The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-22
EDITOR HOwELL'S POSITION
tFrom tho Atlanta constitution.l

nit that they mean the principles and
doctrines set forth IN the democratic plat
form adopted at Chicago. In other words.
they profess TO be democrats. but conceal
their opposition to democratic principles
behind the vague and unmeaning term OF
"Bryanism." FOR II Organism is not
democracy, II is nothing. The only thing
that gives Mr.. Bryan prominence In the
democratic party is his devotion to DEM
ocrstic principles and his ability to eS-
plain and defend them.
The Charleston News and Courier and
| tho New Orleans states, both antag-
onists OF Mr.. Bryan, are now engaged
/ in wonderful effort to show that tho e1l-
| tor OF the Constitution has made an attack
on Organism In his Buffalo address. Con
doencs and sympathy ooze from all their
pores at once.
The trouble with these snti-democratie
newspapers is that they have been trying
their hardest to place Mr.. Bryan in a po-
sltion which he has never occupied
They have interpreted what he has said
on the Philippine question as desire to
surrender to the Togalos, and 10 betrsy
and desert the responsibilities and obllga-
tions placed on the shoulders OF the United
states by the fortunes Of war. II these
opponents of democracy could have their
| way they would show that Mr.. Bryan 10
| a traitor to the flag and that he ignores
a situation that is plain and clear TO every
| thinking man In the United states. They
| will do anything TO belittle the demo-
cratic leader and bring him into contempt.
This is their aim. this is their object.
and when they pounce upon speech de-
llvered by the editor Of the Constitution,
and skim II over, and find In 1t sentences
and phrases which they think they can
misinterpret or discover paragraphs which
they imagine they can wrest to their own
| purposes they Immediately raise their
! hands IN horror, and ask how can such
| things be. Then under pretense OF de-
| tending Mr. Bryan, they proceed TO show
that his frmest friends and most ardent
supporters are falling away from him.
~
We present an editorial from the AL
bany Herald. whose editor very clearly
perceives the motives which have induced
these papers to place the editor Of the
Constitution IN apparent antagonism with
Mr.. Bryan. The Herald says:
| The speech OF Editor Clark Howell at Buff
| falo is still the subject Of discussion In the
! newspapers, which Is nothing more than Is 20
BIO expected. Such speech on such an &c
| casion from man In Mr.. Howells position
must naturally become subject for comment,
| But we have been surprised at the manner
| In which some Of Southern newspapers
have criticised MIR. Howell for his utterances
on the question Of expansion with special
reference to the Philippines and the general
| subject OF imperialism, The Charleston News
and Courier and tho New orleans States, for
instance, refer to him as not only rampant
exp1nsonst but an imperialist as well. The
NANe nV1A In he fNF 4. H.
toriai criticism Of tho Buffalo speech, says
| at has not been so many days ago that this
faine Clark Howell spoke on the same rostrum
with William j. Bryan, and then his voice
was tuned against Imperialism, which ho rs
now nursing warmly to his boson.
II is clear that the editor of the States has
he has misnterpreted 1t. A fair and intclll-
gent Interpretation of the speech, taken IN
connection and as q whole. will certainly
viudlcata Mr.. Howell OF the charge OF being
either an eSpansionist or an imperialist. He
left no room Tor doubling that he was loyal TO
his country as d true American and that
his sympathies were with those Of our coun-
trymen who are carrying the flag IN the cam
paign to put down the insurgents and restore
order In the Philippines; and Ia discussing
the subject Of expansion he merely accepted
expansion, 70 far as the Philippines are con
cerned. as fact We have already explained
and Mr. Howell discussed the from q purely
business standpoint and argued that we should
avail ourselves OF the opportunity TO extend
our oriental trade, and that 1t would be Of
inealculnhle benefit 60 the cotton planters and
manufacturers Of the South There Is no i'm
ptralism In this. nor Is there anything In
Mr.. Hcwcl's speech to warrant the sugges-
ton (Which, we mote, comes from goldhug
organs only, that Mr. Howell lis not good
democrat and as loyal supporter OF Mr.
Bryan. the acknowledged leader and logical
candidate Of the democratic party for the
presidency, as he has ever been.
The rostrum referred to by the New
Orleans states was that which Mr.. Bryan
and Mr. Howell spoke from at Barnesville,
on the 4th OF last July. when the latter
introduced the former. Here Is the pith
Of what Mr. Bryan said on the Philip
, pine question:
You ash me what We can do. Ny friends,
1t is easy TO know what to do When this
question came up we promised the people
OF Cuba their Independence, and because we
did II there is peace there today and they
are helping us TO organize stable govern
ment We could have promised to the Philip
pines the same thing that We promised to the
people OF Cuba; and the Bacon resolution en-
bodying the very thing that we promised to
the Cuhans came so near passing that it re-
puired the vote OF the vice president TO de-
II tho people Of the Philippines had been
assured that We were coming. not To deprive
then, OF their Independence. but to help them
10 form a government of their own I believe
there would no no trouble there now.
II tho same message that gave TO the Cuhans
the people al the Philippines that assurance,
not drop Of blood 81 our soldiers would have
= been shed. ,ApplauscD senator Racon's rcso-
utlon Was introduced before hostilities began,
ani had il been passed and tho president
adopted this policy. | believe our volunteer
soldiers would have heen nj home now with
Out the necessity 81 sending regulars to take
their places.
~
In introducing MIR. Bryan, Mr., Howell
said, in part, In referring to the Philip
pines.
Three courses arc open 10 NJ. First, 70
null down our Gag, withdraw our arms and
leave tho people and the property which
Providence nut at least in our temporary
keeping TO the wreck OF revolution aud the
damnRtlon Of anarchy. Second. TO declare Il
20 he our hxed purpose to forever hold the
Philippines as an integral part OF our govern
? mcnt, maintaining the supremacy OF our hag
by the force OF arms until the end OF timv.
Third and best, TO extend 20 tho people Of the
Philippines the assurance We gave 10 the peo~
pie 81 Cuba, plodgiug our National faith that
when they are able 10 maintain their own
, inGs pendence, they shall have II, and that 10
, the meantime the protesting arm Of the
mother o. republics shall he eXerted In he.
II halt Of tho establishment OF stable gov
erament IN the Philippines.
5 II will be observed that Mr.. Bryan was