Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-08-09
SHALL BE NO EVASION.
The Republican Party Must Meet the
Issue of imperialism and Militar-

Issue of imperialism and MiIitar-
ism.
But they shall not be permitted to evade
the stupendous and far-reaching issue
which they have deliberately brought into
the arena of politics. When the President,
supported by a practically unanimous
vote of the House and Senate, entered
upon war with Spain for the purpose of
aiding the struggling patriots of Cuba,
the country, without regard TO party, APP
plauded. Although the Democrats recog-
nized that the administration would neces-
sarily gain a political advantage from the
conduct of a war which, in the very ma
ture of the case, must soon end in COM
plete victory, they Wed with the Repub-
, licans in the support which they gave to
the President. When the war was over
and the Republican leaders began to Sug-
gest the
Propriety of a Colonial Policy,
opposition at once manifested itself
When the President finally laid before the
Senate treaty which recognized the in
dependence of Cuba but provided for the
cession of the Philippine Islands to the
United States, the menace of Imperialism
became so apparent that many preferred
to reject the treaty and risk the ills that
might follow rather than take the chance
of correcting the errors of the treaty by
the Independent action of this country.
| was among the number of those who
believed It better to ratify the treaty and
end the war, release the volunteers re-
and then give to the Filipenos the in
dependepce which might be forced from
Spain by new treaty.
In view of the criticism which my action
aroused in some quarters, l take this oc
casion to reState the reasons given at that
time. i thought it safer to trust the
American people to give independence to
the Philippines than to trust the accom-
plishment of that purpose to diplomacy
with an unfrfendly nation. Lincoln en-
bodied an argument in the question, when
he asked, Can aliens make treaties easier
than friends can make laws?" l believe
that we are now in a better position to
wage successful
Contest Against imperialism
than we would have been had the treaty
been rejected. With the treaty ratified a
clean cut issue is presented between a
government by consent and government
by force, and imperialists must bear the
responsibility for all that happens until
the questions is settled. If the treaty had
been rejected, the opponents of imperial
ism would have been held responsible for
any international complications which
might have arisen before the ratification
of another treaty. But whatever differ
ences of opinion may have existed as to
the best method of opposing the colonial
policy, there never was any difference
as to the great Importance of the question
and there Is no difference now as to the
course to be pursued
The title of Spain being Aextinguished,
we were at liberty to
Deal With the FiIipinos
according to American principles. The
Bacon resolution, introduced a month be-
fore hostilities broke out at Manila, prom
ised independence to the Filipinos on the
same terms that 1t was promised to the
Cubans. l supported this resolution and
believed that its adoption prior to the
breaking out of hostilities would have
prevented bloodshed. and that its adoption
at any subsequent time would have ended
hostilities