The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-09
INDIANA EDITORIAL OPINION.

1t does not come as a surprise to any one
that the insurgents have attacked the Amer
lean forces. They certainly have had enough
encouragement from Americans themselves
to justify them in doing so.-Columbus Re-
publican.
General Miles is to be given an oppor-
tunity TO prove some of the many things
that he has uttered and we are glad of it.
If he can do so, then the-eeuntry should
know 1t; and It is equally important to be
informed If he cannot.-Marion Chronicle.
Now that the insurgents have actually
opened war and killed number of Ameri-
cans in Manila. will those friends of Aguin-
aldo in this country subside? Every Amer
lean who now aids, ,abets or encourages
foreign foe, ought to be arrested for treason.
-VincenneS Commercial.
If the senators who aided Senator German
in his fight against Mr.. Bryan's leadership
of the Democratic party, to the extent of
voting with him against the ratification of
the treaty of peace, could see themselves
as others see them, they would hang their
heads for shame.-Crawfordsv Journal.
The majority of the people want REFORM
legislation for township and county govern
ment but they are not arrayed in such
manner as to give effective support to their
desires. They are not agreed upon any one
bill or upon any system. They are leaving
the legislators to work out the best plan.
Lafayette Courier.
The Senate of the United States does not
deserve to be congratulated on its perform
ance of yesterday in ratifying the treaty.
as it simply performed a plain and patriotic
duty The 0bstructioniStS are the fellows
who deserve attention, and particularly is
this so of the Republican obstructioniStS.
Washington Gazette.
1t is right to put the blood of the Amer
leans slain at Manila upon the Senate for
had that body acted in dsposing of the
peace treaty as ii did at the time of tho
outbreak of the with Spain in standing
by the President there would have been no
conflict between the United States army and
Aguinaldo'S inSurgentS.-South Bend Trib-
une
A carefully drawn primary election law
is one of the needs of Indiana. Both parties
agree that such a law is needed, therefore
the conditions ought to be favorable for
the passage of Representative Glossbren-
ner'S bill, better one if q better one
has been introduced. A good primary cleo
tion law would do away with much of the
schooling that makes elections diStasteful to
many good citizens.-Seymour Republican.
The treaty should have been ratified We
see no just ground for the opposition that
developed. There was no question involved
that is not yet open to discussion and set
Element, save the Endorsement of the war
and the work of the peace commissioners.
The question as to whether the Philippines
should become Independent nation a
colonial possession of the United States did
not enter.-Anderson Herald.
A desire the part of few cheap poll
ticians to embarrass President McKinley's
administration is responsible for the she'd
ding of American blood and the sacrifice of
the life of American soldiers at Manila.
Had it not been for the encouragement
Agoncillo in Washington. the pompadore
half-breed Aguinaldo would have never
thought of attacking Uncle Sans boys. Its
to the great shame of the United States
that this is true.-Frankfort News.
Had the treaty been promptly ratified
the Filipinos would have secured, no doubt,
more considerate treatment at the hands Of
Congress when the time comes to formulate
q system of government for them. They
have demonstrated their incapacity for self
government by precipitating a conflict be-
fore peaceful means had been exhausted for
securing their desires. Agunaldo will learn
that those whom he counted his friends have
been his worst enemes.-Fort Wayne
Gazette.
The opponents of the ratification of the
treaty with Spain, in the United States Sen
ate, are directly responsible for the she'd
ding of American blood in the Philippines
The question was not the future government
of the Philippines, but the present govern
ment. The opposition of the obstruction ele-
ment in the Senate has encouraged the Phil
ippines to make war upon the American SOL |
dierS, and now the question is whether the
American flag shall continue to wave where
American Valor planted it, or whether the
government shall basely and cowardly re-
treat from the position in which it has been
forced.-Huntington Herald.
Now that the Filipino insurgents at Ma
Mia have forced open hostilities, the Filipino
contingent in both houses of Congress must
shoulder their full share of responsibility
for the blood of American soldiers shed in
the battles of last Saturday night and Sun
day. The Fiipinos have been encouraged
to this point by the opposition to the peace
treaty, and the open sympathy and moral
support given them. This opposition was
largely based on party politics. The very
men who were most vehement in forcing the
country into the war with Spain have spared
no effort to embarrass the government in
prosecuting it, in promoting squabbles be-
tween naval commanders, in inVenting army
scandals, in minimizing the results of the
victory, and in embarrassing the administra-
ton at every stage while the peace treaty
was being formulated, and in delaying its |
ratification after the two counties had
agreed upon its s.-Rushville Repub-
lican.