Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-27
CHARLES DENNY FOR MCKINLEY,
He DenOunces Bryan's Attitude on the
Philippine Question.

Charles DENLY of Indiana, ex-United
States minister to China and member Of
the hrst commission to the Philippines a
lifelong democrat, has written letter
III glng the reelection Of President Nc
kinley. 1t is entitled organs Attitude
Toward the Philippines and is made pub
Tic by the republican national committee.
Inc letter Is, In part, as follows:
I'm his speech of April IS, 1900 in the
Senate, Mr.. Hoar said that he could not
forget that Mr.. Bryan, unless he is much
misreps scented, used all his power and in
fuence with those of his friends who are
ready to listen to his counsels to secure
the ratification of the treaty. meaning the
Paris treaty. There were seventeen demo-
cratic senators who voted for the ratffica-
tlon two-thirds majority was neces-
sary. The treaty was ratified by one vote.
Mr.. Bryan has squarely assumed the re-
sponsibiity of the ratification.
We had taken Manila on August II,
1888. In December, 1898, Spain had made
treaty ceding the islands to us. We had
occupied them until February 8, 1899 On
that day AguinaldO made war on US Our
soldiers had to fight for their lives. The
treaty was ratified on February T. 1899
Mr.. Bryan advised his friends in the SEN
ate to vote to ratify the treaty after the
battle of February 5 had been fought He
knew that war had begun. He might read
lily have foreseen what complications might
POSSIBLY occur out of the existing condi-
tons. Then was the time to have talked
ABOUT the consent of the governed and
not now, when every speech he makes adds
ten names to the roll of our dead and one
hundred to the Filipino dead
MT Bryan, having the undoubted power
to prevent the ratification of the treaty,
actually. by his own confession, advised
Its ratification. Neither in law nor in NOR
ais can he be permitted now to secure po-
htical advantage from denouncing course
of conduct which he himself advised Mr.
Bryan gives as his reasons for advising
ratification that he thought it safer to
trust the American people to give inde-
pendence to the Philippines than to trust
the accomplishment of that purpose to
diplomacy with an unfriendly nation
This puts Mr.. Bryan in the attitude of
desiring independence for the Filipinos
very ardently. Why should he become so
suddenly fmbued with antagonism to the
democratic principle of expansion as exem-
pi1hed by all democratic statesmen from
Jefferson to VOORHEES,? If he could stand
the annexation of Hawaii why balk at the
acquisition of the Philippines?
Mr. Bryan's own explanation is as fol-
lows; 1 believe that We are now in a bet
against Imperialism than we would have
been had the treaty been rejected Here,
then, we have the real reason for this
strange parody of Jeykll and Hyde He
wanted to create the bogy of imperialism
In order that he might fight and overcome
the monster. If Mr.. Bryan had opposed
the ratification of the treaty, the Filipinos ,
would have gone their way, either into the
arms of Spain Germany or into dis
cordant warning, and petty states. AT all
events he would have been done with them
This would not have suited at all, because
Mr.. Bryan wanted to wage "a successful
contest against Imperialism And i'm
perialism born, and its actual father
was William Jennings Bryan. He is now
endeavoring to destroy his own child
In conclusion Mr. DENLY says: Il am
not defending the republican party in this
article, but 1 defending William Nc
Kinley. He has been subjected to more
abuse tI President and he
has desery ed it as little as any one ever
did In the most difficult period of our
history he has proved himself equal to all
the demands upon him. He has acted with
an eye single to the good of the country.
The war with Spain was not of the Presi-
dents seeking, but he met the issue with
exalted courage. In diplomacy he dis
played qualities of the highest order, and
in military affairs he was remarkably sue
cessful. He eminenty deserves re-elec-
ton"