Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-08
LOYALTY THE FIRST DUTY.

LOYALTY THE FIRST DUTY.
Notwithstanding it's efforts to en}sar-
rass the administration in the conduct of
the war in the Philippines, the so-called
anti-imperialistic press makes a vigorous
protest against the charge that it is pur-
suing a traitorous course toward the gov
rnmen 1t makes an unWarranted dis
"tinction between fidelity to the admins
tration when a war is going on that i'm
mediately threatens the homes of the
people, and a war thai is taking place IN
another part of the globe, but which in
wolves the honor of the nation and its
standing before the great powers of the
world. In other words, loyalty to the
government when our people are acting
on the defensive may be all right, but
loyalty to the government when it is try
ing to maintain its sovereignty over ter
ritory acquired in the fortunes of war is
not demanded of those citizens who have
theoretical ideas as to the right and
wrong of the course that is being pur-
sued as a national policy! Under such
reasoning on the part of the anti-im-
perialistic press the loyalty of the citizen
should begin and leave off where his per-
sonal opinions draw the line between
actual danger to his individual epidermis
and the general interests of the nation!
1t is merely the ancient system of cop
perheadism thawed into life. No one will
dispute the right of the anti-expansion-
lists. or "anti-imperialists," as they prefer
to dub themselves in order to make
prejudice take the place of argument in
the advocacy of their Cause, to question
the wisdom of the policy of national ag-
grandizement to their hearts content.
But there IS a broad distinction between
loyalty to the government during the
progress of war, and a discussion of the
causes leading up to it or the results that
may ultimately flow from it. The ques-
ton of whether the government should
have beaten a hasty retreat from Aguin-
dlQO ana ms DdfDdIid1lS, anu SURRENDERED
the fruits of the great victory achieved
by Dewey, is not in issue. The war is
on. 1t was precipitated BY the FiIipinos
They attacked our soldiers while concil-
iatory measures We're maturing tina
would have given them the blessings
of local self-government. They have
,-1 800, ,,l ,o,,+
lated their remains, and shot down mer
under flags of truce. They nave Violated
the rules of modern warfare and shown
themselves worthy of no peace overture!
from a se~lf-respecting nation until thor
oughly conquered. Under such condi
tons, it is not a question of the right o.
wrong of the policies n plans that lea(
III to the war, but a question of enforc
ing the authority of this government il
a territory which it acquired from Spain
The assumption of the democratic pres
that the Americans are conducting a wa
of conquest against a free people, is il
itself an exhibition of rank d~isloyalty
t'N" SAA ~ =" ~ ~ - liz aA
ministration IN it's efforts to bring Tn
war to a successful termination as speed
lily as possible. Such are de
signed to create a sentiment that viii
lead congress to work at cross purpose
with the administration in the solution
Of the problems growing out of the trou
bles in the Philippines, and bring dis
credit upon the nation that has prose
cuted the war.
When our republic is involved in war
individual opinions as 10 the merits o
dement's of the conflict have no right f.
intervene between the government an,
its success IN The field. IT is the duty o
every citizen to stand by the flag. Tn
man who would humiliate this repubIi
by recalling our troops from the PHILIP
pines and surrendering a territory cede,
by Spain after an ownership of 300 years
has d~isloyalty in his heart and pol;tica
treachery in his designs.
The military has received another bio,