The Topeka state journal., 1900-03-09
Where Will Mckinley Stop, Asks
Gen. Lew Wallace.
Hints That Hanna's Hand is
Visible at White House.
PORTO RICAN MISTAKE.
Great Indiana Republican Can
not Understand
How American People Can Adopt
Such a Policy.

Indianapolis, Ind, March 9.-Several
days ago General Lew Wallace ex-
pressed the conviction that Mckinley
had blundered in the Porto Rican affair
and he has since emphasized this utter
ance by a carefully prepared statement
made public here today, in which he
says that when the president recon-
mended free trade with Porto Rico that
was William Mckinley speaking from
his heart; when he urged congressman
to eat their utteraneeS and vote Tor
duty on the industries of the islands,
going and coming, that was Mark
Hanna, the great Ohio suspect. Either
or people in a relation to US not yet
defined. II fellow countrymen free
trade should govern in all our dealings
with them and their institutions should
have been Americanized, something i'm
possible while under military control.
If they are in relations unknown and
underlined, and poor and helpless, then
charity, the essence of Christianity,
should have the molding of our policies.
1T is idle talking about the island
being outside our constitution. Is con-
gress the creature of the constitution,
or the constitution a device of congress?
It is unfortunate that none OF the men
invited to see him, and who came away
converted, has told us of a word drop
ped by the president in explanation OF
his own conversion. 1t is not pleasant
TO Jhlnk OF the president eXefllnS niIIl-
self to control the action OF an 1nde-
pendent branch of government What
shall stop him next from an interfer-
ence with the judges of the supreme
court? 1t is yet more unpleasant to
learn from their admission that a re-
quest from the president should be ac-
cepted by congressman as an imperial
order before which objections founded
in conscience are blown away like
smoke from a gun. The Porto Rican
off fai iS had Still if is not
bad as the treaty for the Nicaraguan
canal. The difference is between a
statute that can be repealed by the
next congress and an international
agreement defiant of alteration or
amendment except by the consent of
sovereign powers"
General Lew Wallace was not only
a distinguished soldier of the civil war,
but he also distinguished himself since
the war as a diplomat, and is we'll
versed in statecraft. This gives his
views on the Nicaragua episode addi-
tional force. General Wallace refers to
an incident while Blaine was secretary
of state under Harrison. Wallace called
on Blaine by invitation, but was kept
in waiting for some time, and then
Blaine apologized for the delay by say
ing he had just finished dispatch with
reference to the Clayton -Bulwer treaty,
and this contained a formal notice that
a canal under American control across
the isthmus was an American necessity,
and that he had just served notice that
America refused to be bound by the
Clayton BulWer treaty. General Wal
lace assumes that what Blaine did was
with the knowledge and consent of Har-
rison.
But be that as it may" he adds, "of
one thing I am sure: The American
people will punish the party, if not the
ing the Nicaraguan canal for other than
our own exclusive USE