Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-10-30
SITUATION is EXACTLY SIMILAR.
Philippine Question as Pertinent as
Question of Civil War.

Washington, Oct. 17.-(Special Cor
Cool. John A. Joyce,
formerly of Dubuque, asked a few
pertinent questions today. He said.
THE people are about to give some
important instructions to President
Mckinley. When they cast their bal
lots they are going to give their ap.
proyal of his efforts to maintain our
sovereignty in the Philippines; or they
are going to vote that Bryan shall
hlul down the flag and retreat before
the rebel savages.
Now, suppose that the people vote
for Bryan and also elect democratic
house of representatives what will be
McKinley's duty? Shall he arrange a
truce with Aguinaldo and his follow
ers until Mr.. Bryan and his party can
take hold? Shall he suspend all eff
forts to assert American authority in
the Philippines as against those who
challenge it with force until the party
comes in instructed to give the Fill
pinos independent government?
And suppose he arranges such n
truce. Which side will come to the
council table in the better position to
enforce it's ends? Obviously, the Fiji
pinos. They will have won their fight
With the verdict of November in their
favor, they will be able to describe the
sort of government they want, and in
sist upon entering upon it at once
and in their own way. There must be
no more force exercised in the United
States. Criminal aggression will
| have been rebuked at the polls, and
| the soldiers and the sailors must hurry
back home.
THAT is the way to look at this
question. Suppose the people in 1854
| had elected Mcclellan. on platform
| declaring: The war for the Union is
failure BY that verdict of the PEG
pie, it would have been President
Lincoln's immediate duty to arrange
for truce between the two armies
until the party which had voted the
war failure and was pledged to a
policy of peace could take hold. Would
he not have been instructed to that
end by the verdict at the polls
Could he in the face of these instruc
tions have continued active opera
lions in the field between election day
in November and the 4th of March?
And suppose he had arranged a
truce. hating Grant and Sherman
where they then were with their com
mands. When the 4th of March arriv
ed, and the new president had beer
inaugurated, and the proclamation
calling the new congress together ir
1 extra session issued, which side woulG
have been in the better condition FOL
the parley? The confederates, I'm
doubtedly. They would practical ,
have won their fight They would
have been able to come to the councl
board prepared and strong enough u
dictate their own terms.
"That is the situation exactly. The
democrats in 1864 declared agains
Lincoln and everything he had done
They proclaimed the war for the
\ Union a failure. The same party 10
d day declares that war against rebels
in the Philippines has been failure
President Mckinley awaits the yer
dict of the people. l am confident tina
they will sustain their president, sus
tain the national honor, sustain thei
government, and uphold the fla!
against the rebels who fire upon it il
the Philippines, and against the trait
ors at home who want to haul i
it down."
Smith d. Fry.