Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1899-08-02
EMISSIONS BY BRYAN.
The Main Issues Arc Covered I'm
with Meaningless Gem
ernIities.

War democrats and silver republic
ans who expected 10 find satisfactory
reference TO the Philippines in Mr..
Bryan's speech at the Auditorium were
sorely disappointed. Mr.. Bryan, know
ing that some OF his most enthusiastic
followers in 1896 expected him to say
whether he would withdraw the Amer
lean army from the Philippines, wheth-
err he would haul down the flag before
good order was established, and sur
render all that the American navy and
American army had fought for, said
nothing.
Afraid To commit the party TO the pol
icy of surrender, he evaded the main
issue in meaningless generaltieS. Had
he been man of courage, like Henry
Natterson or Senator Morgan, and hun
dreds of other prominent democrats, he
would have said, however men may diff
fer as TO the final disposition of the Phil
ippine islands, the government must be
supported IN its efforts to put down re
bellion. But he did not say it. Instead
he declared that the FiliItnos should be
independent. He repeated the argu-
ments of Hoar, Atkinson and other anti
imperi0lists. He said that il the doe
trine set forth in the declaration of in
dependence is sound we cannot hold the
Philippines; that if the doctrine of the
declaration of independence is sound
we cannot rightfully purchase 5000. 900
people at two dollars apiece from an alien
monarch, and he represented that the
main argument of those in favor of an
neNation was that if we were to give
q L. Il I'll
nations of Europe would laugh ut us.
If these utterances represent the spir-
il and conviction of the democratic par
ty, then il never can make another ma
tional campaign. They are so paltry,
so evasive, so cowardly, that no demo
crat or silver republican who sympa-
thized with the purpose of the govern
! ment in the war with Spain can train
| with the party. If Mr.. Bryan cares to
put the acquisition of the Philippines
in the light of Il bargain in which the
government paid two dollars head for
100000 people, what will he say of
Thomas jefferson, who, as president,
paid more than two dollars head for
the people of Louisiana and Florida ?
| Jefferson purchased outright these ter
iiNOAiNo II oiil '1AiCl luoGuINtl, ana
| they are now y standing illustration of
the logic of the expansion policy.
James *. Polk, another democrat, au-
| thorized the purchase of Mexican terri
| tory that came TO us through conquest.
and on Mr.. Bryan's theory Of annexa-
ton paid more than two dollars head
for the inhabitants thereof. But Mr.
| Bryan's uttcranccs on this question
must be so irritating TO patriotic Amer
leans as to carry the antidote for their
own poison.
| The questions that Mr.. Bryan must
answer are: Would you haul down the
flag in the Philippines? Would you sur
render the islands to the Tagals now in
rebellion, representing not onc-twen.
tieth OF the population? Would you
withdraw the army and navy from the
islands and waters of the archipelago:
Would you surrender the islands to an.
archy or to some European govern.
ment? Would you sacrifice American
interests to forward the interests OF
some European power? DO you ap
prove or not the proposition submitteC
by the president to the Filipino.
| through the peace commissioners? Dc
you regard that proposition as d resort
to European methods or the inaugura
ton OF American methods, to Dc dis
cussed on its merits? Are YOU in favor
OF general policy of surrender of tn,
territory conquered from Spain Woul,
you retire from Porto Rico? Would vol
annul the Hawaiian annexation act
Would you maintain military govern
ment in Cuba, or would You leave tho
island TO the war of the factions?
The people are asking these questions
of Mr.. Bryan, and If he is TO be the nom
inee OF the democratic party he must
answer them. Democrats are asking
these questions, and if Mr. Bryan docs
not answer them he will not De the nom
inee of the party. II has been demon
strated time and time again that the
American people have no use for a cow
ard. Certainly the silver republicans Of
the west who favor the administration
policy in the Philippines, and who did
their full part in sustaining the govern
nent in the war with Spain. cannot
longer support n man who iuggles with
words 10 conceal his sympathy with the
cOpperheads of the day.
This is not a time for spectacular dust
throwing. The people are asking men
those who aspire 10 leadership, az
well as those in the ranks-to show
their colors. Mr.. Bryan. il would seem.
has no colors 10 show. He would have
the democratic party repeat in 1900 the
great biunders of. 1664.-C Chicago Inter
Ocean.
|