The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-02-16
Col. Weisenburger Talks.

OF the -pOllcy III VIZ
Philippines, and, in effect, renowned
the views on the silver question which
he publicly expressed on the political
stump throughout this section in 1890
Col. Weisenburger has been suggested
by Democratic friends as possible
candidate for governor, and some OF
Republican friends throughout the
State who are aware of his charge OF
heart have also been urging him to al
low them to present his name for an
important place on, if not at the head
of the Republican State ticket, but the
colonel declared today that he is not
in politics.
"The Philippine war is ended" said
Col. Weisenburger. eve will have
some more fighting down there in run
ming to earth the far scattered robber
bands who are infestlng the country,
but that is about all there will be OF it.
The so-called Filipino government has
ceased to exist, its members are either
prisoners or fugitlves, its army ia dis
troyed and broken up into disorgan-
lied bands of guerrlllas who are
greater menace to the Embellishments
of the islands than they are to the
American army. There is only one
thing for us to do there: Firmly es-
tablish American sovereignty in the
islands, giving the people there an
honest, stable government, allowing
them the exercise of as great degree
of self-government as they show them
selves capable of assuming. The
islands came to us as circumstance
OF war, and we az a nation unwlllingly
had grave responsibility thrust upon
us in connection Herewith which we
cannot afford to shirk. The Filipinos
are not able to stand alone and cannot
conduct and maintain a government.
Those who talk OF the Filipino nation
know not of what they speak. No
such thing ever existed. In fact, we
hardly know whom to call Filipinos.
On the island of Luzon alone there
are some twenty odd different tribes,
speaking as many different dialects,
between whom there is little or no
community of interest, many of the
interior tribes being absolute savages
without knowledge of government,
and between whom the deadly feuds
exist. Again, the people in the south
ern islands of the groups are different
in racial traits, in character, habits
and religion from those in the north.
With such condition existing, it is
out of the question for these people
to establish and maintain a civilized
government, and it is now our duty TO
place such government there. So
far as can see, the administration
has done only its duty in the islands,
and it ought to receive the support,
not the censure, of our people.
"What do l think of the political
situation? Well, don't think about
it. 1t is entirely too early to talk
politics in the first place, and then I
am not in the slightest degree in poll
tics l have my living to make and
my family to support, and therefore
cannot indulge in luxuries like politics
II is an expensive game at which
cannot afford to play. In the two
years l was in the service my law
practice went to the four winds of
heaven, and now ! must began at the
bottom again to build up once more.
and this will keep me SO busy that 1
cannot NEEDLE with politics."
ut has been suggested that You are
possible candidate for governor.
How about that?"
That is entirely out of the range Of
possibilities. Most emphatically / am
not candidate for governor nor any
other public Office. l have never
given the matter any thought for the
very good reason that it is utterly out
of the question"
CHOW about the silver question:"
II don't see what difference my ideas
can made on that point now. 1t an
to me that that question is one OF the
has beens.' In 1896 1 advocated BIZ
metalllsm as against the gold standard
| believed that / was right. The result
OF the vote showed that that the neo-
pie OF the country believed that / was
wrong, and that the maiority believed
IN the gold stan dard. In 1898 I was
not engaged in the political campaign.
but was campaigning under different
circumstances while wearing Uncle
Sans uniform. The people in that
election reiterated and emphasized
their verdict of 1895 and once more
declared for the gold standard. Such
being the case, it appears to me that
there is no further NOM FIR orr,,,,,..,2
In accordance with the vote of tbo