Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-12-08
AS London Sees It.


ly. In commenting upon the late American
election, the London Daily Chronicle speaks OF
President McKinley's "bold development of
imperialist policy in China" and concludes by
saying that "this is the sort of courage which
commands success. In these circumstances, it
to secure reelection" The London News
says Bryan has no chance for the presidency,
and that the president will now have free
hand in the Philippines. The opinion of all
British newspapers, as far as heard from, is
that Mr.. McKiney's election to a second term
is assured. They are glad 1t is so.
Before the elections, the press of Great Brit
ain did not pretend to conceal its desire to see
the president endorsed, and it is evident that in
its delight at the face of the Ohio returns, it
some of the other states. However, that is OF
no consequence, because what the people of
the United States most wanted to know was
how Great Britain viewed the presidents for
eign policy-and now they know. 1t is re-
garded as bold development of imperialism.
That is the way England regards it, but tor
prudential reasons, the press of that empire
would better have been less vehement in its ap-
proyal of the presidents purpose to set aside
the constitution to make way for "bod devel-
opment of imperialist policy" The president
and his co-conspirators have not yet scotched,
much less killed. the sovereignty of the people
of America.
But what does the London Chronicle mean-
what is the inner meaning of the presidents
"bold development of imperialist policy in
China" and the presidents courage to develop
'bold imperialist policy? The Chronicle
is close in the confidence Of the British minis
try, and appears to talk as one having author
ity. 1t would seem that the president has
taken the queens cabinet and official newspa-
per into his confidence, and that his own
countrymen must look to British sources of
information if they would know what his
schemes in the far east mean. The Standard
says, by the book, that the president has
already developed an imperialistic policy in
China, but has he informed his own country of
it? What is an imperialist policy in China,
and how could republic be democratic in one
place and imperialistic in another? Evidently,
the London government knows great deal
more about the present and prospective foreign
enterprises of President Mckinley than his
own countrymeE do, and it is evieent, too, that
he has designs upon China in opposition to
France and Russia, and that the military and
naval establishments of the United States are
being hurrledly prepared for an armed conflict
in the Orient.
By January I, or very soon thereafter, the
United States will have an army Of not far
from 10000 men, and navy OF nearly fifty
vessels, including the Oregon and nearly all
the warships of the first class, i'll or near the
Philippine waters. The war department holds,
and has held all along, that it has but one
tribe of inhabitants of the archipelago to cou-
tend with, and that its military strength is not
much above 10, 900 men, badly organized and
restless, under Aguinaldo's leadership. 1t
would be reflection upon the valor of our
troops to say that 70, 900 of them are needed to
overcome so slight an opposition and it would
be equally foolish to say that the enormous
fleet of war craft now mobilizng there is for
service against the insurgents who are confin-
ing their operations to the interior of Luzon.
The London Chronicle maybe is right. Presi-
dent McKinley's "bold development of impe-
rialist policy" in the Orient will require the
military and naval strength of the United
States to consumuate his imperialistic schemes,
and he who thinks the liberties of the people
of America and their rights under the constitu-
ton will not have to yield to this crusade for
political power and territory has read history
10 o1,a1rra