Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-10-19
Republicans Red.Eyed.

The address of Mr.. Voorhees, may
have been an "uncultured harangue'
and manifestly "insincere and dcma.
gogic." as Oily claims, but it certainly
stirred the very depths OF Republi.
eau wrath in this community. Since
Mr.. Voorhees, departure the local sit.
ustion has fairly sized. Democrats
are everywhere being held up by red.
eyed Republicans who furiously de.
claim against the weakness of Mr.
Voorhees, argument for the preserva.
ton of constitutional forms of gov.
ernment. For SO weak and shallow
an effort it has certainly been wonder.
fully effective. Local Hannaites have
not been so grievously disturbed for
many a long day. The measure OF
their perturbation may be judged by
the recklessness of their defense.
Following the lead of their great
high priest, who says "There are no
trusts" prominent Republicans are
publicly declaring that "If the con-
stitution gets in the way Of McKin-
ley's policy in Porto Rico and the
Philippines, so much the worse for the
constitution" One gentleman said
"At every point in the history OF this
country, when an advance step was 20
be taken, the constitution has always
hampered the free expansion of Amer
ican ideas and American destiny, and
in my view the sooner it is gotten rid
OF and an elastic unwritten constitu-
ton such as England has substituted.
the better it will be for this country"
Think of it: and these very men have
ever been ready to shrek Anarchist at
the suggestion that the constitution
was anything less than Divine inspi-
ration.
Mr.. Voorhees, argument was 30
closely logical that his conclusions
were. simply irresistible. He showed
so conclusively that the imperialistic
idea is unconstitutional and un-Amer.
lean, that the blatant corporals of the
home company OF the Mckinley
Guards have been driven to all sorts
Of ridiculous assersions to get out of
the corner into which they have been
driven.
One asserts that the Philippines are
to be held as colonies. Another insists
that they will be erected into free and
independent American States as soon
as the process of benevolent assimi-
lation" shall have displaced 5000, 900
native inhabitants with American cit.
izens. Another declares that it is
none of the peoples business what the
President intends to do with the
islands and their inhabitants. But all
of them agree that the constitution
and the cardinal principles OF our
American government, like the flow
ers that bloom in the spring, "heve
nothing to do with the case."
The most striking characteristic OF
the campaign is the brszen audacity
and utter recklessness with which Re-
publican boosters seek to justify the
attitude of their proxy-President and
his managerial grooms. Constitution
al guarantees are as mere thistledown
to be blown away by the exhalations
of q curbstone orator. Immemorial
rights and the sacredness OF human
freedom are confidently expected TO
melt away before such unanswerable
arguments as "Rot!" or "Balder.
dashl" The man who desires to
calmly consider the question of the
justice OF our position in Porto Rico
and the Philippines is promptly ac-
cused of giving traitorous support
to the armed enemies OF his country,
and it is dsrkly hinted that he would
get no more than his deserts if he
were shot to death. If We suggest
that Filipinos have the same claim
upon our humane consideration and
the same right of self-government that
the Cubans have some red-eyed Re-
publican Immediately shrieks. Don't
haul down the aag!"
Now the Republicans are not the
fools that in this campaign they ap-
pear to be. They are shrewd enough
aud quick enough to see the point,
but they are simply hard pressed.
Their leaders, in an attempt to con-
serve the interests OF trust contrib
utors, have committed the party to an
absolutely untenable position. 1t SIM
ply cannot be defended and NO one
knows it better than the non.commis.
stoned officers of the Republican party
in this city. 1t naturally follows that
they seek to answer a calm review OF
the situation and estimate of the ten
dency of things under McKinley's i'm
perialistic policy with frothy declama-
ton, vindictive denunciation and reck-
less reputation of cardinal American
doctrines.
BESIDES Ed. Stevens, there is MIR.
Cava naugh, a son Of veteran, who Is
stumping the county for the Republl'
can ticket. Then there is, too, Master
Price, who sings so charmingly. Yer
lily this is . campaign of young folks.