Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1899-03-03
TIME roR rsEA TO SPEAK.

The treaty Of peace has been rah.
h.i. Tho .tnitorr,' -eopperheads'
and .obstruc,ionisis' no longer stand
in the way Of progress. Is it not
time that the administration should
declare TO the people Of this u'nniry
its policy respecting the Philippine
archipelago? Are we mol entitled TO
kno =. either from the White House
or from the Senate chamber, just
what is to be don. with the islandsI
Is there any longer an e. u . for con-
cealment or delay!
The question IL an important one.
II involves m~omentous consequences.
We are to continue IN a Wal footing
indefinitely -payinH heavy taxes for
the maintenance OF a large army-or
We are tn revert gradually to the
status QUO mite belIum, devot:uI our
SLEEVES To commerce instead Of con-
quest. We should know at once
which policy we are to follow. We
have no such knoUledGe now.
william Mckinley is the leader Of
his party at least be is supposed to
be. Can anyone, from his oontradic-
tory declarations. form an idea Of the
Republican larty's p Icy with regard
tn the Philippines? 4 year and a half
ago he declared officially that terri
torial aggression would be a crime.
In September OF this year he adopt
ed the policy he once denounced aud
through his commissioners at Paris
demanded and secured FROM SIP Il
the cession Of the entire Philippine
archipelago. Three months ago he
proclaimed to the Filipinns that they
| were tn be made subjects NJ the
American R-publ!c-.bene,olep,ly
assimllated,- rs he preferred to put it
Yet a week later his personal organ
in Chi ago, reinforced BY Senator
Foraker III Washington. explicitly de-
MED that there was any intention To
.assimilate' the FilipinoI against
their will. Is an. thing tn be made oi
this tumble Of cunt NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ations n week. denials the next!
Why shouldn't the Presi lent speak?
Or, 10 the President won't speak.
why shouldn't the Senate speak for
him? We hav Y heard from the SEN
ate u great deal OF peifer,id parri tic
oratory during the last tive weeka.
Appeals have been made to the 10y
atty antI-expansinp Senators. The
old flag has been waved AZ persistent
ly as il an appropriation bill were
under discussion. .Ratify the trelty
as pat riutic AmericarS' has been the
cry, and it has been re 'ponded to.
Yet now that the treaty has been rati-
fed there is no disposition manifest
to defue the policy OF the government
in the Philippines
Surely this is a cowardly and pitt
tul attitude to be assumed by Il party
which claims Ia have behind il the
great majority Of the peopIe-Demo
Gratis as well as Rel ubiicans. All
that is needed is a simple declaration
froLI the President OF from the Sen.
ats. Are We tai keep the Philippines
temporarily or permanently? |, ter
n'oial aggression Il crime or is it uoi?
Are We to lick war stumps until the
end OF time or are wo some day to re-
turn to the comfortable il i~nglorinns
task of minding our own bu. iuess.
leaving the Filipinos, the Cuban and
all the other harbarians on earth to
take care OF hemselyes9
isn't there manhood enough in The
national administration to faca the
question and make a plain answer
once for allH-Chicsgo Chronicle.