The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-10
Answers Assistant Secretary
MeiklejOhn's Open Letter
Regarding the Treaty Made
With Sultan of Sulu.
POINTS TO PORTO RICO
As Evidence That Constitution
Does Not Apply.
Evidence of Partially in the
Philippine Matter.


Jennings Bryan today took cognizance
of the letter sent to him by Assistant
Secretary of War Meiklejohn, which
was given out yesterday, and prepared a
reply to it. The reply says:
Il am in receipt of your favor of the
9th instant, in regard to the SuIu treaty
1t is true that the president two months
after the signing of the treaty sent to
General Otis the instructions which you
quote. You will note that the treaty or
agreement, as the president describes
1T, was confirmed and approved subject
to the action of congress, and the only
exception he made was that in regard to
article 10, relating to slavery. You can
but know, however, that since the pres
ident sent those instructions, the Repub-
hcan party, with the approval of the ad-
1nlnlStratlOn, has adopted the theory
that the constitution does not follow the
flag, and therefore the thirteenth
amendment does not interfere with
slavery in the Sulu archipelago.
THE Porto Rican law asserts the doc
trine that the people of Porto Rico are
beyond the protection of the constitution
and can be governed by the arbitrary
and unrestrained power of the presi-
dent and congress. If the constitution
itself can not reach the West Indies, how
can the thirteenth amendment find its
way across the Pacific into Asia? The
president does not repudiate article Is,
which reads as follows:
g The United States will give full pro-
lection to the sultan and his subjects
if any foreign nation should attempt to
impose upon them.
I'm view of the fact that the president
in his letter of acceptance declares it
is dangerous for US to agree to protect
a Christian republic in the Philippine
islands, would it not be wise for him to
withdraw the agreement to protect a
Mohammedan island? The agreement
does not repudiate article IA, which
reads as follows:
tod tot mill nf soil q
island of Sulu or any other island of the
Sulu archipelago to any foreign nation
without the consent of the sultan of
Sulu'
IF we buy all the Philippine islands
from Spain without the consent of the
inhabitants is it fair that we should
agree not to sell any of the Sulu islands
without the consent of the sultan? In
other words, is it more important that
a sultan's wishes should be considered
than that the interests of the people
should be regarded?
VERY respectfully yours
''W. J. BRYAN"
TOURING MICHIGAN
Chicago, Oct. 10.-Early today Col. w. |
]. Bryan having completed his tour OF /
Illinois at a late hour last night left /
on his special train for the east. His |
departure was cheered by the few close
friends and advisers who accompanied 1
him to the train. The first stop was |
scheduled for Benton Harbory Mich
Mr.. Bryan said in part:
Money is the handiwork of man;
man IS the handiwork of God.
You can change your money but you |
cannot change human nature to any /
great extent and if you want to see how |
sordid the Republican party is today, /
let me remind you that 1t insists on /
making the money question the question |
of paramount Importance. whereas the /
question of human rights is the question |
of paramount Importance in this cam
Daign. In 1896 the Republicans We're Wor-
IL. Ill
thought that was something awful and |
yet today they have given us an IS per
cent citizen in Porto Rico and they can
not tell what per cent they are going to
give US in the Philippines. In 1896 they
said they could not have double stand
ard of money. Now they want a double
standard of government. Then they said
that we could not maintain the parity
between the white metal and the yell
low Now they think they can main
tain the parity between the white citi-
gen and the yellow citizen in the Phil
ppines Do you need anything more to
Republican party fghts?'
Taking up the financial question, he
said: ''The Republicans had not full
filed their promises of 1896" he said,
the Republicans not only have not
brought what they promised but they
nave brought things that they would
lot have dared to promise in 1896. They
nave brought you a financial system
which substitutes a bank note for a
greenbaek. When did the Republicans
to retire the greenback? What
platform of the Republican party ever
declared that a note signed by a bank
vas better than a note signed by the
government? And yet the Republican
1arty places the bank note first and
pushed the greenback into the back
If you think that this is just.
think I can make that so clear in a
word that you viii never make the mis-
axe again. Whenever a farmer, or a
lis note he issues it in order to get
money and he pays interest while he has
money but the bank uses its note as
money and draws interest on its note
while it is outstanding. Can you tell
he difference between paying interest
md drawing interest2"
Mr. Bryan then took up the questions
f the trusts, Imperialism and militar-
snl. talking upon the usual lines on
hose subjects.