The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-26
THE DIsTRAUGHT OPPOSITION

On Friday night the democratic leaders
another effort to discover where they are
at and to get together on a cam
paign policy.
1t will be we'll for them to read care
fully the tribute paid to the republican ad-
ministration by President elect Palma of
the Cuban republic, yesterday, and con-
trast it with their own reiterated mis-
representations Of the acts and purposes
Of the republican party touching Cuba In
accordance with the honorable program
our troops have been ordered to evacuate
the island during the next six weeks, and
the whole civilized world will marvel, for
there Is not a nation on the earth to-
day which would have similarly spent it's
blood and treasure to free a people op-
pressed, and spend other millions start
ing them in their new national life under
their own flag. Our democratic fellow
citizens have been predicting for the last
three years that the government intended
to keep our troops in Cuba and forcibly
annex the island. Let them make what
ShCy JILL ooL u lue ldClS.
If Watterson is to direct the democratic
party policy, judging by his speech on
Monday, the democrats will make "anti-
imperialism" their paramount ISSUE"
with the Philippines as a secondary issue,
II we are to judge by the recent action of
the democratic house caucus, the party
proposes to go afeld with sympathy with
fhn Pnn 20 kl, mi
toms, too, of attempting to make an
issue out Of the republican proposition to
have committee investigate election
methods in the states to gage the ex-
tent Of illegal disfranchisement, with a
view to securing just representation in
congress. Watterson's abuse Of the presi-
dent. as the promoter of militarism, is a
revival of the foolish charges against the
late President Mckinley. The basis Of
this explosion was the general army staff
bill In the hands Of the senate military
committee, which proposes to do for the
army what the navy has had for some
time and to its advantage in securing
effective organization for service. This
general staff bill simply makes provision
for an advisory military board composed
OF officers detailed from the army to study
and prepare plans for the officers who
give the orders. This work cannot be
effectively done in the already overworked
adjutant generals office. Yet the demo-
Gratis point to- this eminently adyan-
tageous proposition as embodying a de-
sign to ride roughshod over the traditions
Of civil liberty!
Leaving this ridiculous DOGGY to expire
by Its own limitations, the 'sympathy-
With-the-Boe Issue, democra ticauy
proposed, may be considered as fore
doomed. No such issue can possibly
stand. The sympathy with the Beers in
their heroic struggle is not confined to
the democratic party. It is equally SYM
pathy of the republican party, and, as
it was republican administration which
formally addressed the British govern
1nent with a tender of the services of the
United States to act as intermediary be-
tween the Beers and the British govern
ment, 1t is evident that the full, possible
duty has been done in this matter by the
republican party. Great Britain politely
declined the proffer of our good offices,
and that government holds exactly the
same. position to-day. Our government,
it is true, might declare war against
Great Britain and force bloody war over
the Beers, but neither the president nor
congress would take that step.
1t is to be regretted that the democrat is
choose to occupy themselves with such
petty business as that referred to- The
republicans would vastly prefer to meet
foemans worthy of their steel. Even
the philippines tissue is fading before
The progress OF the military operations.
which are confined now to the suppress
sion of sporadic bands Of guerrillas. while
congress is preparing full Pledged civil
government to suit the needs OF the peo-
pie who will participate in it. The United
States has no notion of scuttling, out of
the archipelago. Many millions of Ameri-
can capital wait to go in and develop the