Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-09-07
Shows How Bryan Urged Ratidca-
, ton of Spanish Peace Treaty,
Taking in Philippines.
Having Been 4 Member OF the First
Philippine Commission, He Speaks
with Authority on This Subject.

| liam Mckinley IS tnaI OF lion. OndIlee
DENLY. of this state, who was United
States minister to China under Presi-
dent Cleveland and who was a member
of the first Philippine commission.
Mr.. DENLY is one of the most d1stin-
guished democrats in the United
States. He has for many years been
q leader of that party and is man
of ability, character and force. NO
man in the country is better Informed
on the Philippine situation than he.
In announcing his position supporting
Mckinley Mr.. DENLY made strong
statement from which the following
extracts are taken:
Minister Denby's Statement.
I'm his speech of April II, 1900, in
the senate, Mr.. Hoar said that he
could not forget that Mr.. Bryan, 'un-
less he is much misrepresented, used
all his power and influence with those
of his friends who are ready to listen
to his counsels to secure the ratdfca-
ton of the treaty. meaning the Paris
treaty. There were II democratic SEN
ators who voted for the ratification.
A two-thirds majority was necessary.
The treaty was ratified by one vote.
"Mr. Bryan has squarely assumed
the responsibility of the ratifica tion.
eve had taken Manila on August 13,
1895. InDecember, 1898, Spain had made
a treaty ceding the islands to US. We
had occupied them until February Is,
1899. On that day Aguinaldo made
war on US.
"Our soldiers had to fight for their
lives. The treaty was ratified on Feb
ruary z, 1899. Mr.. Bryan advised his
friends in. the senate to vote to ratify
the treaty after the battle of February
had been fought. He knew that war
had begun. He might readily have
foreseen what complications might
possibly occur out of the existing con-
ditions.
'sThen was the time to have talked
about the consent of the governed
and not now, when every speech he
makes adds ten names to the roll OF
our dead and 100 to the Filipino dead.
"Mr. Bryan, having the undoubted
power to prevent the ratification of
the treaty, actually by his own confess
sion advised it's ratification. Neither
in law nor in morals can he be per-
mitted now to secure political adyan-
tage from denouncing course OF con-
duct which he himself advised.
Bryan Responsible for Philippines.
"Mr. Bryan gives as his reasons for
advising ratification that he thought
it safer to trust the American people
to give independence to the Philippines
than to trust the accomplishment of
that purpose to diplomacy with an un-
friendly nation. This puts Mr.. Bryan
in the attitude of desiring independ-
ence for the Philippines very ardently.
"Why should he become so suddenly
imbued. with antagonism to the demo-
cratic principle of expansion as exem-
plifed by all democratic statesmen
from Jefferson to Voorhees,?
Bryan Created "Impe rialism" for Hia
Own Ends.
'If he could stand the annexation of
Hawaii, why balk at the acquisition
of the Philippines? Mr.. Bryan's own
explanation is as follows: 4 believe
that we are now in a better position
to wage successful contest against
imperialism than we would have been
had the treaty been rejected
"Here, then, we have the real rea-
son for this strange parody of Jekyll
and Hyde! He wanted to create the
bogy of imperialism in order that
he might fight and overcome the
monster!
IF Mr.. Bryan had opposed the rat-
6cation Of the treaty the Flipinos
would have gone their way, either into
the arms of Spain or of Germany or
into discordant, warning and petty
states. At all events we would have
been done with them. This would not
have suited at all, because Mr.. Bryan
wanted to wage a successful contest
against Imperialism And 80 imperi-
alism was born, and its actual father
was William Jennings Bryan! he is
Aw endeavoring to destroy his own
children. Let it be remembered that
this extraordinary dread of imperi.
aIstic rule was from a gentleman who
has accepted the nomination of the fu-
sion populists or peoples party. The
populist platform demands that the
country should own and operate the
railroads in the interest Of the peo-
ple.' Is that not imperialism?
Government for Fl1ipinos.
Mr.. DENLY then reviews the work
Of the first Philippine commission,
which was appointed in January,
1899, and continues: ..E.....
"Another commission was sent to
establish civil government for the
philippines. It is now at Manila and