Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-08-07

idea. He set forth some months ago.
what I think ought to be done That is,
we nallst do with the Philippines precisely
as we have done with the Spanish-Ameri-
can Republics This country cannot have
colonies or dependencies. Oar whole ma
chinery of government1issop opposed 10 such
policy.
1--WE have no civil service to attend to
such work Civil service has as yet no
hold upon us. There are very few people
in the country who are actually In ear
nest in wanting civil service reform. And.
then. to think that in acquiring distant
possessions We will improve our civil SER
vice is folly. Every Congressman now
wants his share Of the spotls, and 1t is
within our memory when President Nc
kinley struck five thousand positions out
of our civil service list.
There is one radical defect ir the gov
eminent of this republic, and now that
the question of Imperialism is before US
1t comes with double force. | refer TO the
system of electing the Chief Executive OF
the nation every four years. Some day
we are going to run into ditch. 1t is
against human nature.
Some months before the Philippine
war began / read paper before college
association on the subject of Imperialism.
pointed out that we We're entirely unfit
ted for the policy of foreign conquest and
annexation. and one of the chief reasons
advanced in support of my argument
was our practice of electing a President
every four years.
II said the practice made every man in
the government a possible rival of the
President at the election. / went on to
state that every time we atGenl 2tGd a for
elgn war the President in power would
not give the ablest general the best COM
missions for fear OF the general being a
political rival.
II offered this paper to the Atlantic
Monthly for publication, but they de-
clined. saying it would offend the masses
and ALLEVIATE the masses from the think
ing classes. Everything ] said was veri-
fled later. l do wish, however. to impress
upon my countryment the perfect absurd
ity of electing a President every four
years.
Here we are, a nation of one hundred
million people who have country that
has every kind of climatic and soil with
diversified industries, turning the whole
government upside down every four years
to elect a President.
I would like to see President elected
to hold office for ten years and be in
eligible for reelection"
Have you given any attention to the
trouble in Gilman"
Yes, have given some thought to the
Chinese difficulty. 1t seems to me that
the United States should withdraw and
leave the settlement of the matter to the
Russions, Germans and Japanese, who
seem TO be actuated by a deep seated spir-
1t of revenge. You know that erratic
monarch of Germany is the Teddy
Roosevelt of Europe
Il may also say here parenthetically,
that war in China and the second-class
p'Silloil WHICH England is taxing among
the Powers fighting the Chinese make the
British people regret more than ever that
they went to war in South Africa Joe
Chamberlain has gone beyond his depth
returning to the main issue. I would
say further that our interference in China
SaVorS very much of electiOneering We
have no business there outside of getting
votes for Mckinley
There is good deal of wisdom and
common sense in these remarks by
Mr.. Godkin, and in the main his con-
clusions will be we'll received by the
American people. McKinleyism is I'M
American, un-Republican and gener-
ally unconstitutional. 1t trends in the
wrong direction. 1t leads away from
the people. 1t tends to something else
than republican form of government.
1t is embroiling us in trouble, in debt,
in blood-shed and in high taxation. 1t
is not what the people want, what
they need, or which is best suited to
their peaceful prosperity. There must
be change this year, else the repub-
lie, already imperiled, will speedily be
involved in far greater danger. The
people must act; they recognize the
danger, and can be appended upon.