
In expressing a desire that the war end
in what it is pleased to term "a manner
consistent with the declaration Of indie
pendence and the constitution of the
United States the Independent could not
more ~eloquently voice the hope that the
rebels will triumph over our flag and
achieve a flnalv victory over our troops. 1t
has all along insisted that Aguinaldo and
his followers are in relatively the same DO
sltlon that our revolutionary fathers
We're when engaged in the struggle for
freedom.
To apply to the Filipinos the principles
Of the declaration of Independence, in
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eminent, is to breath an earnest prayer
for their success in the contest that is be-
ing waged for supremacy on the island Of
Luzon. Suppose the views Of the 'Inde-
the field? What character Of service could
be expected from those in sympathy with
the enemy? Fortunately, traitorous mat
ter Of this type has no effect upon the SOL
diers in the field, other thar to make them
realize hat they ave enemies in the rear,
just like the brave boys who suppressed
the southern confederacy more than a
quarter of a century ago. II
The effect Of such u]tterances. however,
is to stimulate the foe, by convincing
the ElilpllO JuHld tudt pubic sentiment
in this country is strorgely in favor of
A~guinaldo and his men. To just such ex-
pressions as those voiced by the Helena
Independent may be attributed the ten
acity with which the insurgents Gins to
the remnants of their lost cause. They
indulge the hope that with 50 many
American newspapers sympathizing with
their efforts to drive General Otis into
the sea, they may reasonably expect
the recall of our troops in due time if they
can maintain an aggressive fight for yet
a little while.
Thus the continuation of the war, and
the slaughter of our volunteers, may be
ascribed more to the traitorous express
sions of the democratic press tina to
any other one cause. The %Filipinos do not
realize that the motives behind the
democratic press is not one of affection
ate regard for them. but an effort to
arouse prejudice against a republican ad-
ministration at any cost, in order to build
up the future of the democracy if posi-
BILE upon the disasters of the nation.
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