The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-26

we see that IL is pure rubbish to say
that all political opposition to the gov
eminent ceases in England when a crit
ical foreign dispute is on hand. En-
glish liberals are not the men for TINS
prescribed, ignobie silence. Not only
John Morley and Mr.. Asquith, but Sir
William Harcourt and even Campbell
Zimmerman, leader of his party In the
house, have spoken out in warning and
protest, have said openly that there is
no just cause for making war upon
the Transvaal, and that patience and
diplomacy can compass all. 1t is
bold fiction that party divisions cease
at the waters edge in England. Our
English imperialistic physicians do not
heal themselves with their own med
icine.
At any rate. 1t is nonsense for them
or anybody else to expect that heady.
jealous, an alert democracy like the
American is going to let great and
vital matter of national policy, such
as this Philippine business, be settled
in a corner, with the electorate hushed
and the political oracles dumb. Very
probably Mr.. Mckinley and his man
ayers expected something OF the kind.
They looked to carry over the unan-
unity of the country in support of the
war with Spain to the support OF the
presidents unauthorized and needless
war Of conquest In the Philippines. But
the thing was impossible. Putting it
on the lowest grounds. they should
have known that keen politicians.
| watching them night and day for a
vulnerable point of attack, would be
sure to drive at the Philippine opening.
| American politics may be unscrupu-
| lous. but 1t was certain to seize upon
so tempting an opportunity. The idea
that this whole Philippine affair could
be kept "out of politics" was prepos-
| ferrous from the beginning. 1t could
have been cherished only by men ig-
norant Of our political history. and Of
| the manners Of liberty.
And on higher grounds, considering
! the mighty changes in our national
| ideals and laws which the Philippine
| departure of the president involves,
how could he imagine that it would
| not be thrown into the arena of pub
| lie discussion? How could he have
supposed that the question would be
| let go by default? How could he have
dreamed that the American people
would relinquish their immemorial
rights and change their inveterate po-
| ltical habits, and ask him to decide
! the whole thing for them in secrecy
and darkness? Thank heaven, our
! countrymen are not built that way.
! They will insist, in the end, on having
! their say about the conduct and policy
of the government, abroad as well as
| at home. They may be intimidated
and silenced for a time by arrogant
talk about traitors" but all in good
! time. as we are now seeing, they put
| an end to the artificial reign of terror
and speak their minds freely as OF
| your. This is as it should be. For our
rulers to get it into their heads that
! they can make war without being
! held politically responsible would be
| an enormous calamity. They have
! their zones of explosion" in war, and
they must always know that there
awaits them in peace a still more
| deadly zone Of explosion in the shape
| of general election, in which the peo-
| pie pass judgment upon them. This is
and ought to be the most deadly fire
! which democratic leaders have to face
| Mckinley was not under fire" In the
war, but the anxiety with which he
| is watching that fuse burning on the
Ohio shell shows what a Wholesome
effect the wicked plunging of his Phil
ippine war into politics has already
had upon him.