The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-10-26
Mr.. BRYAN ANSWERS QUESTIONS


temple built for it in New York
MR.. BRYAN ANSWERS QUESTIONS
The questions propounded to Mr.. Bryan
at Wilmington, Del, and his answers
thereto make entertaining reading. First
of all he was asked whether or not, if
elected, he would, as Commander-in- Chief,
Immediately withdraw the army from the
Philippine Islands. In reply to this Mr.
BRYAN said that if elected President he
would Immediately convene Congress in
extra session and would ask that body
to declare the nations policy to be to es-
tablish stable government in the Philip
pine Islands as we are now establishing
a stable government in Cuba; to declare
our purpose to give Independence to the
Fiipinos, as we have promised to give
independence to the Cubans; to declare
our purpose to give protection to the
Filipinos. as We have promised to give
protection to the Cubans, and as we have,
for seventy-five years, given protection
10 the Republics of Central and South
America.
1t is settled, therefore, that if Mr.. Bryan
is elected he will not Immediately with
draw our troops from the Philippines, but
will keep them there until a stable gov
eminent shall have been established.
He was next questioned as to how long,
in his opinion, it would be before a stable
government could be given to the Philip
pine Islands. In reply to this he said that
no one had attempted to fix the number
of hours or days or weeks or months
and he might have said. or years-neces-
sary. but he expressed the belief that we
could establish stable government in the
Philippine Islands in less time than the
Republican party has taken to establish
government in Cuoa.
In this reply Mr.. Bryan admits that ne
does not know how long it would take to
give the Fipinos a stable government,
and therefore he does not know how long
ii would be before the troops could be With
drawn. This means nothing more nor less
than that our troops would be kept in the
Philippines for an indefinite period under
Mr.. Sryans administration We are sorry
that Mr.. Bryan was not also asked what
he would do in case Aguinaldo should de-
cline, upon the promise of independence
for the island, to lay down his arms and
stop fighting. For our part, we do not
believe that Agunaldo would make terms
unless it should be promised him that
his government would be recognized and
that he would be recognized as the head
of the government.
Again. Mr.. Bryan was asked to say how
long after a stable form of government
was established the American protection
over the Philippine Islands should con-
tinue. To this he replied: IF the ques-
toner had read my speech. he would have
seen that there was no limit on the pro-
tectorate, and we believe that this nation
can assert the doctrine that when this
nation helps a republic to stand upon its
feet, the ground wherein it stands is
holy ground and 10 king should ever set
his feet on it,
That means that after the Filipino re-
public has been established this country
Will undertake to protect it for all time
to come from invasion. That we will exer-
case no sort of control over the Filipinos
and yet protect them from any outside in
reference We commend Mr. Bryan for
his franknesss. The people now understand
exactly what he proposes to do with the
Philippine question, should he be elected
President. 1t is to be regretted that he
was not equally frank in reply to the last
question put to him by the Wilmington
man. He was asked finally If he would
pay the obligations of this government in
silver or in gold in the event Of his cleo
ton. To this he replied: 81 want the
Republicans who want that question an
swered to first find out what the law re-
Guires.and then I want them to know that,
If elected President, I will enforce that
law. just as will enforce the law against
trusts and put striped clothes on big
thieves as well as little thieves. But if
you ask me to construe Republican law.
L reply that I shall not construe law
until it becomes my duty to enforce it,
Mr.. Bryan says in effect: 81 will tell
you exactly what am going to do with
the Philippine question. but as for the
currency law will cross that bridge when
come to It" Mr.. Bryan was much more
frank and definite in discussing the sill
yer question in his speech of acceptance,
delivered in New York on August u, 1886.
In that speech he argued that if there were
two kinds of money the option must rest
with the debtor or with the creditor '.As-
suuins that their rights are equal he
said, I'VE must lcck at the interest of
society in general in order to determine
to which side the option should be given
Proceeding along this line he finally came
TO the discussion of government obliga-
tions. and on that point he said: ..trhe
right of the debtor to choose the coin in
which payment may be made extends to
obligations due from the government as
well as contracts between individuals.
government obligation is simply debt du,