The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-08-29
Uhe Wlessen9m.
A POWERFUL CHARGE AGAINST
MCKlNLEY,S POLICY

That the war with the Philippines Is
growing steadily unpopular there is no
doubt. The Portland Oregonian Is
broadly expansive and favors taking
the world it may be. But it has a cor
respondent at Washington who has
been communicating results OF study
of the situation. He has made a long
tour through Ohio and Illinois. and
says 'that there can be no ~mistakeing
the anti-McKinley sentiment that K
lists among the people," and that it Is
not democrats only, but republicans
also, who are complaining that the sit
uation in the Philippines Is not what
it ought to be. 1t is the opinion Of thj1
observer that a great reaction against
the administration has now set in, and
that the president personally is coming
to peal more and more of tho ,esponsi-
bility for the ugly situation
The Providence Journal m organ
for Mckinley, tells its readers that New
York city is full of western men and
they are talking strongly and in great
disgust as to h war in the Philippines.
Mckinley is clearly at a heavy discount
a dead failure, insincere and a trick
ster. Read what he said in his mes
sages two years and a year and a half
ago and you will see how hypocritical
and weak and vascillating the republl-
can chief magistrate is. There need be
no surprise at a widespread, powerful
revulsion of feeling on the part OF
Americans. When not swept from the
feet by passion and failure to compre-
bend facts they will do right. That
long time republican paper, the Phila-
delphia North American, says emphat-
ically hat it has become simply a war
of conquest" We quote:
There is something worse in the
Philippines than mere military failure.
There Is the growing evidence that by
the lack of tact, sympathy, adaptabill-
ty, and intelligence in our commander
there we are steadily alternating even
those Filipinos who were at first in
clined to favor us, and are converting
what should have been merely the sup
preston of a d~isorderly minority into
a naked war of conquest against a
whole people. Such a war is profound
ly distasteful to American feelings"
The Boston Daily Advertiser, a very
staunch republican paper, says:
"a factor of considerable importance
in that respect is likely to be found in
the views so strongly expressed by the
volunteers who have returned from &C
tive service in LuZon in the recent
past. The opinions of these men are
almost wholly in one direction. They
have stated frankly n emphatlcally
their convictions that the campaign In
the Philippines is a mistake, and that
the islands are not worth to the United
States the lives and treasure that must
be expended if the archipelago is to be
brought under American control"
The Boston Farm and Home has been
making a canvass among the farmers
as to foreign conquests and the empire.
In May and June there were 1880 for
the independence of the Philippines,
and S,416 for %conquests. But the vote
for the United States adherlng to the
old policy or Americanism against I'M
perialism, stood for the former 1924;
for the latter, 1887. The Boston Her.
aid, largest circulated paper in New
England, says of this:
There is no installing the great sig
nificance of this notable OF
opinion among the farmers. In the
northern states this class has formed
the backbone of the republican party.
It has stood a little apart from the in
terests and ambitions which have been
shaping the ourse of the administra-
ton, and it's attitude has been in doubt.
There is no eason to question the rep
resentative character of the t
taken"