The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-22
ATTACKING THE PRESIDENT ON 4
NEW LINE.

AIMING PRESIDENT On n
NEW LINE.
There are some indications that the So
called anti-imperI llists are getting ready
to spring a new plan for bringing President
Mckinley into popular disfavor. Hitherto
they have labored to prove that in the ac-
QUESTION and government Of the Philip
pines he actuated by unpatriotic and
un-American motives and that he was will
fully violating the Constitution in order 10
advance his own ideas and link his name
with a new departure in American his
tory. In effect they have charged that he
was not merely a dangerous man in his
failure TO understand the true principles OF
republican government, but that he was
bed man in his willingness to pervert re-
publican principles and establish hateful
sovereignty in the Philippines without the
consent of the governed"
Such has been the anti-imperialist con-
tention for two or three years past, but
now they are changing their tune. Having
done all they could to weaken the admin
istration and misrepresent the character
and motives of the President on the line
Indicated without success. they are now
preparing TO change front. Having failed To
prevent the reelection of Mr. Mckinley
for a second term they are now getting
reaoy to advocate him for a third term on
the ground that as the character of the
government is already changed he is just
the SORT Of man tor President. The only
logical argument N favor of the re-elec-
ton of any man as President, IL it is a
debatable question, is that he has fairly
earned 1T by the excellence of two previous
administrations and that his deserts
sucn to justify an exception being made
in his favor TO the long established tradi-
ton or the subject That argument would
be az least frank and reasonable. but that
is not what the anti-i.nperialsts say. After
all their abuse of President Mckinley and
his motives and methods they would stu!-
tify themselves By admitting that he has
done so well during two terms that he de-
serves a third. They intimate that the
country has gone so far the road to
imperialism that, to be consistent, 1t ought
to 'go the whole hog and re-elect the
man who, as they aver. is the logical can
didate of the situation. In short. from
having been anti-imperialists they are pre-
pairing to come out as Mckinley third
termers. \ Boston paper foreshadows the
change of front thus:
Four years ago ours was a different form
of government from what il now is. 1t was
then a republic % States, TO which were
added Territories in preparation TO be-
come States. There was not foot of IL
included in any other category. Since then
IL has been made, in effect. republic Of
States owning provinces which stand to
ward it in the relation of dependencies.
To hesitate about agreeing 10
third term in the presidency. as doing vfo-
lence to rho national traditions OF the poo
pie. while accepting this vastly more i'm
portant change, is TO strain at small
point while accepting n large one Let At
here be roted that we are not arguing for
this change in the presidency. We are
simply looking at facts as they are, ac-
ceDting them N thcir natural relations ard
considering what may logically grow OFT
of them The Nation Is not as II was when
1t was composed only Of contiguous Terri
tories, and based on an agreement that
there should be equality between the peo-
pies that inhebit them. II extends now
seven thousand miles away into another
continent; IL is not to allow the people
there over whom il holds sovereignty rep
resentation in is home government, they
arc 20 be controlled 10y the home govern
ment as il is administered by Congress ara
by the President The President is TO be
the executive officer in this. He is 10
lect Its Governors, Its judges. It's cca1:liS-
sIoners of customs, all its more important
officials. 1t is not logical operation OF this
system. to make frequent changes ir the oc-
cupant Of an office that has suc1 extra
ordinary powers Enlightened students of
government would not have framed orr
present system of government as y l. now
i'm operation as one b. st adapted 10 WORK.
ing that feature In It's operation. They
would have said that the term OF the Presl-
den- should either have been longer or IL
should be open to greater extension.
R1ad between the lines this specious argu-
ment goes to the verge of nominating
President Mckinley for third .erm on
the ground that our form of government
has undergone such charge as TO make
him pre-eminently representative OF the
new conditions This is nothing more Lor
less than an attempt tc bring odium on
President Mckinley by connecting his
name in an apparently respectful and
friendly way with q movement which there
is no reason to believe he would countenance
for q moment, and his encouragement of
which, even remotely, would raise a storm
OF popular disapproval 1t is new scheme
of the anti-imperialists to render the Presi-
dent unpopular and distruste1 by creating
the impression that he would lerd him
self 10 such a movement They will find
the President as invulncrablc on this line
as he has proved TO be on others.