The evening times., 1899-01-25
WEDNESDAY. JANUARY %. 1883.
The senate obs,ructionis,s.

The senate oFr>iructionists.
The news from Manila this morning, in
connection with The fling Of an ultima
tun'' by The agen, OF the outlaw Aguinal-
do at Washington should be warning
enough TO the obstrucuonists in the Sen
ate that they are near The point where they
yyiIl be overwhelmed by the execrations Of
the American people and where the masses
of the Democratic party viii publicly repu-
d:ate and denouuce the men who misrepre-
sent that organization in the Senate.
The obstructionists are chiefly to blame
for the growing aggressreness of the self
appointed dictator in the Philippines. 1t
VIII not be long before an attack will be
made on the American soldiers there, and
no one is so duh as not 10 know that it
viii be due to the unreasonable, inexcus-
able. and insincere attitude Of the Senate
minority.
Ii is useless 10 reason with men who do
not themselves believe in the arguments
they offer, who are not agreed among
themselves, and who are never twice on
the same platform. But in passing it may
be worth while 10 cali the attention of
the country TO the fact that nearly every
obstructionist first opposed the Treaty on
the ground that the Filipinos were savages
and incapable OF becoming Intelligent citi-
zens Of a republic. They asserted that
England had been successful as a colonist
nation only because she did not foster any
hopes Of self government, but employed
force 10 maintain her supremacy. These
men. every one OF ,hem. were strongly and
vOciferously opposed 10 any recognition
OF he alleged Cuban government and TO
any Official reception of the Cuban Junta.
Now they profess 10 be fighting for the
recognition Of the dictatorship of Aguinal-
do, which is all his government" stands
FOR, and for OFFICIAL relations with Aguin--
aldo's Junta This is not more consistent
than their arguments against the Peace
Treaty.
What ii is tha, moves The Democrats OF
the minority We 30 not know. and it is
not worth while 10 guess: but they are
no more sincere than senator Hoar whose
speech against expansion WAS merely a
presentation of the ideas Of the Hamilton
Tederalists who we're smashed by the
sentiment Of the American people under
The leadership Of Thomas jefferson and
other fathers Of Democracy. That the
Democratic minority should hurl itself
against the desires and convictions OF the
great body of The people in the interest
of long-defeated and Democratic pro-
vincialism is wonder Of the time.
How long viii any 81 these obstruction
lists stand mp TO oppose the Administra-
iion when She American gag has been
ared upon? DO they fancy the people
viii forget, in the midst Of war. that it
is they who have brought The unauthorized
outlaws TO this point? DO they think
that the Democratic party which gave its
best men 20 the army, viii tolerate OBJ
structions TO the army in its efforts to
establish the just authority OF this Gov
crgment? When ihe first Maxim gun is
fred into the ranks ot the American SOL
diers they Will hear things thar viii classi-
T. them in way no patriotic American
can enjoy. The time : very short in
which they can retreat
Senator Davis is absolutely right in re-
fnsins TO bring The Treaty TO vote until
he is assured OF its unconditional ratifica-
ton. IL is treaty and only that.
The government of The Philippines
To attempt &c inject into it legis-
lation that has 10 place in a treaty of
peace is outrageous. The excuse offered by
the minority is that The American people
are not TO be trusted 10 deal fairly by the
Filipinos. The obstruetionists virtually
charge that if Congress is not restrained
and bound by distinct provision of the
Treaty. il will never consider the best in
terests of the natives. For the ratifica-
tiop Of the Treaty without modification
does not prevent Congress-or the Ameri-
can people through Congress-from confer
ring absolute independence on the islands
The obstructionists affirm that they cannot
leave the future of the islands with Con-
eress for fear they viii never get their