New-York tribune., 1900-10-28
AN OPEN LETTER TO AGUINALDo,
SOME HISTORICAL CONSIDERATIONS WHICH
SHOULD MAKE HIM HESITATE
TO TRUST BRYAN.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir. VIII YOU permit me. through The Tribune 10
address the following letter 10 Don Eiiliii0 4Ne1-
nado, Philippine Islands?
nv, near non Emilio: Having been recently in
wired 70 ioin our so-called Ant-Imperalist League
it occurred to me that might without lhproPil-
ETY. address my reply chiefly TO you allo" my
self this liberty. the more readily inasnuch as II
has been my intention for some time past 10 senu
you friendly line setting forth what seem 10 me
to be the actual political conditions here in Amer
lea. considering them more particularly as tney
affect not only the wishes and aspirations OF your
self and followers. but also the remaining nVe-
sxths Of the polyglot inhabitants Of the Philippine
Islands
Cheerfully assuming then. that you are the
patriot and lover Of his whole country that your
friends here so confidently claim you to be- l
cannot but also assume that the happiness ana
contentment and good government of all your tei-
low inhabitants must be tho goal Of your amoitoh
rather than the erection of unstable oligarchy
composed of the members of a single trloe' Win
yourself as the possibly. for time, unquestloned
leader. II. then. my surmise be correct, VIII you
allow me- as a sincere well wisher for the pros
perity of all the islands of your archipelago, to
trace in outline the history of our two great
parties, struggling for the control OF our
National Government. in their relations toward d
politically and, If the suggestion be not too harsh
a socially inferior race?
Your acquaintance with American history will
have informed you that one of the foundation
stones Of our original Republic slavery. and
that the captivating generalities in our celebrated
Declaration Of independence. written by a man
who lived and died a STAKEHOLDER. at the
time intended for and construed to apply only to
those Of Caucasian descent The truth of this
statement became more painfully apparent when
necessarv to copsndata or distranfed con
try by means of 4 Federal Constitution.
article of that otherwise glorious document you
Will find that Federal Government bound itself
its formation TO in no way. interfere by statute
brought m into those States whose laws might per-
NIT this practice, provided only that a sum not
exceeding $40 a head might be collected by the
National Government upon each imported per
SON" BY this compromise with the slaveholding
States was the Federal Union alone made possible,
Now Don Emilio, If you will study political
history you will find that from this unfortunate
which recognized the institution of slavery an
| economic system, there sprang up in our country
from the very beginning two streams Of tendency,
other TO contract the hideous practice and bale
full influence Of slavery. You will further re-
aroused from its lethargy. there formed from
the latter stream In 1895 what is now known as the
of current history that this party thirty five
years ago after a bloody war. conducted on the
other side by the political ancestors of Mr. Bryan.
first hreathed the breath of life into Thomas JEFF
| teenth. Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments
| to our Constitution an honest attempt was first
| ernment the doctrine that all men are created
equal Vltn me Tlghr TO Ilfe. Hbertv ana the pur-
suit of happiness and that all government derives
IS lust power from the consent Of the governed
| With the anteccdent history OF the two parties
| thus ranidy outlined and both promising YOU
| practically the same thing. [ ask in entire
good faith upon which do YOU think YOU can
most confidently RELY bring out of the slough
| of despond into which the Irresistible OF
social. economic and racial evolution has for the
| time being hurried vou2
Yes, You say. but the Democratic party prom
| ises us Independence. My friend. In all history.
especially tropical history you instance case
| where population such yours II left to them
selves has ever emerged into really self-Fov-
| " succUmbed either a despotisn or corrupt
| ogarchv. recognizing the one or the other as the
| onlv safe refuge from anarchy?
All the we'll meaning doctrinaires to the contrary
Notwithstanding. ii to me that in one form
| or another, complicated future is irrevoca-
! hlv linked with ours. Your Democratic pseudc
friends acknowledge much in their protectorat
| platform IF this then he the practically una nj
| nous sentiment in America. will you not with
| greater confidence trust future to the wise
| craftsmanship Of the experiAn~ed and kindly mar
| who now occuries the political successor OF
| lincoln the executive chair at washington
| backed hv party that has ever stood for or
| derlv liberty in country rather than to an
| Untried rhAtorician. with al the forces Of disn-
! tegration that he reuresents whose hollow prom
| ises II attempted IN fulfIr,ent can only brine
| greater disaster and confusion end more bitter
! disanDointment uDon vcnr areadv sufficiently I'm.
| happy country. Very truly vour friend.
SAMUEL. L. PARRISH.
| Southampton. y. Y. Oct 90 1900