The age-herald., 1900-03-25
CLARK HOWELL WRITES
 OF PHILIPPINE QUESTION
Editor of the Atlanta Constitution Ex- presses Some Pertinent Views on the Subject in an Article
 in Harper's Weekly.
BY CLARK HOWELL.

campaign of 1900 Is fairly under way.
 This campaign Is, in many respects, un- usual in it's presentation of new issue. Re- gardless of former campaigns and of old issues, the two great parties face each other in battle-array on lines which have developed since the last national campaign. This condition is the result of the Spanish American war, and no human being could have predicted four years ago. with ade- quate reason for so doing, that between the last and this campaign entirely new issues would arise, on which the campaign Of thls year would be fought.
 The dominating issue of the campaign or 'S4 which first made Mir. Cleveland presl- dent, was the tariff The campaign of SS covered substantially the same grounds, with different results, the pendulum swing ing from tariff reform, pledged, but unre- deemed, to a protective tarin The money question was injected into the next cam paign, successfully challenging the tar1n for supremacy, and resulting, four years later, in a cleavage in both the democratic and republican parties. The history of that cam paign is fresh in the minds of the people. Whatever may be said of the democratic contention, of the republican position dur ing that campaign, there can be no doupt that the action of the republican congress
  time, and time longer than the life or the administration which will be created by the elections of this year.
 The money question becomes of secondary importance fin this campaign, because other questions have thrust themselves more acutely before the public mind, and be- cause of the realization of the fact that the triumph of the gold standard, as much as it may be approved or condemned, cannot be overthrown by anything that can be ac- complished as the result of the campaign of this year.
 Irnouestionably the leading feature of this campaign win be the contention over the control and disposition of the territory which has been brought under the dominion of the Stars and Stripes as the result or the Spanish American war. The money question will figure incidentally, the Dem ocrats reaffirming their platform Of lsso, and the republicans defending the action Of their administration in the adoption Of the gold standard; but the voter will cast ms ballot with the knowledge that whatever may be his conviction for or against the gold standard, the result of the election cannot alter the status created by this ad- ministration, at least before the people have had opportunity to go to the ballot-box in another national election.
 Democrats who have differed with their party on this issue are therefore returning to the fold. and joining the majority of
  which there is less room for divergent op1n- ion. So it may be said that many of the republican minority, who left their party on account of its attitude on the currency question, will renew their affiliatlon with it this year. On the other hand, there are some democrats and some republicans who, while acting with their respective organ iZations four yea-s ago. may be found in other association in this campaign, as the result of the realignment growing out or the question of expansion-or, as termed by some, imperialism.
 There are two controlling lines or thought in the consideration of the paramount is- sue of this campaign: one is formed around the purpose to hold and administer the af- fairs in the Philippines and Porto Rico as an integral, everlasting part of our govern ment; the other is based upon the theory that the transpacifc islands which have been providentially brought under the au- thority of our flag should be held only as trust and that their government should be administered with the view of securing the ultimate independence of their people.
 One policy would put the world on mo- tice that the Philippines are ours. to have and to hold forever, regardless of cost or consequences-the other would extend the same guarantee of ultimate independence that has been accorded the Cubans, but 1t would condition such guarantee upon the complete and peaceable acquiescence by the Filipfnos in the authority of the American flag and the supremacy of American juris- diction. As the result of developments of the past year. one factor in this discussion has been practically eliminated-that which favored the immediate withdrawal of our troops from the Philippines, and which boldly an- nounced that American soldiers were there as interlopers and conquerors, and that they would get their just deserts if they were driven into the sea. This element, with f, and rRrffh rn r11- iflcations extending with spasmodic breaks from there to the United States senate and elsewhere, was particularly noisy al first, and while not less vociferous now, 1t is in- fnitely less harmless. It is a non-p partisan aggregation made up of republicans and democrats, and it would be unjust to it to withhold the full credit to which it is en- titled for having been the chief source of inspiration to Aguinaldo and his insurrec- tion. The answer of the American people regardless of their opinion as to what should become ultimately of the Philippines was firm and emphatic. They declared that the flag must be upheld; that the insurrec- tion against American authority in the Philippines must be quelled; that the &C., quiescence of the natives to American con- trol must be secured; and that the strong right arm of Uncle Sam would be backed with all the men and all the money neces- sary to bring about this condition.
 While partisans have differed, do differ, and will continue to differ as to the policy that should be adopted concerning the fu- ture of the Philippines, it is worthy of note that the representatives of all parties in congress have periodically rallied to the support of the government in meeting pres ent conditions in the Philippines, and the world has been put on notice that Ameri- can manhood could be depended upon to protect and defend the flag wherever 1t may float.
 There was at one time disposition in some quarters-and 1t cannot be said to have disappeared now-to misconstrue and misrepresent the purpose of those demo- orats who, yielding to none in devotion to the flag, nor in the ardor of its defense when attacked, would say to the people of the Philippines that they should live in hope of a government of their own that when, in Gods appointed time, they are capable of meeting the demands of civ ilization and of administering a republican form of government. with justice to their own people and 10 the vast interests iden- tificd with the islands. they should be given