The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1899-02-11
METHODS OF DEMOCRATS.
sion ms n Policy to Inname
Turbulent Spirits.

The democratic members of congress
are entitled to no credit for acquescing
in the republican policy Of ratifying
the Paris treaty. for the reason that
past democratic history demonstrates
their fixed policy TO be obstruction, dis
sension and reckless opposition to all
republican legislation, whenever such
ant2gonism is not clearly seen TO be
suicidal on the part Of the democracy.
So far as Bryan's action in the matter
Is concerned, the same remark applies
TO him and to his motive in advising
such congressional action. If he is to
be 'creditcd" with instigating the pol
icy of the democratic members, such
credit must be limited to the degree of
shrewdness shown in discovering the
shortest way out of the woods The
whole scheme is mere trick of party
eXpediency, 10 be followed by an at
tempt at united opposition to the re-
publican policy Of national expansion.
1t is perfectly clear to all observers
Of the movements of American parties
that the democratic opportunists have
hit upon the policy of opposing terri
torial expansion as the one best adapt
cd to their partisan methods and 10 the
average democratic talent for dipping
the ignorant and inflaming the baser
passions of the turbulent element in
our society The plea will consist of n
howl against a standing army; an out
cry against "ruling colonized popula-
tions contrary to their wishes or the
provisions of the constitutions" tear
full protest against admitting foreign
territories. denscly inhabited with ig.
norant tribes, whose civilization Will
mean competition with the toiling
masses of our own country, and similar
democratic rot.
All this is held in contemplation MS
a prospective happy diversion from the
discredited silver craze of 1896, which
even Bryan seems anxious to get rid
Off il can be done without causing
too much irritation among the popu.
listic element of his party. 1t has been
one of Bryans favorite tricks to as
sumo that republicans have settled on
certain abstruse questions and policies,
though only the faintest indications Of
such action may be his sole ground for
the assumption. Subsequent indignant
reputation Of the Boy Orators impu-
dence is then taken as backdown on
the part OF the republicans. This spe-
cies of trickery is forcshadowcd in the
anti-eXpansion movement Of the de-
mocracy under the leadership Of the
arch dcmagogue, Bryan.
The truth is, republicans have not
yet formulated n distinct future policy
for the final disposition of the Philip
pines. They have prudcntly postponed
such work, pending exhaustive investi-
cation and debate on the subject. Their
attitude to-day is the only philosophical
one. The democratic attitude is the
shifting and crafty one that has al
ways characterized the party-particu-
larry since its political overthrow in
1850.
The democracy has plunged into the
fight against national expansion with
its usual haste and cfTrontcry. The
question is one Of profound depth and
unusual importancc--on that must en-
gage the attention and study of our
ripcst scholars and soundest political
thinkers. Yet the democratic leaders,
great and small. have tackled il, with
the vulgar and laundering tcmcrity Of
n lot of rural stagers in their first re-
hearsal for n school exhibition. What
does the average democratic editor or
the Boy Orator know about expansion
or "impcrialism"-- that the latter
expression has n patrician sonorous-
ness about it that promises to excite the
instructive antagonism of the class who
call themselves the prolctariat? How
many Of Bryan's followers or licutcn-
ants have ever heard Of the impcach-
ment Of Warren Hastings, or the sig
nilicancc of that incident, as vindica-
ton of the English expansion policy?
How many of the yelling ants are
equipped with ancient precedents and
modern instances, and how many
would be qualified TO use them If they
were as plentiful as agricultural re-
ports in n western statehouse Gin
cinnati Commercial Tribune