Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-16
WHO Is RESPONSlRLEf

The keynote sounded by Colonel
Bryan in the present campaign Is OPP
position TO imperialism and military
rule. Granting, for arguments sake,
that the war in the Philippines forces
upon the nation grave problems that
seriously impcril the future of the re-
public, the. question that presents itself
is, Who is to blame for the state of war
that now exists in the islands?
1t is a matter of history that the war
with Spain was forced upon President
Mckinley by the democrats and popu-
lists in congress, who clamored for war
while the president and his cabinet were
exerting all their influence to avert hos
tilities.
1t is a matter of history that Colonel
Bryan resigned his commission in the
army while the treaty of Paris was
pending in the senate in order that he
might exercise the privilege of an Amer
lean citizen and speak out on the issues
of the day without the restraint i'm
posed upon an officer of the army.
Colonel Bryan knew, as every well in
formed public man knew, that the rati-
tcation of the treaty of Paris was a
solemn decree of the annexation of the
islands. Colonel Bryan had scarce
taken off his uniform when he appeared
in Washington to urge every democrat
and popullst senator to vote for rati-
Ann A nti |, vi
! jority of the democrats voted for rati-
| tication and thus assumed the full re-
| sponsibilty for all the consequences.
| But even if Colonel Bryan's influence
aries of his own state the fact that the
| casting vote in favor of ratification was
registered by William V. Allen of Ne.
| braska fixes the responsibility for an
nexation and Imperialism beyond perad
venture upon the shoulders of Mr.
| Bryan. From this conclusion there is
no escape. 1t is as clear as day thai
the transfer of sovereignty over the
Philippine islands from Spain to the
United States was consummated by
Senator Aliens vote for the ratifica
tion of the treaty and the payment oi
the $2OOOO,OOO stipulated as its pur
chase price.
When Bryan advised Allen and hi;
democratic senatorial supporters to vot,
for that treaty he assumed the respon
sbility and must share whatever blam'
may follow that compact. He knew
that it was utterly impossible to ratif,
the treaty without the support Of two
thirds of the senate and he knew tha
the necessary two-thirds could not b'
obtained unless he and his follower
Joined the republicans favorable to an
neXation.
1t will not do now for Bryan to shif
the responsibility upon the presiden
or his administration. AS chief execu
tive President Mckinley had only on
course to pursue and that was to main
tain the authority of the United State
over the territory annexed by the treat
whose ratification was chiefly due t
Colonel Bryan's personal Intervention
| ne pea lHdL tlle TeJeCllOH VI tlle Lied' l.
would have reopened the war wit
, Spain will hardly deceive anybody. Th
Spaniards were not in position to re
open the war with their navy dc
stroyed and their army demOralze
and dismayed by defeat. Spain woul
have been only too glad to have mod
: fed the conditions of the treaty b
ceding to the United States a naval ste
ton in the Philippines or recognizing
protectorate by the United States owe
the islands until its inhabitants wer
In condition to establish independeI
self government
Whatever bloodshed has been or sha
be caused and whatever taxation sha
be piled up in consequence of the Eli
I pino insurrection are directly chargeab
: to William Jennings Bryan and IL
@ populists and democrats who acted upo
his advice in forcing upon the countr
the annexation of the Philippine
through the treaty of Paris.