The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-25
Mr. Longs Explanation.

MIR. Longs Explanation.
on last Thursday night the Hon. John d.
Long. Secretary Of the Navy. poured tea
with the Middlesex Club, Of Boston. and
in the course OF the evening proceeded to
make the current weekly report on the
policy OF the Administration.
The first Cabinet officer used as a White
House spokesman was inspired TO address
himself to Congress. 1t was in the nature
OF a sighting shot; in theatrical psrlance-
trying it on a dog. But Mr. Long was pro-
duced in Boston TO mingle his explanations
with tea OF course. it would be indecOr-
Gus. il not unjustihable, to say that he
talked down to his audience. He simply
talked and his apology was neither in
genious nor sincere. Line by line the
speech answered itself to the confusion OF
The cause ii sought to defend.
Mr.. Long began by attacking the Demo
cratic party. and stated that he could not
find thing it had done during the last four
years to show that it had or has
policy Of any kind. The Spanish war"
said Mr. Long. was precipitated upon US
and never was victory achieved iu right
eous cause more swiftly and surely ard
effectively" The Democratic party had
nothing to DO with this. Of course but who
but Democratic Senators and Representa-
tives in Congress. backed by an over
whelming public sentiment. "preeipitated''
the Spanish war and forced an unwilling
Administration TO champion the right
eous cause and drive the Spaniarls out Of
the Western Hemisphere
The. Secretary's reference to the St
Louis platform and the manner in which
its pledges have been carried out was
equally unfortunate. He said That the
principles Of that platform have been ex-
ecuted goes without saying. Does it in
deed? The document in question declared
for international bimetallism which we
1.-THE Republican partyl pledge ourselves
TO promote" How has the promise been
fulfHed2 without that PLANK Mr. NcKin- I
ley might not have been elected. II was
inserted hypocriucally and without the
remotest thought Of giving il effect The
money OF the men who demanded the gold
standard furnished the means Of victory I
No one today can doubt the insincerity or ,
the conscious mendacity of the utterauce 1
BY way Of seeming 10 obey the letter of F
the platform. a bimetallic commission was 4
sent to Europe, and at the same time. I
the Governments TO which it was accred-
tied were privately notified by the Nc /
KInley Administration that the movement 7
was perfunctory. and only intended for .
effect at home. and that on no account 4
would the Republican party consent to /
anything but the imposition OF the single (
gold standard upon the people OF the I
United States.
The St. Louis platform declared its de-
votion to the principle Of civil service .
reform. and pledged the party and its can 1
didate to maintain the merit system in F.
appointments to public Office and TO oy- .
tend Il wherever practicable. How has
the principle Of that plank been executed I
With a stroke Of his pen, Mr. Mckinley I
swept away the merit system. as system. I
and decreed return to The Ole ana in- I
famous one Of political spoils.
Mr.. Longs defence Of the Administration I
backdown on the Porto Rican Tarih bill
is lame but we need not blame aim for I
that. Angels could hardly be expected to |
successfully defend a thing so obviously .
and ludicrously indefensible. He very
properly puts Porto Rico on all fours with
the Philippines and praises President /
Schurman for his wise and patriotic adj
vocacy Of the Administration policy IN the .
archipelago. But he fails to say any thing
about the same sentleman's denunclaton
OF the perfdy displayed toward the Porto
Ricans. In his airlest tea table manner
Air. Long expresses complete confidence in
the power Of the Executive and Congress
TO treat part Of the United States as II
81 were foreign soil, and its government
and administration utterly unrestricted by
any provisions o. prohibitions Of the
American Constitution. Naturally he is
silent as TO the reasons which actuated the
President in abandoning the Original Ad-
ministration attitude Of Justice TO On
American Territory and respect for The
fundamental law Of the landau attitude
clearly stated in the Presidents annual
message 10 Congress. the report oG the
Secretary Of War. and the report of the
Governor General OF Porto Rico.
Things which are inexplicable are lodged
a. tea pourings as well as elsewhere We
do not cfticise Mr.. Long for hts omls- !
sions. Il would have been as painful as
impolitic for him to have confessed that
the trusts fell in 3 fury upon poor Mr {
Mckinley and HIS Congressional coadju-
tors and demanded the violation Of the (
national promise TO Porto Rico as the |
price OF any contribution TO the Hanna |
campaign fund. Yet the whole country
knows that this is exactly what happened.
and. intentionally for Mr.. Long and his
political masters and coparceners, Il is /
aware that the humiliating submission Of
.he Administrator has come 50 thor
oughly wi;hin public knowledge as 10
raise the greatest popular storm o. The
decade.
Il the President expects 20 square him
self with the American people through
apologies Of The kind offered by Mr.. Long +
% Boston he is once more iudulgiug in a /
grisvous mistake; and Il she sccroiary-s
dsfence Is the best tia, can DC offered it ,