Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-09-29
commission anu omission are alike
conspicuous and striking.

publicity to the false assumption that
the Register has fundamentally and
viciously" attacked him, and to make
this good he attributes to this paper a
series of epithets not used by us. On
the contrary we have said, and do not
mind resaying, that there is not and
has not been anything personal in the
pending controversy upon our part; on
the contrary, the Register has hereto
fore said as much in these columns.
Major Norton is, therefore, unfair IN
his palpable effort to arouse sympathy
upon that score.
After reviewing with some detail
history of the controversy invited and
instigated by Major Norton himself, in
the course of which he says that
mo doubt many good people deeply
regret that we are compelled to use
force in maintaining our lawful and
constitutional rights to exercise sover-
eighty over the territory coded TO us by
Spain, and OF which we are now IN
actual possession, he comedies the
right of such to express their opposi-
ton to war, and the right to vote in
obedience to the dictates of conscience,
but he spoils this, for him, liberal and
wholly proper proposition by declar-
ing that;
ANY citizen, or any political organtza-
ton entering into correspondence with the
representatives of a government or people
with whom we are at war, and consplres
with them to attack our military forces
with the intent to prolong hostilitles or
encompass cur defeat, such person or
persons are not only the enemy Of their
country, but if l understand the mean
ing of the word they are guilty of trea-
SON
That is to say, citizen Of this coun-
try may hold conscientious views
''witha government or people with whom
we are at war;" land we wish to here
remind Major Norton the administra-
ton contends there is NOT A STATE
OF WAX IN THE PHILIPPINES but
to give them effective expression, either
orally or in a written document ad-
dressed to any one or more individuals
OF nation foolish enough to feel that
they have an inherent right to
liberty and the management OF their
affairs in their own way, makes the
speaker or writer guilty OF treason
as Major Norton understands the
meaning of the word.
Well that depends. If, during the
late war with Spain, for instance, cit
liens of the United States, after the
declaration Of hostilities, had given aid,
comfort, information or advice to the
Spanish government, or their armies
in the field, or to their war ships at
sea, that would undoubtedly have been
treason. But the Filipino case is not
upon all tours with such a state of af-
fairs. and in the absence of proof by
Major Norton of such acts-and he has
SO far failed to produce his evidence,
combining himself to mere assertion
the question at the very least is open
to amicable debate.
Proceeding, the Major quotes the full
text of his letter to the editor OF the
Register, and complains that this paper
did not answer his interrogatory. We
did not, and fully explained why, 1t
not being our purpose to allow the
Major to shift his ground. We have
awaited the Majors justification OF
his assertion that individuals and or
CARNATIONS were in correspondence
with rebels" against our government
with some patience, but as yet it has
not come to hand nor seen the light
of day elsewhere. He has not even
defined the word rebel and as an aid
we would cite him to a letter written
by one George F. Hoar, Senator from
Massachusetts,, to Senator Depew in
the Chicago Times-tIerald, in May,
1898, to sundry public documents OF
record in the department at Washing
ton. notably reports from General Otis
and Admiral Dewey, and finally and
particularly to a decision by the SUI
preme Court of the United States, in
10 Howard, 393-447.
In closing his long epistle to the In
telligencer Major Norton disclaims
political motive, and in the same breath
and paragraph, unmasks his position
by launching upon a violent arraign-
ment of the Democratic party and the
glorifcation Of the organization with
which he affiliates and which is at pres
eat endeavoring to ''perpetuate' the
rule of William Mckinley and all that
such rule implies and stands for. The
Majors purpose was perfectly appar-
ent from the outset, but it was reserv-
ed for him to shatter any lingering
doubt as to his motive. He has come
out hat-footed as public champion
of the administration, and has shown
his willingness to use any and every
means TO the end in view, even to
the death of a gallant soldier as a
peg. to be willing to sniff his ground,
to refuse to justify assertions, and to
characterize either many or few