The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1900-08-09

/ ed and exercised the right 90 critise
I president during the progress 0f the Mex
7 ican war
Irstead Of meeting the issues boldly.
submi.ting a clear and positive plan for
dealing with the Philippine question, the
republican convention adopted a platform
the larger part Of which was devoted 20
boas.ing and self congratulation.
in attempting 10 press economic Ques-
tons upon the country TO the exclusion
% those which involve the very struc-
ture of our government the republican
leaders give new evidence OF their aban
Comment of their earlier ideals of the
party and Of their complete subserviency
10 peCuriary considerations.
MUST MEET THE ISSUE.
But the shall not be permitted TO evade
the stupendous and far-rea ching issue
which they have deliberately brought in
60 the arena q politics. When the presi-
dent supported by practical unan nous
vote n the house and senate. enter i up
on a war with Spain for the purpose of
aiding the struggling patriots q Cuba.
the country. without n gard O. party. ap-
% aud-d. Although the democrats reccg-
rized that The administration would nee
ssarily Cain a political advantage from
the conduct of war which in the ve~v
nature of the case must soon end In q
complete victory. they We'd with the re-
uublicsns in support which they gave -
he IRE sideut When the war was over
and jte republican leaders began to sug-
gest the rrourietv Of a colonial policy
opposition NJ once manifested itself
When the president finally laid before
the senate a treaty which recoC~ zed the
independence Of Cuba but provided for
the cs sion of the Philippine islands -
the United States tho menace Of imper-
ialism became so apparent that MANY
preferred % reject the treaty and risk
the ils that might follow rather than
take -ha chance of correcting the errors
of th- treaty by The independent action
- this country.
was among the number OF those
who believed IL better 70 rat.fy the
treaty and end the war. release the
volunteers remove the excu=e for war
expenditures and then give the Fill
ipinos the independence that might D.
forced from Spain by q new treaty.
REASONS FOR URGING RATIFI-
CATION.
n view of the criticism which my
this occasion 10 restate the reasons
given at that time. / thought It safer
10 trust the American people 10 give
independence to the Filipinos than 10
trust the accomplishment OF that pur-
pose TO diplomacy with an unfriendiy
nation. Lincoln embodied an argument
in the question when he asked, Can
aliens make treaties easier than friends
r-r- l-a l.. t1rF ? -
now in better position 10 wage a sue
cessful contest against imperialism
than We would have been had the
treaty been rejected. With the treaty
ratified a clean-cut issue IS presented
between a government by consent and
a government by force. and imperialists
must bear the responsibility for ali
that happens until the question is set
tied II the treaty had been rejected
the opponents of imperialism would
have been held responsible for any in
terns tional complications which might
have arisen before the ratification Of
another treaty. But. whatever differ
ences of opinion that may have existed
as 10 the best method of opposing q
colonial policy. there never was any
difference as TO the great Importance .
ence now as 70 the course 70 be pur-
sued.
The title Of Spain beng extinguished. .
We were al liberty TO deal with the Fill .
piinos according 10 American princi- .
pies. The Bacon resolution, introduced F.
a month before hostilities BROKE out in .
Mani a. promised independence 10 the .
FTip-nos on the same terms that il was
-s-1
this resolution and believe that its ad-
option prior 70 the breaking out Of
no. -.I.tics would have prevented blood .
shed. and that rs adoption at anv sub .
s-auen- time would have ended hostil .
tiles
y THE TREATY HAD BEEN RE (
JECTED.
II the treaty had been rejected con> .
siderable time would have necessarily .
elapsed before new treaty could have
been greed upon and ratified, and dur I
ing that time the question would have .
been aeita-.ng the pub ic mind II the
Bacon resolution had been adopted by
the senate and carried out by the pres .
5 dent. either at the time Of the ratifica- .
-l1q o~ any time afterwards. it would
have taken the question Of Imperial .
ism out Cf rolitics and left the Amer .
lean people free 10 deal with their do
nestle problems. But the resolution .
was defeated by the vote Of the re- .
rublican vice president. and from that
time ~ this a republican congress has .
refused 20 take any action whatever in .
the matter.
when hostilities broke ont IN Manila .
-e.-, f.ifcau sneakers and reDubIica0 n .