The Portland daily press., 1900-10-26

Of not very long ago that nobody can
put much faith in their sincerity. Croker
today PROCESSES to be IN favor OF Bryan 5
Philippine policy. but the last time he
expressed himself before the necessity
had appeared Of seeming to be in line
with Bryan this Is what be said:
ST believe In expansion. 1 believe in
holding whatever possessions we have
gained BY annexation, purchase or war
This policy is not only patriotic but
IL Is the only safe one to pursue Any
other policy would show weakness on the
part OF the United States and invite Tor
eign complications. This must be avoid
ed, hence our policy must be vigorous.
Every patriotic American, and every
Democrat IN particular, should favor eX-
pansiOn.
Jefferson was an expansiOnist, other
wise he would not have favored the &C
QUESTION OF Louisiana with its foreign
population which in Jefferson s time was
quite as remote as the Philippines In
this age Of steam and electricity, distance
is no argument against expansion. "
Can anybody doubt that Mr.. Cookers
real opinion today IS the same as it was
wnen he uttered these words, or that he
viii avoW it again after election is
over? Can anybsdy conceive Of Richard
Cookers abandoning anything which
viii furnish opportunities for supplying
his hsnchmsn with jobsi Can anybody
conceive Of his letting go OF anything
that can be exploited for money? If
Bryan is elected it viii be largely through
the power of Richard Croker, and his in
huence must, by the nature Of the case,
be very potent in determining the policy
Of Bryan's administration. Does any
body believe that Croker viii advise
Bryan to aband Oh the Philippine islands
with their vast opportunities for pelf
and jobs? But Croker is not the only
powerful Dem oorat that lie ieYes in hold
ing on to everything we have taken. The
whole Southern wing Of the party are
expansionIsts, and almost the entire press
OF tnat section has criticized and con-
demned Bryan's policy as declared in the
speech 9 made on the paramount"
issue early in the campaign. Senator
Morgan Of Alabama is the very prince of
imperialists, and Iillman, while be op-
posed the acquisition Of the Islands, has
abundantly proved by his utteranoes that
he has not the slightest consideration for
the rights of any men who are not white.
An appeal by BRYAN to Tilhuan to rise
up and defend the rights Of the brown
men Of Luzon would get very seant at
tention from the South Carolina sena-
tor. A programme which involved the
abandonment Of the Philippine islands,
orsany other policy but the reduc-
ton OF the natives to complete sub
jeetiOn would not, we believe, enlist the
support gilmore than two or three South
ern senator's, and it would not get any
support from the dominating elements in
the Democratic party at the North. What
pretsnse there is on the part OF Croker
Of favoring a change OF policy toward the
Philippine Islands is simply In the hope
OF catching anti-imperialist votes, When
Mr.. Bryan calls his Congress together. il
he ever DOES, he will be given to under
stand that professions made by Demo-
cratic leaders before election are not
meant to extend beyond election day.
He will discover just as Mr.. Cleveland
did, that Democratic promise and per-
Torrance are. quite different things, and
that the latter has necessarily no relation
to the formar,