Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-09-30

crecy in the conduct of our goverF-
ment has gone so far that. for two
years. one of the most fateful periods
in our history. our people have not
been permitted to see. Il few items cN-
copied. the most important diplomatic
correspondence and the directions TO
government agents entrusted with
most mQmentouS business. We are
now Witnessing the strange. the un-
precedentcd, spectacle OF the President
as candidate FOR reelection in his
letter OF acceptance, II partisan cam
palSn paper. drawing upon hidden
stores OF official knowledge, and pub
llshing detached pieces OF documents
as they may be advantageous to his
and his party's interest. lie has no
reason to complain of the widespread
suspicion that, il all those documents
We're published entire. they might
bring unWelcome light--for. as | have
shown, his benevolent assimilation"
order. that nSurping declaration of
war against the Filipinos. standing up
for freedom ANA independence. the
whole of which happens To be known.
appears IN his letter IT acceptance in
a Sarhled condition. miSleadugly omit
TING the most important parts. Here
we nave. | repeat. an attempt at secret
government one of the worst practices
of unadultcrated despotism. You DENY
the influence of Imperialism on the
character of our government? Here
you have an instance.
These are some of the known things
Imperialism has already done Tor us.
What may he Still in store You may
conjecture. ANA what benefit have we
to show for It? y shadoNr prospnct
of commercial profit which. SO far as il
depends upon our sovereign rule over
the dependencies, VIII rebound only To
the benefit OF q favored fov. MT the
l.1.i a. .f tr.. f...a
which. so far as the generally useful
expansion of Our foreign commerce
is concerned. might have been. ana
might sun be, fully obtained without
any criminal aggression, without the
atrocities Of the Filipino war, simply
by treating those peoples us we have
promised to treat the Cubans
And what is the excuse for this pol-
| icy of wickedness and blunder? That
II was the Presidents duty TO act as
he did. Let Us sec. We will charge
him with no undue personal reSnonSi-
blities. l|ut Senator Lodge. in his
speech prcsonting The nomination, said
TO him: Tile peace You had to make
alone Cuba. Porto Rico. the Philin-
pines, YOU had to assume alone the re-
sponsibiiitN Of taking them all from
Spain. Wen. then. WAS it President
McKincy's duty to avert the war oil
liberation ana humanity which had
boon SO solennly proclaimed by con
grcss into - war of conquest nj
grabbing anu criminal aggrcs NJ
Was il his duty 20 hciray the Fii limos
by using them as SerViceablc allies
then brutally excluding them from tn,
neacc negotiations, and then buyinl
them Ike flock Of sheep from the g..
fcatcG common cnemy?' Was il hi,
duty Ia Issue his "hcnevoieni assimia-
ton ordcr weeks before tho ratidca-
ton of the peace treaty by which, COM
hitting 4 fragrant usUraation of power
The declared war against the Filipinos
and thus provoked that bloody and dis
graceful conflict His duty. ndecd'
y truly Republican President. 30 Presi-
dent after the pattern of Washington
and Lincoln. would unerriugly have felt
IT 10 be his first duty 10 remAn lailh-