Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-04-23
wArrERsoN BACKsLIDING.

Henry Watterson and his Courier-Jour-
nal have been getting further away
from true Democracy and closer to tie
Imperialism of the Republican party
until now we find the man who once
was proud to uphold the Star-Eyed
Goddess Of Reform actually excusing
and upholding the sins of McKinleyism
ana Hannaism. In controversy with
Mr.. Bryan Editor Watterson actually
defends the Imperialism of the Republic
can party. adopting the excuse or
manifest destiny" and declaring the
Republicans are merely trying to adapt
themselves to conditions. And these
conditions were not of their own max
ing"
II is we'll that Editor Watterson
should come out in his true colors be-
fore we embark on another national
campaign, so that the Democracy will
know definitely where to place him.
In going over to the grand old party
of false pretenses, Mr.. Watterson goes
the whole hog" and even adopts the
sanctimony of the Republican leaders
and lays the blame on Almighty God
for an inexcusable war, as costly, cruel
and bloody as it was needless, that
could have been stopped at the out
set had the administration at Washing
ton acted less arrogantly toward the
Filipinos and given them at the start
the assurances we have seen fit to give
them only at the end
Listen to Mr.. Watterson quoting the
Republican doctrine of Providence:
God moves in a mysterious way His
wonders to perform. He made the Spanish
war He was not less behind Dewey in
Manila than He was behind Shafter and
Sampson and Schley at Santiago What
was His all-wise purpose? We know not.
But there we were and there we are; and
nothing is surer In the future than that we
shall be there a century hence unless
some Power turns up strong enough to
drive us out. Instead, therefore, of dis
Illustrated by the rights and wrongs of the
Philippines Mr.. Bryan were more profit
ably engaged in considering how we may
best administer possessions. which. for
good or for evil, are with us to stay"
To this Mr.. Bryan cleverly and for
chilly responds in the Commoner:
1t will be noticed that he adopts the Re-
publican theory that God is responsible for
what we have done that 1t is a matter OF
destiny and that we are being swept
along by influences over which We have
no control.
The doctrine enunciated by the Repub-
licans since the Spanish war, and now en-
dorsed by so great an editor as Mr.. Wat
terson, is not only dangerous, but it is
immoral. 1t is politically dangerous be-
cause it encourages the Republican party
to shirk responsibility for it's sins and
shield itself behind the pretense that it is
working out the will of the Almighty; and
it is immoral because it obliterates the
distinction between right and wrong. The
Republican argument is built upon the
theory that wrong done upon large scale
loses its evil character and becomes an
integral part of Gods plan. 1t is in keep
ing with the tendency to call an embezzler
a Napoleon of finance, provided the
amount embezzled is large.
Mr.. Watterson has not in the past been
in the habit of defending his position with
the philosophy which he now employs. In
former years he was known as the special
champion of 1.-The Star-Eyed Goddess of
Reform" When the Democratic party
went down to defeat, as it often did, he
did not say: God moves in a. mysterious
way His wonders to perform. He made
protection and the Republican party, and,
therefore we must bow to BOTH" On the
contrary, he raised the Democratic banner
aloft and appealed time and again to the
intelligence of the American people.
Neither has he been in the habit of ex-
cusing the crimes of individuals by at
tributing them to divine inspiration. When
Gov Goebel was assassinated Mr.. Waiter
son did not say: God moves in a mys-
FERROUS way His wonders to perform; He
prompted the assassin to kill! We cannot
understand His all-wise purpose, but there
we were. and here We are, and there is
nothing to be done about it,
Instead, he insisted that a murder had
been committed and that the guilty should
De Drought 10 JUSTICE.
When the Louisville & Nashville railroad
entered the arena of politics, and began
its work of corruption and intimidation,
Mr.. watterson did not say: God moves
in a mysterious way His wonders to per-
form. This railroad company has sprung
into existence and must be carrying out
the purposes of an all-wise Ruler
Far from it, He insisted that the rail-
road should keep out of politics and at
tend to the business for which it was or
ganized.
There is no more reason for throwing
upon the Almighty the responsibility for
war of conquest. and for an imperial
policy which burdens our nation with
large army and suppresses the aspirations
of distant peoples for elf-Sovernment,
than there is to blame Him because one
individual chooses to kill another, or be-
cause a great corporation attempts to con-
troll State government.
In claiming that the victory of the
Republican party at the last election
was an endorsement by the people of
Imperialism, Mr.. Watterson overlooks
the fact that every Republican speaker
and organ from the President down spe-
officially and constantly denied that the
Republican party harbored imperial de-
signs 0r that imnerialism was the is