Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-10
The Presidents Letter.

The President in his letter of acceptance
Gives striking evidence once more of his
power as a writer and his grasp as po-
Htfcal leader The ablest men in his party
are on the stump dealing with the issues
al the hour. but by no one of them have
those issues been treated with an arrange
ment more logical or in a style more clear
and attractive than are employed in the de-
livcrance which appears in print today.
The letter is long but there was much TO
be said 1t was necessary not only TO state
the case. but to reply 70 the CRITICISMS OF
the opposition This the President has done
in good temper and with citations from the
record which are most convincing. That
the letter will greatly strengthen the re-
publicans in the contest and supply texts
for speakers in every section OF the coun-
tly is certain
The President puts the silver question
first and with every right Mr.. Bryan. as
~ points out Is the representative of three
u.-ries and the common bond uniting them
Is silver The paramount issue. therefore, Is
this issue The contest is between the
gold standard and those who would over
throw it. The people, as in 1896. must
choose between the two sides. The gold
standard exists and was strengthened by
the legislation of last spring, but as the
President says, its stability is secure only
80 long as those who adhere to the re-
publican platform are kept in control or
the government" Nothing could be palmer
than this because Mr.. Bryans expressed
determination is TO overthrow the gold
standard If the power is committed to his
hands.
AS to the Philippines the President leaves
the opposition not a leg To stand on. Upon
the question of going to Manila he
quotes the record. and continues to quote
il with the same unanswerable effect along
the whole line of procedure since. After
arriving at Manila We're obliged to stay
and to assert full authority. We were
obliged then either to take over the archl-
pclago or hand il back TO Spain We took
it over with the assistance of Mr.. Bryan
himself We made no promises of indie
pendence to Aguinaldo. and no terms short
of independence were acceptable to him.
He and his lieutenants have rejected all
offers of good government and home rule.
We were attacked by Aguinaldo, and have
only used force as against force Such is
the record and the President plants his
standard upon it.
The Presidents thrust at what he char
acterizes as the ''ill-concealed hypocrisy
of the BryaniteS in their anxiety to ex
tend the constitutional guarantees to the
people of the Philippines. while their multi
fcution is openly advocated at home" Is
put in the following feIcitously expressed
paragraph:
The republican party does not have II
assert its devotion 10 the Declaration of
Independence. That immortal instrument
Of the fathers remained unexecuted until
the people. under the lead Of the repub-
lcan party. in the awful clash of battle
turned its promises into fultillment. 1t
wrote into the Constitution the amend
mrEts guaranteeing political equality TO
american citizenship. and II has never
broken them or counseled others in
breaking them. II will not be guided in
its conduct by one set If principles at
home and another set in the new territory
belonging to the United States.
The President meets all the issues fairly
and squarely. Sound money, protection and
the courageous discharge Of all the obliga-
tions coura geously shOuldered as the result
Of the war with Spain. find in him firm
champion There is not the suggestion Of
seuttle anywhere in the whole document on
any subject He can afford 10 stand fall
with the situation he presents it. Can
the country afford 10 lei him fall? Can It
afford 10 rebuke him AT the polls? Our do
nestle affairs under his guidance were
never IN better shape. and our foreign af-
fairs. difficult as they are. could not be
mended. but would be certain of added en-
barrassments. by the policy advocated by
Mr. BRYAN.