The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1900-10-18
Communicated.
r.-.
Editor Hope Pioneer:
Oct. ,13, 1900.

Editor Hope Pioneers: ....
Dear Sir: Knowing that The Pioneer
has always been willing that tho people
should hear both sides of matter on
which they are expected to pass judg-
ment, take the liberty of asking for
space to call attention to some of the
most important points in connection
with the election Of the next president
of the United States. Since the civil
war, in no presidential election, have
thing like in character, to those which
now demand the serious, thoug ghtful,
and the whole bipartisan attention of
the voters. The man who in such a
crisis, goes to the polls and votes for a
candidate simply because he is on a
certain ticket, insults his manhood, and
is justly entitled to be classed among
the "voting CATTLE" The great question
to be decided in the coming election
calls on every man to say whether or
not the commandments against theft
and murder have become dead letter
at the dictation of few .unscrupulous
politicians. Is the attempt to seize the
Philippine Islands, shooting the inhabi-
tants in the attempt. justifiable? This
moral issue is largely evaded by Mr..
McKinley's friends, and they tell us
| there is money in it. The excuse of the
burgular or footpad.
The moral side of the war against the
Fillipinos was we'll stated by Mr.. Nc
Kinley when he said that "forcible an
| nexation was criminal aggression"
The incidents leading to war against
| the Filiprinos are familiar to all.
The FiIippinos had for years sought
| to free themselves from the oppressive
rule of Spain, losing many lives in var
ious rebellions during field conflicts and
by executions after captivity. When
| the war broke out between the United
States and Spain the Filippinos seized
the opportunity to again rise against
Spanish rule, and with such success
| that at the time of Dewey's victory, the
Filippinos had either captured or driven
| the Spanish troops into few sea coast
towns where it was only question of
| time when they would all have to sur
render. Spanish authority had been
entirely destroyed by the Filippinos, ex-
cept in the towns mentioned. The re-
| bellion had been success which only
| needed Deweys victory on the water to
make it complete.
Both Americans and Filippinos were
fighting Spain. The Filippinos met
serious losses doing their part, while the
Americans lost nothing. Now said the
Philippines, our dream of liberty under
the flag of the Philippine republic will
be fulfilled. They organized their gov
ernment with congress of men whose
ability was of very high order. Ad-
miral Dewey himself, said he consider
ed the Filippinos far more capable of
conducting a government than the Gu
bans. Now. was it not the duty Of Pre-
sident Mckinley to assist the people
who were fighting our enemy, instead of
turning upon them and ordering them
to be shot, and their houses burned, be-
cause they, having got rid of one mas
ter, refused to kneel to another.
A host of able men in the Republican
party declare the conduct of President
Mckinley Tin direct opposition to his
own statement that such course would
be criminaD to be most infamous. What
would the reader think if he should be
knocked down and plundered by one
whom he had just helped to drive off a
| highwayman? Let every man answer
this question in the the only way posi-
BILE, and when he votes, condemn the
same abomination by the man who now
] seeks to be re elected president.