Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1900-09-11
THE REAL ISSUE.

THE REAL5ISSUE.
President McKinley's letter of ac-
ceptance is a model Of clear logic and
patriotic determination and resolve to-
be true to the nations obligations.
The democratic party this year
claims that imperialism" is the para
mount issue. President McKinley's
letter shows clearly just what is the
paramount issue. President McKin-
ley's letter shows clearly just what is
the real issue in the Philippines when
he says:
subject? Whether it is paramount
to any other or not, it is whether We
shall be responsible for the govern
ment of the Philippines, with the SOW
ereignty and authority which enables
us to guide them to regulated liberty,
law, safety and progress, or whether
we shall be responsible for the forcible
and arbitrary government of a minor
ity without sovereignty and authority
on our part, and with only the embar-.
rassment of protectorate which
draws us into their troubles without
the power of preventing them.
There were those who two years
ago were rushing us on to war with
Spain who are unwilling now to accept
its clear consequence, S there are
those among us who advocated the rat
~iication of the treaty of peace; but now
protest against its obligations. Ma
lions which go to war must be pre-
pared to accept its resultant obliga-
tons, and when they make treaties
must keep them.
Those who profess to distrust the
liberal and honorable purposes Of the
administration in its treatment of the
Philippines are not justified.
Imperialism has no place in it's
creed or conduct. Freedom is a rock
upon which the republican party was
builded and now rests. Liberty is the
great republican doctrine for which the
people went to war. and for which a
million lives were offered and billions
or dollars expended to make it a law
full legacy of all without the consent
of master or slave. ~
There is a strain Of ill-concea1ed
hypocrisy in the anxiety to extend the
constitutional guarantees to the peo-
pie of the Philippines while their null
LITIGATION is openly advocated at home
Our opponents may distrust them.
selves, but they have no right to dis.
credit the good faith and patriotism
of the majority of the people
who are opposing them; the.
may fear the worst form of imperial.
ism with the helpless Filipino in theil
hands, but if they do it is because they
have parted with the spirit and faith
of the fathers and have lost the viril
ity of the founders of the party which
they profess to represent.
The republican party doesn't have
to assert its devotion to the Declare,
tion of Independence. That Immortal
instrument of the founders remained
unexecuted until the people, under thu
lead of the republican party in the aw'
full clash of battle, turned its promise:
into fu1fillment.
1T wrote into the constitution thu
amendments guaranteeing politica
equality to American citizenship ant
it has never broken them or counselet
Others in breaking them. tt will no
be guided in its conduct by n set o
principles at home and another set IL
the new territory belonging to TIL
United States.
ssIf our opponents would only prac
tice as well as preach the doctrines o
Abraham Lincoln there would be d,
fear for the safety of our institution
at home Or their frightful influence il
any territory over which our fal
floats.
Empire has been expelled from
Porto Rico and the Philippines BY Am
erican freemen. The flag OF the re
public now floats owe these islands a
an emblem Of rightful sovereignty
Will the republic stay and dispense I
their inhabitants the blessings Of lib
erty. education and free institutions