The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-08-17
AWKWARD QUESTIONS.

The street corner orator who endeav-
ors to uphold the cause of the democracy
this fall is in for trying time of it.
Ordinarily the amateur spellbinder who
holds informal sessions on the public
highway has things pretty much his
own way. The fellows who enjoy
listening without caring very much
what they are hearing gather round
and lend their ears without expecting
to get much interest on the investment.
Those who agree with the speaker give
him hand occasionally, and those who
dissent do not care to enter into joint
debate with the man who has the floor.
The only opposition which the street
corner expounder of Kansas CITY doc
trine has to fear is that which comes
from the inconsiderate individual who
asks awkward questions The chances
are that he will be unusual numerous
during the coming campaign and that
his queries will be particular awkward
of answer
Assume case. The anti-imperialist
has the floor and he spouts: THE
greatest blunder of modern times was
perpetrated when the United States at
tempted to acquire and govern the
Philippines. We had no mission in the
fa1 Pacific but to strike at the power of
Spain. Having destroyed the Spanish
squadron in Manila bay Dewey had
done his duty. The Filipinos had been
struggling for independence for years.
They had intelligent leaders, like Agui-
naldo, fully capable of governing the
archipelago independently. Why
should not Dewey have sailed away,
and left the Filipinos to work out their
own salvation, OF better yet, why should
not Dewey have aided Aguinaldo in es.
tablishing an independent government,
thereby shifting the white mans bur
den, now placed on our shoulders" 1t
sounds plausible until there comes the
still small voice of the man of the awk-
ward questions softly inquiring, IF
that be true, why did William Jennings
Bryan insist upon ratifying the peace
treaty which placed the Philippines alb.
solutely in our hands?' If the orator
succeeds in giving an effective answer
to this question he will have done bet
ter than Mr.. Bryan himself did at Indi.
annapolis, but the chances are that he
will have very little time to devote tc
the discussion of any other question al
that session.
Assume another case The anti-im.
perialist has the floor and is arguing
that the constitution must follow the
flag. He says: This government is a
republic, not an empire. We can ex.
tend to no class of our citizens priv.
leges not extended to all. We want nc
subjects incapable of fulfilling every
function OF free citizenship as defined
by the constitution, ct cetera, ad lib
All OF which sounds well until some
mean mischief maker inquiries: How
about North Carolina?" If the sneaker
gives an adequate answer to the query
consistent with his previous declara
tons, it's dollars to doughnuts that he
will have no time to devote to the
trusts.
But give the anti trust advocate the
floor. He tells of the unhagging oppo
sition of the democratic party to the
trusts. lie points to the Kansas City
platform to illustrate what his part,
will do with the iniquitous octopus, il
only it is given a chance He insists
that the democratic party is the
only party which can be trusted te
legislate against the trusts. He is max
ing pretty good case until somebody
asks, why did nine out of every ter
democrats in the lower house of con