Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-09-11
EIGHT PAGES.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER II 1000.
For President,
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
OF NEBRASKA.
For vice-PresIdent.
ADLAI E. STEVENSON
OF ILLINOIS.
M'KINLEY'S LETTER OF
ACCEPTANCE.

Mr.. McKinley's letter of acceptance
has interest and value for just one rea-
Son-it contains n compilation OF much
interesting matter from official docu-
ments bearing upon the Philippine
problem in all it's phases. Apart from
that 1T is quite insignificant as a state
paper and is easily negligible as
campaign document. There is the same
balderdash as to the gold standard and
the full dinner pail that the Republi-
can organs have been dishing out to us
since it was decided to run from the
issue of Imperialism.
On Imperialism Mr.. Mckinley comes
out much more strongly than he had
previously done. He .devotcs nearly
half of his lengthy letter to It, His
whole defense of his Philippine policy
for it is a defense pure and simple
may be summed up in the single prop
osition that no course of action other
than that he has followed was posi-
Bile. He says, in effect, that he Sdid
what he did because there was moth
ing else to do. He declares that there
has never been at any time when we
could retire from the islands honora-
bly,; that we made the Filipinos every
promise consistent with our obliga-
lions; that we did not recognize them
or use them as allies; that they began
hostilities, and our soldiers did moth
-4Aifss--ffsefe an-tu-dpfend themselves
and uphold the sovereignty of the Uni
ted States as acquired in due form by
the treaty with Spain.
AS to whether or not there was any
other course open than that followed
by the Administration 1t is useless to
waste words. Nobody VIII deny that
there could have been an intimation of
purpose to recognize Filipino autono.
my, and it is natural to infer that such
intimation would have lessened the
chances of open rupture. We are con-
cerned chiefly with this assertion of
Alr. McKinley,s:
Nobody who will avail himself of
the facts will longer hold that there
was any alliance between our soldiers
and insurgents. or that any promise
OF Independence was made to them.
Long before their leader had reached
Manila they had resolved, if the COM
mander of the American navy would
give them arms with which to fight the
upon us. which they did murderously,
and without the shadow of cause or
justification"
Let us see what are the facts that
refute, according to the President, the
theory that the Filipinos were recog-
nized as allies. Admiral Dewey brought
Aguinaldo from Hong Kong to Manila.
! at Dewey's instance he organized an
army. Here is Dewey's report to Sec
rotary Long. made June 81, 1898
II have given him (Aguinaldo) to UNI
derstand that [ consider the insur
ge4ts as friends, being opposed to a
common enemy He has gone to at
tend n meeting OF insurgent leaders for
the purpose of fGiming a civil govern
ment. Aguinaldo has acted i,1depen-
IDENTIFY or the squadron, but has kept
me advised of his progress, which has
been wonderful. / have allowed TO
pass, by water recruits, arms and am
munftion, and to take such SPANISH
arms and ammunition from the ar
senal as he needed. Have advised fire.
Qucntly to conduct the waI. humaneIv
which he has done Invariably"
General Anderson wrote to Aguinal-
DO as follows:
General: / have the honor to in
form you that the United States or
: Annericl.. whose land forces have the
homer TO commend in this vicinity, be-