Washington sentinel., 1899-04-22
President Mckinley Alone Respon.
sibie.

President Mckinley Alone RespOn.
sible.
We are determined that the
President oftne United States shall
neither befog the issue between
himself and those OF the late Con-
gress who opposed his Philippine
policy, nor mislead the public
judgment, nor escape responsible
ity for the gross official blunder
which he has committed in con-
nection with this Eastern problem.
II this war for subJugation Of an
alien race, waged without the
declaration Of Congress, the perma-
nent acquisition OF this territory to
our domain. the creation of great
standing army and navy, the un-
lawful retention in service Of our
volunteers, the loading down of
our people with grievous taxation
the departure from the policy OF
non-intervention in European af-
fairs, under which we have out
stripped in progress and develop
ment any nation on the face Of the
globe, is right, then the President
is entitled to the glory OF the ac-
complishment, and no man should
be permitted to snatch a single
laurel from MS brow. Now that
this un.American policy has
proven wrong and iraught with
grave menace and serious danger
70 the American public, the Presi-
dent is alone responsible for it, and
he must bear the whole burden OF
the fearful responsibility. We
again assert most emphatically
that the entire policy is not simply
an error, but that it is crime, and
that the Chief Executive OF this
nation is the one who has precipi-
tated upon us the embarrassments
and the difficulties by which we
are now confronted. We insist
that he did not simply hold the
Philippines as Commander and
Chief Of the army and navy, leav-
ing the question Of the disposition
and control Of them to Congress,
but that he formulated and put
into execution an affirmative and
aggressive policy, that Of their
permanent annexation to this coun-
try, and forced 1t through the SEN
ate Of the United States with all
the power and influence which his
high office enabled him to employ.
Let US see whether we are right
in this. When Spain sued for
peace, it became not simply the
right, but the duty OF the President
to take the initiative in determin-
ing what should be the terms of
the peace. The Constitution ex-
pressly conferred the treaty-mak-
ing power upon him, by and with
the advice and consent of the SEN
ate. Right there and then, was
the Presidential opportunity. He
could insert in that treaty what
ever terms he pleased. He could
omit from it whatever terms he
desired, acting always, OF course,
within the limits of constitutional
powers. True, the instrument
would be ofno validity until Spain
agreed to it, and it was ratified by
the Senate; but Spain would have
consented to anything. She was
defeated, disheartened, and impo-
tent. Not nation on earth would
have dared to come to her rescue.
The Senate would have ratiGed
anything which the President had
seen fit to submit to it. The Chief
Executive possessed the entire
confidence of the country, and
therefore, he had no reasons to
fear to do what was right. The
occasion was one calling for the
exercise on his part OF intelligence,
sound judgment, patriotism, and
wise craftsmanship.
His first impression was to de-
mand Of the Filipinos simply
coaling station, a measure amply
sufficient for all OF our Legitimate
purposes, and the evacuation OF
the island by Spain without com
pensation by the taxpayers Of the
United States. Had he adhered to
this view of the matter, all would
have been well. The whole nation
would have followed him cheer