The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-10
The President to the People.

Mr.. McKISLEY's letter Of acceptance Is
printed IN full this morning, In one re-
spect II Is unique among documents OF It's
kind. Excepting a very few phrases
directly applicable 10 the campaign, II
might serve without alteration IA President
McKtSLEY's regular annual message to
Congress and to the country. A such, 1t
would take high rank among the ablest and
most satisfactory State papers that have
digniied the Official annals OF this Govern
ment at the most eventful periods OF our
national history.
Mr.. MCKINLEY answers squarely Mr.,
BRYAN's challenge to a second battle on the
lines OF 1896. The gold standard must be
maintained. The present conditions OF DO
nestle industry and foreign trade, the sat
isfactory state OF the Government finances
and the credit Of the nation are threatened
now as then. The challenge comes in tho
platforms Of the d%isturbers and would-be
destroyers Of the prosperity OF capitalist
and laboring man alike, and it comes In tho
words Of the candidate who declared four
years ago that though defeated he would
continue the warfare just the same; the
BRYAN who said in 1894;
~ there Is any one " h. believes the gold standard
lisa good thing. OF that II mus, " maintained. / VAN
him no, TO east bis vote for me. because l promise him
Il will no, be maintained In this country Ion ger thanI
am able 10 get nd Of II"
And this Is President MCKISLEY's reply:
accept the issue ard again invite the sound
money forces 10 Join In winning another, and We
hope. permanent triumph for an honest financial sy%
tenn which Will continue inviolsble the public faith"
That issue ia at the front; whatever ques-
ton may be labele 81 "a paramount. the
demand for the unlimited free coinage of Sill
yer at the ratio Of sixteen to one is marked
immediate " in the Kansas City platform
as In the Sioux Falls platform; while all
the several political organizations uniting
on BRYAN declare that their efforts shall be
unceasing until the Gold act Is repealed and
free silver at sixteen 20 one enacted in its
stead.
The considerable portion Of the letter de-
voted to the events growing out Of the war
with Spain will carry conviction wherever !
It is read. The policy Of the Administra-
ton in the Philippines has been the only
policy possible to an honest and patriotic
Executive. Step by step the President re-
traces it from it's inception Town to to-day. !
There was no alliance with the ~Aguinaldists
no promise of Independence to them at any |
time. The only alternative was between
holding the islands and turning them over
10 an INSCRIPTIONS coterie OF Tagalog poll
ticians and Adventures. At no time after
the destruction of MoNToJo's fleet could we
or should we have left the Philippines. |
Before the Treaty Of Paris was ratified.
AGUINALDo and his followers turned upon
us murderously and without a shadow OF
Justification. Since then the duty of the
Administration has been plain. No power
but Congress can ALLEVIATE the territory or
~relinquish the sovereignty acquired by the
treaty which BRYAN helped to ratify. The
proposition Of Mr.. BRYAN and others to
establish a stable Government in the
interest OF the Tagalog insurgents. and
to protect il when established, Is not
only a proposition to make the muir
derers OF LAwToS and our soldiers our
agents IN conveying to the Filipinos the
blessings Of liberty and order which we
have promised them, but II is also a com
initial to the military and naval support of
an authority not our own. requiring on our
part the use OF an army and navy far larger
than Ia now maintained. and involving the
very essence Of "militarism " in It's most
offensive form. The real issue" styled
imperialism by BRYAN, Mr.. MCKINLEY
sums up in a single sentence;
whether II IL paramount 70 any other or not, It Is
whether we shall be responsible for the government
Of the Philippines with the sovereignty and authority
which enable US TO guide them 10 regulated liberty,
Law. safety and prog ress. or whether we shall be re.
sponsible for the fordble and arbitrary ovenmen
Of a minority without sovereignty and authority on
our part and with only the embarrassment OF a pro
~tectorate which draws us into their troubles without
th. power OF preventing them.
The unusual quality Of the entire letter,
with its t~emperately worded and calmly
reasoned statement Of results and purposes,
will. we think. impress every reader. The
tone Of the letter Of acceptance marks the
Unreasonable distance between the respon-
sible servant Of the people, who has Justly
earned their confidence. and the political
adventurer boxing the compass Of sophis-
tioal and passionate rhetoric in his frantic
bid for office. The contrast We get here 4.
not merely one Of policies or political ideas
or points of view regarding undisputed
facts. but Of Individual character and per-
sonal trustworthiness