The Portland daily press., 1899-01-07

Says Forcibie Annexsties of Philip
pines would Violate American
Principles.

L fFtnctpiess
| Cincinnati, January 6.-The Duck.
worth club gave Its annual banquet to.
night, Col. W. J. Bryan being the gue
OF honor. After discussing the Chicago
platform and emphasizing the 10 to |
plank Col. Bryan took up the new ques.
lions that have grown out OF tina war
He called attention to the Presiden {
recommendation Of larger army ana
insisted that the army should be divided
/ into two branches, the army for domes.
| tic use In the United States which he said
did not need to be increased and the army
for occupation, which Is temporarily for
use outside Of the United States.
/, Turning to the question OF annexation
no insisted that the nation had not yet
decided what to do with the Philippines.
| He said:
Il Is not unnatural that our people
should he more sanguinary after battle
than they are before. but IL Is only a
question of time when reflection viii re-
| store the conditions which existed before
the nation became engaged In the war
II the President rightly interpretatet
| the feelings OF the people when they were
intoxicated by military triumph, we
shall appeal from philip drunk to
Philip sober.
The forcible annexation OF the Philip
pines islands would violate principle OF
American law so deeply imbedded In the
American mind that until year ago no
public man would have suggested IL. To
defend foroible annexation on the ground
that we are carrying out religious duty
is absurd. We were not yet In position
to determine whether the people OF the
.fe .xr-ht Ia. 81 psx
back from the Philippines as much as they
send there. There 10 an old saying that
1t Is not profitable to bur law suit. Our
nation may learn by experience that it is
not wise to conquer q people.
CROKER DOESN'T AGREE WITH
BRYAN.
New York, January 6-The Journal
and Advertiser will tomorrow print tho
following statement given out tonight by
Richard Croker;
81 bellows in expansion; / believe In
holding whatever possessions we have
gained by annexation, purchase or war.
This policy Is not only patriotic but
IL Is the only safe one to pursue. Any
other policy would show weakness on the
part OF the U. S. and invite foreign COM
plicatious This must be avoided hence
our policy must DO vigorous.
jefferson was an eApSnsionist; other
wise he would Eot have favored the
acquisition Ut Louisiana with Its foreign
population, which in Jefferson's time
was quite as remote as the Philippines
In this age of steam and electricity dis
tance is no argument against expansion.
We spend millions annually for mis-
sionary work In foreign countries. Now
we have u chance to spend this money In
our OWE possessions and make the people
Of our new lands good, law-abiding citi-
zens, who in time will be loyal to our
constitution and our flag. Take England,
for example, the people Of this little
island come pretty near owning tho uni
verse. Are not our people as intelligent.
as powerful and patriotic as the English
peoples The United States is the only
country on earth superior TO the English.
Why not illustrate 60 the world that We
are fully able to cope with greater
problems than we have had occasion to
In the past, and In the future dominate
any emergency We have q population Of
young men full of life, hope and AIM
bition. Why not give these young men .
chance to develop our newly acquired
possessions and build up q country rival.
ing in granduer and patriotism our own
United States. l say by all m sans hold
on to all that rightfully belongs TO US II
the great country west Of the Rocky
Mountains was filled with wild Indians
at the present moment, how long would
1t take US to suppress them and make
them respect our laws and our educationp
The same thing applies TO the Philippines
and any other country that may fall into
our hands by the province OF peace or
war
lit Is an insult to the American people
and to our dag even to suggest that we
abandon the people we have rel, 5ed
from bondage or what would be IL ore as
graceful, that we should offer to sci, hprn
to the highest bidders Such pro- or on
places the American people In the sauie
category with the Chiuese who nave
neither patriotism nor foreign policy and
are In consequence utilized as door mat
by the powers Of tie world.
This Is too great question TO be con-
sidered as "a mere matter of dollars and
cents Our people want their rights pro-
tsoted they will not figure on the cost.
Bring IL down to local government in the
case Of street cleaning. The cry Is I'VE
want clean streets" regardless of tle cost.
They demand them as their right. JUST
so with our POSSESSIONS, the people
want the properties acquired by war pro
tected. They will pay for q standing
army, powerful navy and the protection
Of our flags the world over, regardless Of
any monetary consideration. They have
proved their willingness TO sacrifice their
blood for the honor OF their country and
flag. And when the question Is brougt :
to an issue they will rise as one man and
demand expansion as u citizens sacred
right.
II think the 10 to question as out
lined in the Chicago platform decidedly
dead issue. That was fully demonstrated
In the last election. We did not embo y
the IS to question in our platform Auu
the result Is that we have elected ever one
of our congressman.