The Portland daily press., 1900-08-27
BRYAA'S INCONSISTENCY.
His Two Attitudes on
Filipino Question.
A Strong Letter by Ex-Minister
Denby on Subject.
Declares He Shall Sup
port Mckinley.


Chicago. August 26.-Charles DENLY OF
Indiana, ex-United States minister to
China, and member of the first com p
mission to the Philippines lifelong
Democrat-has written letter urging
the recollection of President Mckinley.
IL is entitled "Bryan's attitude towards
the Philippines" and is made public
by the Republican national committee.
The letter Is in part, as followss
IN his speech OF April II, 1900. in the
Senate Mr. Hoar said that he could not
forget that Mr. Bryan, unless he Is
much mlsrepresented, used all his power
and influence with those Of his friends
who are ready to listen to his counseIs,
to secure the ratification Of the treaty, .
meaning the Paris treaty. There were
II Democratic Senators who voted for
the ratification. The treaty was rati-
iied by one vote.
Mr.. Bryan has squarely assumed the
responsibility OF the ratification.
We had taken Manila on August 19,
1898. In December, 1893, Spain had
made treaty Getting the islands to the
United States. We had occupied them
until February 8. 1899. On that day
Auginaloo made war on US. Our sold
iers had 70 fight for their lives. The
treaty was ratified on February 2, 1899
Mr. Bryan advised his friends IN the
Senate to vote to ratify the treaty after
the battle OF February 5th had been
fought. He nkew that war had begun.
lie might readily have foreseen what
complications might possibly occur out
OF the existing conditions Then was
the time to have talked about the s'con-
sent Of the eoverned,'' and not now,
when every speech he makes adds ten
names to the roll Of our dead and 100 to
| the Filipino dead.
Mr. Bryan having the undoubted pow
er to prevent the ratification of the
treaty, actually, by his own confession,
advised its ratification. Neither in law
nor IN morals can he be permitted now
to secure political advantages from de-
nounoing a course Of conduct which he
himself advised.
Mr. Bryan gives as his reasons for ad-
vising ratification that he Thought 1t
safer TO trust the American people 20
give independence to the Philippines
than to trust the accomplishment of that
purpose to diplomacy with an unfriend-
IL nation"
This puts Mr.. Bryan in the attitude of
desiring independence for the Philip
pines very ardentIy. Why should he
become so suddenly imbued with antago.
nism to the Democratic principle of ex-
panslon as exemDli1ied by all Democratic
statesmen from jefferson to Voorhees9
II he could stand for the annexation of
Hawaii, why balk at the acquisition of
the Philippines?
Mr.. Bryan's own explanation is as fol-
lows;
'I believe that we are now in better
position to wage a successful contest
against imperialism than We would
have been had the treaty been rejected. =
Here then, we have the real cause for
this strange parody of JekyI and Hyde.
He wanted to create the bogy of tim
perialism" in order that he might fight
and overcome the monster. If Mr.. Bryan
had opposed the ratification of the treaty,
the Tnipinos would have gone their way,
either into the arms of Spain or of Ger
many, or into discordant. warning and
petty states At all events we would
have been done with them. This would
not have suited at all because Mr.. Bry
an wanted to wage "a successful contest
against imperialism. And so imperi
alism was born and it's actual father was
William Jennings Bryan. He Is now
endeavoring to destroy his own child.
Let it be remembers that this extra
ordinary dread of 'imperiallstic rule
comes from gentleman who has accept
ed the nominational of the fusion, Popu
list or peoples party. The populist plat
form demands that "the country should
own ana operate the railroads in the
interest of the people," Is not that Inn
perialisms
Mr.. DENLY then reviews the work of
the first Philippine commission, which
was appointed in January l, 1899 and con-
tinues:
"Another commission was sent to es-
tabIish civil government for the Phil
ippines. 1t is now at Manila, and the
government it has framed will be put In
operation the first of September, 1900
1t is not fair ana right to ask that 1t
be tested in practice before it is con-
demned.
''It is believed by the insurgents that
Bryan's election VIII ensure their in
dependence and they are encouraged to
hold out.
The Success of the Democratic party