Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-19
What Is Going On in the Political
Arena of the Nations
Capital.
DEMOCRATS ON ALERT FOR THE PEOPLE
Condition of Affairs I'm the Philip
pines-HOuse Democrats Express
sympathy for the BOers-Mckin-
ley's Worries and Other Matters
of Interest.

| making strong appears tOr REINFORCE
ments. They declare that their
troops are exhausted by constant
| fighting, the present force is made
quate to garrison the towns and the
insurgents are cropping up all over
Luzon and fighting with great vigor
and effectiveness.
1t will be remember that Gen.
Otis claimed at the beginning of the
| trouble that he could subdue the ''in-
surrection" with 10000 troops. Last
! fall he was given more than 10000,
and yet the situation is practically
| the same as it was year ago-eXcept
| that hundreds of American soldiers
have sacrificed their lives and hun
dreds of others have lost their health
i in the trying climate of the Philip
pines.
! Gen. Otis, on the eve of his return
! from the islands, admits that "a large
! body of troops must be kept in the is
! lands indefinitely" If Luzon gives SO
much trouble it may be imagined that
| it will take a mighty army to subdue
/ the rest of the Philippines.
The news of the massacre of II Fill
pIAlO pi iSClIClS W ~AIASAiN"h SoANtiNA -
also comes as one of the unpleasant
! things about the administration pol
| icy" which might bear investigation.
There have been hints from the war
department for some time that it was
considering the advisa bility of label
ing the Filipinos bandits" and shoot
ing them down wherever found. While
this report of a massacre comes from
unofficial sources, it causes an I'M
pleasant suspicion that things are
happening in the islands which need
investigating.
This unpleasant news comes from
the Philippines Just when the Spooner
! bill is before the senate, providing
that absolute control of the Philip
pines be vested in the administration
until congress sees fit to take action
| in the matter.
1t is proba BILE that the republican
majority will push the bill through
both houses. The democratic minor
ity can only register its protest and
leave the country to decide whether
it desires to perpetuate militarism and
imperialism in the Philippines. The
democratic view is that the islands
could have been pacifed long ago
if the administration had been will
ing to grant them government
and protection from outside inter-
ference Senator Jones. of Arkansas,
remarked recently on this point: ''The
Filipinos might not evolve a govern
ment as good as ours. but they would
manage one that would be sufficient
for their own needs and their own
state of civilization, and that is all
that is necessary"
The administration policy of sub
jugation has not been in any degree
successful, and yet the country is to
be asked to send more troops and sup
ply money indefinitely for this war
of conquest.
Sympathy for Beers.
The house democrats are ready to
express their sympathy for the Beers.
Representative Richardson, the house
democratic leader, has introduced a
resolution declaring that the house
"views with deep interest the heroic
struggle of the republics of South At
RIGA to maintain their independence
and hereby tenders them our most
profound sympathy in their unequal
but gallant struggle"
Judging from the number of repub-
lican congressman who attended the
mass meeting in Washington recently
at which Webster Davis told his ex-
periences in South Africa, there are
republican members who do feel SYM
pathy for the unequal struggle that
is going on in South Africa.
Webster Davis Views.
The Webster Davis Beer mass meet
ing was one of the most remarkable
public meetings ever held in Washing
ton. The Grand opera house, accom-
modating 1000 people, was packed to
the doors long before the time appoint
ed for the meeting. Hundreds were
turned away unable to gain admission.
Mr.. Davis had just resigned as as
sistant secretary of the interior in or
der to be free to tell what he had seen
and heard among the Beers.
He struck the keynote of the whole
trouble when he said: IF gold had
not been discovered in the Transvaal
the British would not be fighting to
conquer the Beers to-day"
Mr.. Davis gave graphic tales of the
heroism and courage and uprightness
of the Beers and contrasted with those
qualities the brutality and laundering
of the British.
All shades of political opinion were
represented at this mass meeting, but
there seemed to be no division of senti-
ment when it came to expressing ap-
proval of the courage and patriotism
of the Beers. Mr.. Davis carefully re-
Trained from making any direct criti-
cism of the administration pro-Brit-
ish attitude, but his eloquent plea for
American sympathy for the Beers was
even more forcible than direct ar
raignment of the administration.
McNinIey's Worries.
The republicans are now hurrying to |
get through all necessary legislation |
and force an adjournment as early as |
June 1. President Mckinley has all |
sorts of worries on hand-the greatest |
one being the doubt of his renomina- |
ton, and he has privately assured some
Of his followers that he would be glad |
to have congress off his hands as soon |
as possible.
Dewey's candidacy.
Admiral Dewey's announcement OF |
his presidential aspirations has ceased |
to interest Washington. It's only eff
feet on the democrats was to emphasize
their loyalty TO Bryan. The admins