The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-19
A Sad Spectacle.

In sadness rather than In anger his
Republican associates listened to the
address Of Senator Hoar on the Phil
ippine question. No one attacks his
character or impugns his motives. He
Is unlike the rest OF the "an.is' In
that no truculent spirit animates him,
no vindictiveness coiors his speech. He
Is sincere, and sincerity is always to
be respected But he has adopted
false standards and erroneous points
of view. The weakening OF his powers
by age Is apparent. Physical decline
accompanies the inability to see facts
relation. with only the kindest feel
ings toward Senator Hoar. the great
body OF his countrymen and all of his
party associates know him to bc wrong,
and they are sorry for 1t.
In the speech in which he made
lengthy and formal statement Of his
reasons for opposing the Philippine poll
Icy OF the administration, we do not
find aught that Is novel or forceful.
The character OF the man frees 1t from
the malignity OF Pettigrew. the coarse
buster OF Mason, the unhesitating
falsehood OF many of the Democratic
speakers. Senator Hoar Is courteous
and earnest but he Is utterly and hope
lessly In the wrong.
We find sufficient evidence OF this
in two particulars. without retraversing
arguments that have been debated I'M
Ill the people understand thoroughly
the merits OF the questions involved.
one is his defence OF Agulnaldo. What
ever man may think Of our policy
in the Philippines. 1t is amazing, in
credible, disheartening that any Amer
lean citizen can hold this creature up
to admiration. We have to look no
farther than the great speech of MIR.
Hears colleague. Senator Lodge. TO see
this mongrel adventurer painted in his
true colors; and this not by the per-
sonal opinion OF the orator. but by doc
uments that have passed into history.
This is the half-breed adventurer
whose revolt against spain had failed
and left him an exile with a purse
allied by treachery II Is the man
who went back In the train OF our
ships to see what plclSings there might
be for him. 1t Is the man whose in
tercourse with our authorities. who
alone had enabled him to return. was
marked by increasing arrogance and
iusolenee II Is the man who. from the
FIRST moment proceeded To arm the
fiilpinos FOR an attack upon the Unit
ed states forces and inaame them
against US. II IL the man who set up
pinchbeck court, and gave himself
the airs OF dictator. II is the man
who directed the attack upon our arms
II is the man who issued instructions
for an uprising In Manila In which no
American vas to bc spared. It is the
man who did not scruple 10 remove his
friend By assassination. and whose
treatment OF his couutrymen was
bloody tyranny. This is the man who
Is compared with the heroes Of Scrip
ture. In words that make Us shudder
The decline % Senator Hcars powers
is evidenced again in his practical sag-
ges,lona In his earlier days he could
not have offended 80 against all con
ception of the practical and the posi-
Bile, lie stili speaks OF the people %
the Philippines, calmly ignoring the cx-
istence ~ IS distinct and discordant
tribes. Re would have them set up
"repuelic." indifferent alike 20 The quail
tiles n the Malay mind and &C. the eX-
ample of Aguinaldo He would Invite
international guarantee " their indc-
peudence. although the experience q
samoa relates the utter failure Of that
method even 10 maintain order he
would apply the Monroe doctrine in
Asia. in contempt Of history and reA-
son.
There is no need 10 go farther. Sen.
stor Hoar presents no new reasons for
his faith, no helpful conclusions for the
future. He has set his course. clinxs