Evening star., 1900-10-12
MEIkLEJOHN TO BRYAN
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF WAR
WRITES ANOTHER LETTER.
He Calls ON the Presidential Can.
II
didate to Explain Ger.
tain Things

CHICAGO. October R.-George D. Meikle-
john. assistant secretary of war. has mailed
the foliewing,7etter to Mr.. w. ]. Bryan,
which the latter will receive today:
t"CH1OAGO. ILL.,, October II. 1900.
Dear Sir: M your communication to me
of the 10th instant you refer to the fact
that the republican party adheres to It's
doctrine that the Constitution cannot be
extended to new territory acquired by the
treaty-making power Of our government
nor by the military commanders OF our
armies.
You then declare that therefore the
President was not obliged to refuse his ap-
proval to that portion of the Sulu agree
ment which permitted the temporary con-
tnuance of the alleged slavery In the Sulu
Islands. The point to which l called your
attention In my communication was thdt
the President did refuse his approval, ana
that therefore the portion OF the agree
ment Is not existing.
am gratified that you direct attention TO
the fact that the present administrator
does not require the force of the constitu-
the rights Of men.
Permit me, however. to call your attention
to the concluding words of the amendment
to the Constitution to which you re1er.
Neither slavery nor Involuntary SerVltuoe
shall exist within the United states, or any
place, subject to their jurisdiction.
While amendments to the Constttutlon
are under consideration, will you give an
explanation of the discrepancy between
your platform this year and the one on
which Tilden made his canvass! Your
platform declares:
1--WE, the representatives of the demo-
cratic party Of the United States, assem-
bled In national convention, OH the ami
versary of the adoption of the Declaration
Of Independence do reatfirm our faith In
that immortal proclamation OF the inalien-
rights
the Constitution framed in harmony there
with by the fathers of the republic
LAS framed by the fathers of the republic,
the Constitution recognized slavery ana
provided that slave escaping into Tree
state did not become free and must be re-
turned to his owner-article ", section z,
clause 3. The Constitution as framed by
the fathers did not contain the guarantees
for the rights of our colored citizens, pro-
vided by the fourteenth and fifteenth
amendments.
The Tilden platform declared as follows:
For the democracy Of the whole coun-
try we do hereby affirm our faith in the
permanence of the federal union, our devo-
ton to the Constitution OF the United
States with its amendments universally ac-
cepted a final settlement OF the contro-
versies that engendered civil war, and 90
here record our steadfast confidence in the
perpetulty of the republican self-govern-
ment.'
why does your platform refuse adher-
ence to the amendments to the convention?
I'm view of your present contention.
might l beg to request an explanation OF
the concluding words of the Chicago plat
form of 1896 on admission of territories,
which reads: We recommend that the ter
ritory of Alaska be granted a delegate in
Congress and that the general lamb and
timber laws Of the United States be ex-
tended to said territory Very respectfully.
&c. ID. MEIkLEJOHN.
Hon VIM. ]. Bryan,
= cleveland. Ohio