New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-17
A MISTAKE.

The devotion of 1.-THE Charleston News and
! Courier" to the Democratic party Is well KNOWN.
| The sincerity Of It's opposition to the poncy OF
expansion and It's hatred Of the Republican Ad-
mlnistration and all its works-it matters little
what-are too well proved to be questioned. NO
body can doubt that 1t means what IL says anu
saws It in perfect good faith. But II 1t meant
! TO strange the anti-expanslonists ana make
their propa ganda odious with the vast majority
Of the American people it could not go about
that Job more effectively than by publishing
such paragraphs as this:
The United States flag lost all Its original
! beauty and significance when 1t crossed the 20
, tomac in 1861 and II received indel1ble stains
/ when II was raised over Hawaii and Porto RICO
| mn II never appeared so mean and ugly, per-
! haps. as where II haunts itself as an emblem OF
! liberty" and Of civilization and Christianity over
! the capital Of the ravaged philippines.
Strong language is an easy instrument OF op
| position II has been seized with such readl-
ness by the anti-expansionists that surprise IL
! no longer excited by hearing gentlemen VINO
| profess TO be models OF culture and leaders OF
| civilization calling the President murderer
| talking like the gentle and refined EDWARD NJ
| Shepard in after dinner speeches ABOUT MS
| "timid and cowardly heart and pouring con
tempt on the rag carried before our soldiers
In the field No special Indignation is excited
| by such violence 1t Is expected In all contro-
versies from the denizens Of Blingsgate, and If
people who might be expected to have other
abOdes and tastes desire to identify themselves
with that locality 1t is matter for their own
choosing. The points at issue In our political
situation offering a fair field for civilized discus
sion are not in the least altered by epithets.
But 1.-THE Charleston News and Courier goes
step further than the mere adopts at vltupera-
ton They identified the anti-expansion pro
gramme with their own bad tempers and lack
of wellbred dignity. 1t Identifies that pro
cramme with historic disoyalty, and tells the
people of this country that II they are sorry
they did not let their Union be destroyed some
thirty years ago they now have an opportunity
TO show IT, 1t says TO those who may be doubt
full about the wisdom Of everything done IN the
Philippines. but still feel that the first thing to
do Is TO stand by the Nation and It's flag against
armed enemies. that there Is no reason why they
should entertain foolish sentiment OF that
kind. for the flag long ago lost all Its claim on
their affections as the symbol Of a country to
love and defend. If the anti-expansionists want
their cause to be so regarded II Is their own ar
fair. They would cry out loudly II a supporter
Of the Administration described them as the
successors not merely Of Josiah Quincy, OF the
Essex Junto and the Hartford Convention, but
Of the notification movement and the war
against the Union. But II is no enemy that so
represents them. II is a friend and partisan
who absolves them from the moral obligation OF
allegiance TO the banner which was kept abort
by Abraham Lincoln. II the enemies Of Nc
Kinley wish to make him OdiOus as carrying on
the dsgraceful flag staining work begun by
Lincoln. the friends Of Mckinley might find 1t
convenient to help them along.
Nevertheless we regret to see "The Charles
ton News and Courers" statement. 1t Is bad
anti-expanson politics, in which perhaps we
might be expected to rejoice. But 1t Is fan
ming of old fires Of discord which no patriot can
wish to see ablaze. When Wheeler and Fitz-
hugh Lee again went 10 battle under the old
flag when Worth Bagleys coffin was wrapped
in II. the War Of the Rebellion seemed TO have
passed into history and its wounds to be healed.
Long ago the North ceased to wave the bloody
shirt Our Southern friends used to complain,
and perhaps with reason. that 1T was not sooner
put out of sight. But who now drags it from
the relic chest? Who is trying TO rally the old
Civil War passions and make them effective In
new political campaign? Surely 1T is blind
error for the vast majority of the people Of the
United States think that the flag that crossed
the Potomac in 1851 was by that very journey
preserved in its original beauty and signifi-
canoe. and nothing will do more to commend to
overwhelming favor the policy that keeps it
lover the capital Of the ravaged Philippines
than the belief that it there stands for the
same National glory and National safety that 1t
stood for at Appomattox. Was 1t "lndelbly
stained" when in Porto Rico the people went
out with 10y to meet its bearers? Does 1t look
"mean and ugly floating over ship bearing re-
lief to the storm stricken islanders? Possibly
so TO those for whom it lost its beauty long ago.
II any such there be. But their taste has not
been shared by their countrymen, and assuredly
will not be- The millions still love the Star
! Spanged Banner, and are still ready to die for
II. Teach them that Aguinaldo is firing anew
! OH Fort Sumter. and from Boston TO San Fran
! csco-yes and in Charleston and New-Orears
the patriotism Of the people will sweep anti
expansion from the field Of discussion and be
deaf even to the reasonable measures Of colo
NAL policy that undergraduates might urge.
We shall not resort to such teaching
NO DOMINICAN CUBA.