The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-05

|
the result was sgnally favorable to
| American arms. and he is only just IN
reciting the fact that in the contest he
was loyalty supported by all the people
| Of the United States We quote from the
address, as follows:
Entrusted by the people for a second time
| with the office of President, | enter upon its
| administration approaching the great response
| itites which attach to this renewed honor and
| commission. promising lnreserved devotion on
| my p2tt to their faithful discharge and revcr-
| entity invoking for my guidance the direction and
| favor OF Almighty Cod | should shrink from
| the duties this day assumed if ! did not feel
| that in their performance | should have the CO.
| operation OF the wise and patriotic of all
| parties. 1t encourages for the great task
| which | now undertake to believe that those
| Who voluntarily committed to me the trust
| imposed upon the Chief Executive OF the
Republic will give to me generous support in
| my duties to preserve. protect. and defend the
| Constitution OF the United States. and to care
| that the laws be faithfully executed. The ma
| tional purpose is indicated through national
| election. 1t is the constitutional method OF
| ascertainng the public viii. When it is
| registered IT Is a law to Us ali, and faithful
Observance should follow its DEGREES.
| Indeed. the whole people will give to
| Mr.. Mckinley the most earnest and I'M
stinted support in any efforts he is will
! ing to make in pursuance Of his plain
|
the Constitution of the United States.
May we venture to remark. however. that
| they would be best pleased, if. in future
| that duty Were not Magooned?
| Mr.. Mckinley tells us that strong
hearts and helpful hands are needed to
assist in the solution of the great ques-
tions which confront the nation. He also
observes, with something like Slittering
generality:
The American people. entrenched in free
| dom at home take their love for it with them
wherever they go, and they reject mistaken
and unworthy the doctrine that we lose own
lbcrticS ly securing the enduring foundations OF
| liberty to others. Our institutions will not de-
| tcIiorate by extension, and sense OF justice
| viii not abate under tropic in distant
! seas
| We may commend the foregoing as
neatly turned Mckinley period. without
| asserting that il means muci il i.nythirE E.
Our institutions may indeed be extended
all over the world, but the old Ameri-
can sort of citizen will have difficulty in
understan ding how they are toebe spread,
except under the Constitution of which
! they are the creatures. but which basic
/ law is completely Ignored in this appeal
to strong hearts and helpful hands, if
| the future policy and conduct OF the Ad-
mfnistration are to be governed by the
! influences and motives that have dom
mated it in the past.
The Presidents reference to the Cuban
question does not satisfy our eApecta-
lions. 1t reeks with sentiment, and, we
regret to say, is platitudinous. 1t does
not reflect the real and notorious irten-
ton of the United States Government,
backed by the universal sentiment of the
country, TO establish A suzerainty or
protectorate over Cuba. Why cannot
great periodical utterances like an In
augural Address be teXtually honest, once
in a way?
The address expresses regret that
while the Treaty of Peace with Spain
was ratified on the sixth of February,
1893 and Publications were exchanged
nearly two wears ago. the Congress has
indicated form of government for the
Philippine Islands. 1t is to be feared
that there is an unconscious verbal in
accuracy in this statement Congress. to
our knowledge. has never been invited, in
any timely way, to enact any iegis-
lation for the Philippines, except 10 sur
render it's law-malling power over the
subject to the President. Except in limit
ing his authority to sell or give away any
thing and everything of value. it has made
MIN the lFTtSuOISlDle ohe'eiHN "a Ni'N
archipelago and in doing, has done
exactly what, and only what, he has
asked
our countrymen should not be de-
ceived," says Mr. Mckinley. We are not
wagine war against the inhabitants of
the Philippine Islands. This is true
enough, and also so trite that it hardly
need be said What it might have bsen
we'll for the President to remember and
to say was that, while We are not will
ipgly waging war on anybody, others are
waging relentless war on US as a people.
Ii is tantamount to engaging in hostl-
tiles against the taxpayers of the coun-
try when the Sugar Trust is able to
force Mr. Mckinley into declaring tariff
war on Russia: when the Asphalt Trust
is powerful enough to make him threaten
war on Venezuela, and when the Standard
Oil Company can dominate and desolate
his policy and course in China.
For the moment this is all We care to
say in a hasty review of the Inaugural
Address For the brevity of the pro-
nouncement, we have to thank one who,
usually. is the most voluminous and en-
cvcIopedic writer of the generation. For
its matter we have only to pray God to
give the author a more real and lively
appreciation of, and regard for, the Con-
stitution and the liberties of the coun-
try. then the record of his first Admins
tration leads us to believe he possesses
at this present.