Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-07-28
For President,
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
OF NEBRASKA.
For Vicc-President,
ADLAI E. STEVENSON
OF ILLINOIS.
AS TO A SCUTTLE POLICY.

1t was at Canton, in his speech of
acceptance, that Mr.. Mckinley utter
ed the much talked-of phrase in re-
gard to the Philippines: ."rhere must
he no scuttle policy" Being neither
apt, witty nor wise, the phrase has
failed to stigmatize or to stick Since
this country has never been a breed
er of pirates nobody wants to scut-
tie what is obviously n difficult craft
TO manage. Our own ship of State
having overhauled 1t in difficulties and
having rescued it from its enemies, the
Democrats insisted that It should be
towed into port and given an oppor-
tunity to refit, and then allowed to
proceed on It's way. Mr.. Mckinley has
insisted on putting q crew aboard with
the avowed purpose OF claiming the
whole ship for salvage. AS a result,
there has been a bloody row on deck.
So much for scuttling in the Philip
pines.
There is another side to the ques-
ton. There Is an American as we'll
as a Filipino side, and 1t is at home
that the "scuttle policy" is being given
its force and effect. 1t is not Demo-
Gratis who are scuttling, either. They
old ship shall be kept afloat In the open
sea, off the rocks and with her hal
last in the right place, which is not
on deck. Their idea of navigation is
that II is unwise to take chances of
turning turtle.
Imperialism is the "scuttle policy" 1t
is population of every essential ele-
inent Of Americanism. 1t is q confess
sion before the world that the Re-
public is a failure. that the principles
upon which 1t was founded were but
the visionary twaddle OF vaporing pol
tticians. Imperialism, as now being
practiced, means merely that the
United States has found it impossible
In the discharge of new obligations to
apply the tenets of the American creed
OF government. and has had recourse
TO the old world method OF removing
discomfort by killing off the discon-
tented. The American Republic has,
up TO this time, stood for mans right
to govern himself. Europe has stood
for mans right to govern his fellow
man. whether that fellow man liked 1t
or not.
To-day, under Mr.. Mckinley and the
Imperialists. this Republic is ranged
side by side with Russia and Ger
8 many and England, not as q mere Idle
advocate, but as an actual and bloody
practitioner of Europe's creed. We
hear OF American sovereignty as some
thing that reaches across thousands
s, Of miles of sea to work its Will upon
millions of people. without any Of the
limitations that hedge that sovereignty
in lis relations to the citizens at home.
It Stands. or has stood, here, as a guar
antee of peaceful liberty; there it
means bloody aggression. American
sovereignty now has it's COLONIES" and
Knows subjects os we'll as citizens.
1t Is here that the scuttline comes
in. The belongings of the Republic
have been shifted to the Empire, what
of them are regarded as useful. and
the sea valves of the former have been
opened. The Declaration of Independ-
cnce and tho Constitution have not
s been removed; they are now mere rub
bish and are to go with the stout old
ship, They have been replaced by des-
( tiny and aapdoodle. No acuttle policy