Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-23
FRIDAY............-JUNE %, 1899
THE PRESIDENTS DILEMMA.

Verify, there must be great demOraliza-
ton and discomfort, not to say the seeds
OF mutiny. in the Republican camp. when
a paper hitherto so faithful and subser-
Went to the powers that be as the Phila-
delphia North American breaks forth in
an article on the Philippines war in this
strain: For the sake of our soldiers, for
the sake of the country's prestige in the
worlds eyes, and, lastly. for the sake OF
the Republican party, President Mckin-
ley must rouse himself" Judging from
the North Americans record and envi-
ronments, its '1astly" is not the least of
the considerations that moved it to the
outburst. But that apart. Whatever the
regnant inspiration Of our contemporary,
the words quoted, taken with the rest of
its article, constitute most emphatic
and significant recognition of the fact that
Mr.. Mckinley has put this country in
sore straits.
In its desperate effort TO make the Pres
ident arouse himself, the North American
not only tells the truth. but tells it in the
p:-;nest fashion. After impressing upon
liz readers that IL is a Republican admin
fssFation that is carrying on the war, and
hcr4e is responsible for its conduct. our
contemporary declares that up TO date
only sae War Department is pleased with
the results; that the fact must be faced
that the war is not popular, and that the
longer "a lasts the more unpopular it will
become. Then IL notes that, at lecture
in Philadelphia Monday night immediate
" after cheers for Dewey, cheers were
given for Aguinaldo, which latter Demon
stration, II asserts, was typical of deep
seated public opinion throughout this
country. whore thousands upon thousands
OF persons are disposed to regard the
Filipino chief as a patriot. And in de-
fence OF this sentiment our contemporary
says that while Aguinaldo may not be
model patriot. he is a good fighter; that
this is a characteristic that always com
mands respect; that he was thought to be
good enough, when we needed him, TO be
taken up as a friend and protege by Con-
sui-General Widman; good enough 20 be
conveyed to the Philippines by Admiral
Dewey. and good enough to be given
American arms. and to be rejoiced in and
petted as an ally. In other words, whe-
Their so intending or not, the North Amer
lean accuses the administration OF treach-
cry towards the Flipinos. Next, our con-
temporary contends that proportionately
with the prolongation of the war, Ameri-
can sympathy with the Filipinos, mis-
guided though they be, will continue 10
grow, and in conclusion. denounces the
war as a horror and calls upon Mr.. Nc
Kinley, as commander-in-chief of the
army, 90 end 1t by throwing into the
Philippines a sufficient force to smash
and overawe the natives. ut" 0he war;
exclaims our contemporary. has brought
a sense of blood outlines upon the Amer
lean people which cannot longer be en-
dured without vehement protest.
The North American does not lay down
a single proposition that is not absolutely
true. But the solution OF the problem
Il urges upon MT. Mckinley is more easily
suggested than worked out. Yesterday
we printed n telegram from San fran
cisco I'm which DIR. McQuesten, Of General
Otis's staff and late Health officer al
Manila, was quoted as confirming the
most discouraging statements and pessi-
mistic opinions as 10 the difficulties in
the way of accomplishing our mission
IN the Philippines. DR.. McQuesten ex-
pressed the belief that 1t would require a
force OF 10000 to 10000 soldiers to sub
due and hold the islands; that unless
thousands OF troops were sent at once 10
the aid of those now there. our army
would be driven back into Manila during
the next few months that our men SIM
ply could not stand the climate during
the rainy season; that 50 per cent. of them
would be incapacitated by sickness; that
the territory hitherto overrun would have
10 be abandoned and that Manila would
be in state OF siege again. DIR. Nc
Questen also confirmed the intelligence as
70 the temper OF the volunteers received
in private letters from both officers ana
men with our army Of invasion. lie as
serted that FALL the volunteers want TO
return home. and gave as his opinion
that the plan 20 enlist "three skeleton reg
iments' from the discharged men would
not succeed; for, he said: "The men en-
listed 10 fight for their country. and they
are not the kind who want TO stay and
night an instruction for money or for
the fun OF fighung."
We agree with the North American,