Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-12-22
ROOSEVELT
ANALYzED
W. j, BRYAN CHANCES THROUGH
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
And Presents 4 Few Thoughts to the Thinker
Blinded Partisans May Overlook this
Column. Il Appeals to Reasonable Read
ers, Not Piebitcrs.


outline policy The message which he
submitted a. the first session of the pre-
sent congress was written soon after
President McKinley's death and before
the new president had time to fully &C.
quaint himself with his official duties
and, therefore, could hardly present a
complete and consistent plen for dealing
with public questions. His last message,
however, the important parts OF which
are produced elsewhere in this issue, is
distinctly Rooseveltian in both thought
and rhetoric. From a literary stand
point the message will compare favorably
with the state papers of his predeces-
sors.
CANAL, RECIPROCITY AND ARBITRATION.
The message deals with much that is
nonpartisan an such parts will be gen.
orally commended. AS n rule he is
clearer in dealing with uncontroverted
questions than in dealing with those
where definite opinion was both ex-
pected and desired. He renews his re-
commentator OF reciprocity with Cuba
and defends it with vigor. He also COM
mends arbitration as a me ms OF settling
international disputes, and points with
just pride to the fact that our country
was the first to made use of the tribunal
established by The Hague conference.
The advantages Of the isthmian canal
are briefly set forth, and the president
seems to assume that the arrangements
will be completed for the Panama canal
as no monitor is made of the alternative
route through Lake Nicaragua.
posTo RICO AND THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.
Porto Rico is disposed of in less than
fifty words-an evidence of the small
place that colony, when not in revolt,
holds in the minds of those who admins
stored an empire.
The Philippine question is considered
more at length and he speakes boastingly
Of the progress made there. He asserts
that We have "gone to the limit" in
granting rights Of liberty and self gov
ernment." He compares our govern
ment with other "foreign powers" and
insists that the Filipinos "enjoy a
measure of self-government greater than
that granted to any other orientals by
any foreign power" He commends the
general kindreartedness and humanity |
Of our troops" and claims that there
have been few instances where 60 little
w-ong.doing has been INDUCED in by
the victors in war "waged by civiliz-
ed power Observation-Disclosures or barbar-
Gus forces.
While he nowhere discusses the prin.
ciples in volved in Imperialism he uses
the phraseology of those who regard
government from the monarchical stand.
point. To him the government instead
of being thing created by the people
for themselves is strong and COM
handing entity, entirely apart from the
people. which "grants" privileges and
even rights to those whom it desires 70
favor.
THE LANGUAGE OF IMPERIALISM.
The doctrine that men are endowed |
by the Creator with inalienab)e rights
rights which the government did not
give ard cannot take away-and the /,
doctrine that rights are gracious grants |
from sovereign government to q sub /
ject people-the difference between
these two doctrines is so great that an
ocean can roll between them. In fac', !
an ocean does roll between them, for the
former doctrine is the American doctrine
and the latter the doctrine of European
empires. Because he considers the Fill |
pinos better eff than they were under
Spanish rule or better off than most
orientals are under oriental rule Che ex.
cepts the Japanese> he argues that
American imperialism is a benevolent
thing worthy to be eulogized. The pre-.
sident even tales pleasure in citing the
fact that the Fourth OF July, commem-
Grated in this country because of the
ton OF the Declaration of In
dependence, was celebrated in the
by the proclamation of
peace and amnesty"
LACKED THE MORAL COURAGE.
The message gave him an excellent
opportunity to announce and defend the
theory upon which imperialism is based,
but that would have required a moral
courage and political daring which
neither Mr.. Roosevelt nor any other
prominent imperialist with the possible
exception of Senator Beveridge has thus
far exhibited.
Ii the people are clearly in favor OF
the adoption of the doctrine of force as
the true basis OF government, why
hould there be hesitancy on the part of !
imperialists in clearly setting the fact
forth?
In dealing with TIE tariff questions. !
Mr.. ROoseyelt's message disappoints