The Irish standard., 1899-05-13
AN IRISH REPUBLICAN SPEAKS
Hon. John F. Finerty Opposed to McKin-
ley'S Policy.


OF Colonel John T. Fincrty appeared in
the Chicago Citizen OF May 6:
The disgusting bosh about "anti-in-
pcrlalistic treason in the American
Royalist press is enough to make real
Americans indulge in language the re-
verse OF godly. 1t would seem that OF
late years, a majority OF the American
daily newspapers have fallen under the
control OF men who have no bowels OF
compassion, no sense OF national de-
cency, no reverence for anything but the
cid flag and Il new steal This is the
TACT. as regards our outrageous miscon>
duct in the Philippine atrocity. We have
acted as man would who. having as
sisted another man in driving robbcr
from his house. turned around upon the
person assisted and became a robbcr
himself. The Filipinos have a right to
dcsplSc as we'll as hate lis. We have
treated them mcanly and baselv. We
nave refused to give them credit for
their heroic struggle against Spain and
Tor the assistance they gave General
Merritt in the capture OF Manila. We
have blackcncd the reputation OF their
young general, spurncd their duly elect
cd congress and spat upon their accrcd-
ltcd representatives to WASHINGTON.
We have, i'll a word, acted not like
American gentlemen. with a decent re-
gard for the rights of our icllow-mcn.
but like reckless "Anglo-Saxon'' bullics
who think they have a commission from
on high to walk to wealth and power
over the necks OF their iclow-bcinps
There IS not single rcdccming feature
III our forcciul occupation OF the Philip
pines, except the splendid naval victory
OF Dewey over the Spaniards and the
unparalleled hcrosm OF our soldiers, of
whom the newIy-promotcd Brigader-
General Funston OF Kansas is the heroic
representative. We wish his noblv won
laurcls. and those OF his brave compan-
ions-in- arms, had been gathered in a
less blamciul cause. Nobody blamcs
sailor or soldier for obeying orders.
The first duty Of both is obedience to
orders. No sane man would counsel
the American army or navy to mutiny.
nor arc we convinced that any American
cltlZcn-not even the much abused Mr.
Atkinson-llas advocated or suggested
such crime. The army and navy must
obey their chiefs, whether the cause is
right or wrong Every sensible man
understands that, but no American citi-
zen can be muzzlcd or successfully
branded as Il traitor simply for saying
that the war in the Philippines is
crime and blundcr, and that William
Mckinley is not as great or wise man
as was George Washington.
All this talk about indictments for
treason is the babbc OF knavcs or fools.
DO they think they can terrorizc the
gallant American heart by an appeal to
Russian or British methods of suppress
sion? Where arc their Siberian mines?
Where arc their Portland prisons? It
is written in the book OF fate that Will
liam Mckinley will be hurled from pow
cr if he and his advisers persist in their
present un-Amcrican course. They NAV
dcnouncc arti-1mpcrmlistc meetings
and puff Loyalst oncs-tllat, by the
way, was the English designation for the
American tories during the Revolution
airy war-but 1000 looms up near and
lurid and the presidential candidate who
stands for the nobcr traditions OF his
country, for the principles OF Washing
ton, of Jefferson, OF Monroe, OF Jack
son and OF Lincoln and against robber
trusts shameful plumber OF the weak
the violation OF the Monroe doctrine
and the degradation OF the Constitution
will be the next president OF the United
States, no matter what party designation
he may bear. The storm is beginning
TO gather. The liberty loving Amcri-
can people will not consent to be aiders
and abcttors Of {; colonial policy copied
from the British book with swords
dipped in the blood OF the wrongcd and
innocent. They will rise in their right
cous wrath and bury under a mountain
OF ballots the party that may dare to up
hold the present disgraceful foreign pol
icy.
The alleged triumph OF our arms in
the Philippines makes no difference in
the situation. We have again refused to
recognize the native congress elected by
the Filipino people-the only body that
really represents them. By what right
do we refuse the reasonable request that
its voice be heard before final action in
regard to peace is taken? We call the
Filipinos "savagcs," in order to justify
our own rascality. Oh, no. 1t is we
who are the savages-we who trample
on popular rights, deny the principle of
representation and plant our flag over
an unwilling people by the strong hand.
The great issue OF 1900 will be EN-
braccd in this question, "Shall we de-
generate into blood-stained empire or
remain proud and prosperous repub-
lic?"