The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-04
Mysteries ana Common sense.

In it, issue Of last Sunday the
spokesman-R Review published an inter-
view with Mr.. John Clark Ridpath.
then visiting In Spokane, which prob
ably represents the views and temper
81 the ghost-seers who are opposed to
the present administration. 1t IL inter-
estinG to ascertain Just what these peo-
pie think that they think. because they
are an anomaly In this country. They
are not Democrats by conviction, whose
hostility we can understand and at
least respect. They are not Americans
in the sense In which that word has
been used since Tories and copperheads
went out Of date. They bear to ordi-
nary politics something the relation
that the anarchist does to economies:
they are against the existing order Of
things for reasons which, when stated.
are seen to be both fiimsy and fantas-
tic. To study these people is to learn
something OF the ways Of mental aber-
ration.
Examining this interview critically.
we ana the most extraordinary indif-
ference to matters OF fact and record:
the calmest assumption of positions to
which history gives the lie: the widest
nightmares that ever disturbed the
brain OF rational man. The average
nreader. not believing that q gentleman
10 well known could be guilty Of con-
by phantoms. will be amazed at ignor-
ance 20 comprehensive or vindictive-
NESS % little scrupulous Of the demands
OF decency and honor.
The first assertion Is that the victory
Of 1896 was won by the Republican
party under false pretences. and that
100000 people were "juggled" into vot-
ing for the Republican ticket because
the platform declared for bimetallism.
1t did declare for International bimetal-
lism, the only bimetallism possible. 1t
also declared for the maintenance Of
the present standard OF value. The
administration sought to secure an in
ternational agreement. That failed,
through no fault of ours What the
people think about It we have no occa-
sion to doubt. There has been another
election since then. Every Republican
congressman elected In 1898 voted for a
bill to fix the gold standard by law.
We venture to think that they know
more about the opinion OF their constit-
uents than Mr.. Ridpath II what he
asserts were true. the currency bill
would not have mustered corporars
guard to It's support. instead of receiv-
ing all the Republican and part of the
Democratic vote.
The remainder Of the accusation is
summed up In these words: ''In the
second place criticise the administra-
ton for making a cruel and causeless
war on an unoffending people. for SUBJ
verting the constitution and for the at
tempt to build up heterogeneous en-
pire on the ruins Of our independent
democratic republic" What has the
author Of It to offer In evidence? First.
that the occupation of Manila was u
criminal act and the beginning of an
unjust war; We need not argue this.
The people know what to think Ad-
miral Dewey says. the Philippine COM
missioners say, every man who knows
the circumstances says that since the
first shot was fired there has never been
moment when we could have retired
from the Philippines with honor. Had
the policy Of Mr.. Ridpath been followed.
Manila would have been made scene
of loot and massacre, we should have
had to be accountable to the civilized
world. and the Philippines would groan
today under a tyranny far heavier and
bloodier than that Of Spain.
Expansion is simply disguised i'm
perialism" is the next keynote OF this
foolish production. In this. as In al