The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1899-07-20
oovERNoR BOUTWELL,.
He Is Indignant Over the Attempt to
Change the National Ideals.

He Is Indignant Over the Attempt to
Change the National Ideals.
Ex-Governor and Ex-senator George
$. Boutwell, speaks with great warmth Of
the present national situation in let
ter written 10 express his regret at not
being able to speak at the Clan-na-Gael
gathering in Boston on the Fourth. He
says:
"The circumstance that the speaking
on the occasion Of the reunion and field
day Of the .Clan-na- Gael, Of Massachu-
setts, July 4, will he in the evening,
seems TO make IL unwise for me to ac-
cept your invitation 10 be present. This
decision Is very much against my incli-
nation, which is to join you and to give
further public utterance to my opposi-
tion TO the un-American and un-Repub-
lican policy of President Mckinley.
"There has been no other such depar-
ture from American ideas and princi-
pies in all our history, not even by JEFF
ierson Davis, as is now in progress un.
der the lead Of the president. jefferson
Davis did not contemplate the destruc-
tion of the American Republic; he only
contemplated its division. President
Mckinley is transforming this Republic
into an Empire, and the permanent es
tablishment Of our authority in the
Philippine Islands is the consummatior
Of the undertaking.
We are engaged in war which noon'
defends, which no one can defend as 8
just and righteous war. Its supporter
are apologists, laying the responsibility
for the war sometimes on destiny, some
times upon Divinity. IL IL an answer
or only guilty pretext when we say
that for f2O,OOO,OC0 we have purchased
from Spain the title 10 the Philippine
Islands, and Herewith the right, through
war and slaughter, to subijugate 10000
900 human beings who never injured us
and who ask only for the right to man
age their own affairs-a right a. sacreC
a. the right TO exist?
For the execution Of this unhOly pur
pose a call il now pending for the en-
listment Of 10000, soon % be 10000
and then 10000, Of the youth Of tn,
country, whose destiny il will be u
either fall in battle, or TO perish by dis
ease, or 20 return broken in health 4
become the recipients Of pensions 10 b.
| Is. L. g nh
have to remain at home. This sacrific
Of men and this waste Of money and tn
consequent burden OF taxation througl
generations are not more to be regrette'
than the humiliation 10 which the coun
try is now subjected in the abandon
ment Of the republic and the acceptanc
OF England as our guide and model i
affairs Of government.
This administration has been inveigle
into a policy which involves an allianc
with England for the defense OF he
eastern empire against the frowning 81
premacy Of Russia, that has already lai
its iron hand upon China, and which
yet 10 dominate over Japan. We ar
now 10 choose whether America shall rC
main a republic and lead the world o
10 higher ideas and to purer practices i
public affairs, or whether we are 10 az
cept the ideas and principles Of despot
governments.
Justice and peace are possibilities
a republic. Justice and peace are in
possibilities in an. empire. lmperialisl
aud republicanism are impossible in III
, same government. The greatest erin
: which mankind can commit, Is the il
auguration Of a war and the prosecutio
oi.a war for the conquest OF territory an
, the subjugation Of peoples, with the II
cidcnt and inevitable sacrifice of huma
life
The founders Of this government pr,
ierrcd republicanism and peace 10 impe
, ialism and war. President Mckinle
and his supporters are engaged IN an e
fort 10 revise their work and 10 revi,
their opinion. This is the issue.
Let us unite, one and all, whatey,
may be- our differences on other matte
and whatever our nationality, and d
mand the abandonment ot the unjus
and thus far unsuccessful war in Il
Philippine Islands.
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