The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-03-04
Mr.. JOHNSON Of Indiana.
Gensures the President for His
Cant and Hypocrisy.
M'KIALEY's SINCERITY IS QUESTIONED.
Charges Him With Attempting
to Deceive the People.
He DENOUNCES THE ADMINISTRATION
And Ridicules the Speeches at
the Boston Banquet.

Congressman Johnson, OF Indiana, who
is Republican, delivered censorious
speech against the policy OF the admins
tration during the debate on the army ap-
preparation bill in the house OF represent
atives on Friday. Feb. 81. lie said in
part:
The newspapers further inform us that
among the other decorations there were
suspended over the entrance to the ban
quet hall i'll Boston three portraits, one
OF Washington. one of Lincoln and one
OF the president himself, and beneath this
the word "Libcrators.'
| Now George Washington fought with
his sword for eight long and bloody
years to establish the right OF people to
govern themselves, and in his farewell
address he counsccd his countrymcn to
live on terms OF amity with all nations,
and to enter into entangling alliance with
none.
Abraham Lincolns whole political life
was a contention for the rights OF man.
and it was his kindly hand which pcnncd
the immortal emancipation proclamation
that struck the shacklcs from the limbs
OF millions OF bondsmcn.
One would think that the gentleman
who was just then engaged in the prose
cution Of a bloody war against poor
and defensclcss people in the Orient, en-
gagged in the unsavory task OF Christaniz-
ing them with the sword and civilizing
them at the mouths OF cannon, would
naturally have felt some little cmbarrass-
mcnt as he gazed upon these portraits
; and read the significant inscription be-
low. Possibly his cxcelcncy did not see
them. He may have turned his back
upon them, Just as he has turned his back
upon the Declaration OF Independence.
This as it may, the president does not
appear to have been at all abashcd by
this incongruous circumstance. but he
arose from his seat and there, within the
shadow OF the monument OF Bunker Hill,
! where Warren fell fighting for liberty,
and within stones throw OF Fancui
Hall, where time and again the true sons
OF the old Bay State have sent forth to
the country their messages OF freedom
he delivered perhaps the most remarkable,
certainly the most distinguished address
! that ever fell from the lips Of All Amcri-
can president.
This address, divcstcd OF its vcrbiage,
considered apart from its platitudcs and
the ostcntatious profession OF virtue with
which it was intcrlardcd, was nothing
more nor less than carefully devised
and studious misstatcmcnt OF the issue
between the chief executive and those Of
his own party who are opposed to his
wrctchcd policy in the Philippines. 1t was
an effort to bcfog the subject and to mis-
lead the public judgment.
We are told that this address was re-
ccivcd with enthusiastic applause by those
who heard it. but we who read ii in cold
print, in the light OF the indcfcnsiblc trag-
cdy now being enacted near the shores
Of Asia, involuntarily think OF that crca-
ton of Charles Dickens who was accus-
toned to roll his eyes piously to heaven
and exclaim with great ostentation TO
those about him: my friends, let us be
moral" and who was the father OF two
daughters, one OF whom he named Char
ity and the other Mercy.
His cxcellcncy declared, upon this oc-
casion, if not in SO many words at least
in effect, that he had never entertained
any policy with rcspcct to the Philippines
up to the time the treaty of peace was
ratified; but that he had simply held them
as commandcr-in chief, the questions as
to their disposition and control TO be de-
tcrmincd thereafter by congress.
am determined that the president shall
neither befog the issue between himself
and those of the party who oppose his
Philippine policy nor mislcad the public
judgment, nor shirk the responsibility for
the gross official blundcrs which he has
committed in connection with this great
problem. l insist that the whole policy
is not simply an error, but that it is a
crime, and that the chief executive of this
nation Is the one who has precipitatcd
upon US the cmbarrassments and the diff
crlties by which we are now confronted
insist that he did not simply hold thu
F.. Philippines as commander-in-chief, leav
ing the question OF the disposition ant
control of them to congress- but that HI
formulated and put into execution an af