The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1899-03-11
METHODS OF DEMOCRATS.
OppOrtunists Hit Upon Anti-Expan-
sion as Policy to Infame
Turbulent Spirits.

The democratic members of congress
are entitled to no credit for acquiescing
in the republican policy of ralifying
the Paris treaty, for the reason that
past democratic history demonstrates
their fixed policy to be obstruction, dis
sension and reckless opposition to all
republican legislation, whenever such
antagonism is not clearly seen to be
suicidal on the part Of the democracy.
So far as Bryan's action in the matter
is concerned, the same remark applies
to him and to his motive in advising
such congressional action. If he is to
be "credited" with instigating the pol
icy of the democratic members, such
credit must be limited to the degree of
shrewdness shown in discovering the
shortest way out of the woods. The
whole scheme is a mere trick of party
eXpediency, to be followed by an at
tempt at united opposition to the re-
publican policy of national expansion.
1t is perfectly clear to all observers
of the movements of American parties
that the democratic opportunists have
hit upon the policy of opposing terri
torial expansion as the one best adapt
ed to their partisan methods and TO the
average democratic talent for dipping
the ignorant and infaming the baser
| passions of the turbulent element in
our society. The plea will consist of
howl against standing army; an out
cry against "ruling colonized popula-
tons contrary to their wishes or the
provisions of the constitutions" a tear
full protest against admitting foreign
territories, densely inhabited with ig-
| norant tribes, whose civilization will
| mean competition with the toiling
masses of our own country, and similar
democratic rot.
All this is held in contemplation as
a prospective happy diversion from the
discredited silver craze of 1896, which
even Bryan seems anxious to get rid
Off it can be done without causing
too much irritation among the popu-
listic element of his party. 1t has been
one of Bryan's favorite tricks to as
sumo that republicans have settled on
certain abstruse questions and policies.
though only the faintest Indications of
such action may be his sole ground for
the assumption. Subsequent indignant
reputation of the Boy Orators impu-
dence is then taken as backdown on
the part of the republicans. This spe-
cies of trickery is foreshadowed in the
anti-expansion movement of the de-
mocracy under the leadership of the
arch demagogue, Bryan.
The truth is. republicans have not
yet formulated a distinct future policy
for the final disposition of the Philip
pines. They have prudently postponed
such work. pending exhaustive investi-
| cation and debate on the subject. Their
attitude to-day is the only philosophical
one. The democratic attitude is the
shifting and crafty one that has al
ways characterized the party-particu-
larly since its political overthrow in
1860.
The democracy has plunged into the
fight against national expansion with
its usual haste and effrontery The
question is one of profound depth and
unusual mportance-one that must en-.
gage the attention and study Of our
ripest scholars and soundest political
thinkers. Yet the democratic leaders
great and small. have tackled it, with
the vulgar and laundering temerity oil
a lot of rural stagers in their first re.
hearsal for a school exhibition. What
does the average democratic editor OF
the Boy Orator know about expansion
or imperialism"-save that the latter
expression has patrician sonorous.
ness about it that promises to excite the
instructive antagonism of the class who
call themselves the proletariat? How
many of Bryan's followers or lieuten.
ants have ever heard of the impeach
ment of Warren Hastings, or the sig
nifcance Of that incident, as vindica
ton of the English expansion policy
How many of the yelling ants are
equipped with ancient presidents and
modern instances, and how many
would be qualified to use them if they
were as plentiful as agricultural re-
ports in a western statehouse ?-Cin
cinnati Commercial Tribune.