The Seattle Republican., 1900-08-10

dollars from the national treasury
under ante-bellum Democratic adj
ministrations. Ship subsidies being
favored by Republicans now, are, of
course, opposed by latter-day Demo
Gratis.
The Democratic party never point
ed with pride to any business meas
ure that it ever enacted.
Bryan sees danger in our national
prosperity, and those wishing to do
MIN justice must admit that, should
his opinions prevail, such a source OF
danger would be speedily removed.
From the silence Of the Democrats
on the tariff question it would seem
that they have decided to take the
views Of one of their former candi-
dates and call it a local question.
Bryan insists on being taken on
trust by political combination, be-
cause he is opposed to business trusts
and combinations.
The Democratic candidate for the
presidency has persuaded the Popu-
lists, Democrats and Silver Republi-
cans to pool their interests. In short
he has formed a political trust for the
express purpose Of destroying compe-
tihon, yet stands on a platform
which declares that such methods are
destructive to personal liberty and
dangerous to national life.
The Democratic utterances against
the ship subsidy bill in their national
platform only states one-half of the
democratic proposition, the other
half, which they were too cowardly
to declare themselves publicly in fa-
yor of, being in favor of foreign in
stead of American ships for the car
riage of American foreign commerce.
The Democratic delegates at the
Kansas City convention were parties
of the first part, and the voters to
whom the platform is addressed are
the party Of the second part, while
the platform itself is the instrument
setting forth the respective duties
and obligations of the two parties to
the contract. Yet the party of the
first part is telling the party Of the
second part that Is to / obligation
means nothing, and that if they will
present votes they may be assured
that the monetary standard Of the
country will not be tampered with.
And this is the party Of reform that
invites the country to indorse prom
ises unfulflled and condemn obiga-
tions faithfully performed.
II the silver question is out Of poll
tics, why was it hammered into a
political platform?
In one breath the Democratic ora
tor i'll assure his hearers that McKin-
ley has no backbone, that he is a
creature controlled by those around
him, and with the next breath will
accuse him Of shaking the republic to
pieces in order to erect a throne on
the ruins thereof.
The Democrats favor a stable gov
ernment for the Philippines The
sultan of Turkey has stable govern
ment, the czar Of Russia has stable
government, China has had a stable
government for twenty centuries;
which kind does it favor? Not a
single Spanish colony that ever threw
off the Spanish yoke ever possessed a
stable government within fifty years
after declaring independence. The
Philippines today would have a
peaceable and just government were
it not for the encouragement afford
ed to the insurgents by the hostility
here in the states to the efforts Of the
army to conquer the rebellion.
If it be true, as the Democrats as
sert, that ships can be built in the
United States as cheaply as they can
anywhere, how is it that out Of 400,-
600 tons Of ships built in the United
States last year, all but 1000 tons
were for the coastwise or domestic
trade?
Bryan would give absolute indie
pendence to the Philippines. This
Of course means that the flag should
be furled and the army recalled. Will
he explain how this can be done? Is
there any constitutional provision
for alternating American territory?
If there is one constitutional argu-
ment against acquiring territory
there are a dozen against abandoning