Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-03-13

at his suggestion and practically under
his direction. series of conditions has
been drawn up and has been passed by
Congress which mnst be met by Cuba be-
fore that island obtains its freedom.
These conditions, dictated by the Pres
ident, retain in the United States a wise
supervision over the affairs Of Cuba. to
be exercised only 80 far as becomes nee
essary for the protection of life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness in the ISL
and and for the protection of the infant
republic itself from the rapacity of old
and INSCRIPTIONS empires
The conditions imposed by Congress at
the suggestion Of the President permit
the American eagle to hover over the ISL
and almost in perpetuity, guarding it
against outside foes and protecting it
against itself. No European warship viii
seize the custom houses of Cuba and no
impecunieas Cuban patriots will loot the
rich merchants of Havana. The capital
of the island will not be permitted to be-
come breeding place for pestilence and
the navy of the United States will find a
home for years to come in Cuban waters.
Now, too. comes a strong, manly and
honest civil policy for the Philippine
Islands. Those far away lands, inhabit-
ed by scores of different tribes and sep
arated from each other by great bodies
of water and from this country by 10000
miles of ocean, necessarily demand civil
institutions adapted to the place and the
people.
The Taft commission already has begun
the work of civilizing the Eilipinos, ac-
cording to the American standards. and
William Mckinney expects to organize a
civil government which will be so elastic
as to adjust itself readily to the needs
of the islands, 50 strong as to command
their respect, and so essentially free as
to command their love.
New Army Authorized.
Likewise at the ci ,se of his first admin
istration two great problems were met
and solved without any disturbance to
the body polite. Tie special taxes for
the conduct of the war have been cut
down, so that those which were particu
larly burdensome, more especially all
those which were borne by the common
or poorer people, have been completely
repealed. The war revenue act has left
in it only such taxes as might well apply
to the internal revenue system in the
most piping times of peace.
Then, too, regular army of 100000
men, four times as large as that which
was permitted at the beginning of his
administration, has been put into the
hands of William Mckinley. To this man
without backbone. as they said four years
ago, the American people, through their
Congress, have granted the wonderful
discretion involved in deciding of his own
volition whether the army shall be $4,000
men or 100,0 900 men. The latter figure,
of course. is expected for the present, but
it depends upon him and him alone to de-
eide when the reduction to half the num-
Der shall take place.
The new army is a thing of which an
American may be proud, and the COM
mander-in-c is an old volunteer him
self, who had backbone enough to go
through the most terrible war the world
has ever known, but who four years ago
was supposed to be devoid of spinal
column.
SO stands William Mckinley at the
threshold of his second administration Of
four years, every pledge redeemed, every
awkward situation bravely met and wise
ly mastered, cool, well poised, popular,
honest, suave, but masterful, a man who
yields only TO have his every way in the
end. Ii this man. the first President of
the new century, has no backbone, then
are we invertebrate animals.
Aided by the experience he has acquir,
ed and the popular support he enjoys.
President Mckinley will accomplish more
in the future than in the past. He Is only
81 years old. He has unusual capacity
for WORK, and he will use that capacity
for the public good upgrudgingly during
tie next four years. Then he will leave
the White House to take his place in his
tory among the American Presidents who