Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-12-20

record, officially, in regard to this mat
ter, prior to the national elections. His
utterances to congress are remarkably
short of his speeches in the west, on his
famous around-the-ci trip before
the Ohio election. He now ventures
nothing upon the imperialistic issue,
beyond statement, which no one dis
putes or has denied, that the insurrect-
ion must be ended. and that obliga-
lions incurred in the war with Spain
for establishing order in territory &C.
quired by this country, must be fulfilled.
But upon helmportant question as to
how this government shall govern the
Asiatic possessions, what measure of
liberty she'll be given the Filipinos, tue
President is silent. His evasion of the
issue is taken generally to mean that
he is doubtful now himself about the
American peoples endorsement of the
policy to hold permanently all the
PHILIPPINES and to govern them by q
colonial 81 stem similar to that Of Great
Britain.
The financial suggestions Of Mr.. Nc
Klnley have chilled the western republi
cans, who cherished the hope that he
would, nominally at least adhere to the
Republican platform of 1885 upon
which he was elected, favoring larger
use of silver, to be brought about by
international agreement. Intelligent
men have understood tdlly that this
declaration was put in merely to pro-
pitiate certain sections like Indiana
and Illinois where silver coinage 10
strong, even with republicans. Now,
however, the President comes out
squarely for the establishing more firm
ly of the single gold standard, the In
crease of national bankers privileges,
and authority for the secretary of the
treasury to sell U nited States bonds on
long or short time. As the present
secretary exercises his discretion to buy
bonds and turn cash into Wall street
whenever the Spectators are short Of
money, this new proposition implies .
more flexible arrangement BY which
the treasury will lend itself to the ad-
justment of rates to stock spsculators
at their Dshest, or a. the whim may
strike him, and both sell and buy bonds
for the purpose.
The trust question is treated with
little short of misstatement of law
and facts. The day prior to the read
ing of this message the United States
Supreme Court, in the important case
ofthe Addyston Pipe Co., decided that
this trust was in violation of federal
statutes. There is no longer doubt
that existing law is sufficient to reach
the trusts. II is for the attorney gem
eral of the United States, an official OF
McKinley's administration, to prose-
cute the offenders But Attorney Gen
eral Griggs comes from New Jersey,
the great incorporating state of all the
trusts operating in the country. and his
thoughts and convictions are imbued
naturally with prejudices in favor of
the great capitalistic concerns. Griggs
can not see means for prosecuting these
combinations under the so-called Sher-
man act, although the Supreme court
can convict when cases are brough. b,
fore it. The easiest escape from sucn a
situation is to ask for more legislation,
and this is the course OF the president
With laws enough to cover the princi
pal offenders, the trust fed administra
ton asks congress to furnish more; and
then it implies these matters will re-
celve consideration. When tho next
republican convention meets, it will no
doubt denonnce vigorously, in general
terms, trusts and combinations for the
the purpose of stitiing competition.
The Republicans have lost none of their
characteristic etfrontery, as is shown
very we'll in the latest mes sage of their
chief representative.
No suggestion is made for lessen,
ing the burdens of the standing army,
but on the contrary, between the lines
cnn be read the purpose to establish it
permanently. If the president actually
believes the instruction in the Philip
pines is practically ended, why is no
hope extended that soon the army can
be reduced, and a portion at least of the
present burden of sl2OOO0OOO for this
army can be taken off the shoulders of
the tax payers?
In the House the message was listened
to impatiently. The thousands Who
filled the galleries were there to witnes,
the proceedings in the Roberts case.
They were bored by the long tedious
message.
Without party division, the House
voted not to admit Roberts on his un.
questionably perfect certificate of cleo
tion as representative. The COM
ments heard from the leaders on both
sides indicate very clearly that they
were not at all satisfied with their
votes upon the question. They recog-
nize unanimously, that most danger
GUS precedent has been established in
refusing to admit any man presenting
regular credentials, precedent that
may be invoked hereafter to great in
jury ofa state, by interruptions ma
jorities in the House. 1t can be stated,
moreover, that there were not six men
of nearly 400 in the House who did not
recognize the fact that the proper pro-
cedure in the case would have been to
to adopt the resolution offered by the
democratic leader, Mr.. Richardson,
proposing to admit Roberts temporarily
upon his credentials, and then refer to
the committee on tile Judiciary for i'm.
mediate report the charges of personal
disqualification. Roberts would have
been expelled under that method, be-.
yond the shadow of doubt.
Mrnsurim;, riaue.