The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-22
Commoner Comment.
Extracts from w. y. Bryan's Paper.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
The Christian and the Heather

The Christian and the Heather.
The Chicago Record-H Herald has an
editorial entitled stop the Slaughter
at Mindanao." 1t commends Mr. Roose-
yelt's orders to General Chaffee to stop
the slaughter of Moros by United States
troops. The Record Herald says:
But surely the spirit Of retaliation
was sufficiently stated with the death
OF some 200 Moros anu the capture of
"a prisoners without shooting down IS
of these unarmed prisoners, who were
merely guilty Of fleeing from their cap
tors.
The president has said that the
American flag will 'stay put" in the
Philippines. 1t cannot and will not
stay put" there with the consent Of
the American people at the cost of
war of relentless, vengeful extermina-
ton.
We have punished the Moros
enough. We have demonstrated the
irresistible nature of our civilized SUI
periority. We have no call to fur
Their infiame the hatred of the inhabi-
tants of Mindanao by Strengthening
their fanatical warriors and deyastat-
ing their island. Let us now demon
strate our civilization by our forbear-
ance. Let us call the chiefs of Min
danao to council and offer to their
people friendship and protection in
stead of mourning their eternal treach-
cry and hate with fire and the sword.
The Record-Herald refers to the
heather of the Philippines. 1t desires
that we shall demonstrate, in the pres
ence Of these heather, our civilization
by our forbearance. 1T desires that we
shall call the representatives of these
heather to a council and "offer to their
people friendship and protection in
stead of mourning tbeir eternal treach-
cry and hate with fire and the sword;"
and it declares that the American flag
will not "stay put" in the Philippines
with the consent of the American
people at the cost of relentless, venge,
full determination"
How different this tone is from the
tone employed by the republican pa,
pers with regard to the Christian Fill,
ipinos with whom we are engaged in
war of even greater proportions than
SASsS " VIZ
When the firing began between the
flllp1nos and the American troops,
Aguinaldo sent word to General Otis
that it was all mistake and asked
for a council in order to agree upon
terms Of peace. General Otis reply
was that the fighting having begun,
the war must now go on "to the grim
end" That has been the keynote for
every republican politician and every
| republican newspaper ever since the
| fighting began.
Every suggestion that the Christian
Filipinos be given the same assurance
which the United states gave to the
| Cubans, has been met with sneers.
when they lay down their arms, then
will be time enough to discuss the
terms of peace" so these republican
organs and orators have said.
How does it happen that the repre-
sentatives of the republican party are
so anxious to deal leniently with the
neathen of the Philippines and SO de-
| termined to deal relentlessly with the
Christians of those islands?
The Chicago Chronicle says: "The
way is open for the election of dem
ocratic president in 1904. All that is
needed is candidate acceptable to all
democrats, platform constructed on
cratic action at the polls" In the same
article the Chronicle also says that
any candidate who would be regarded
''as a representative of Organism
would be defeated by a greater ma
| jority than distinguished Mr.. Bryan's
defeat at either election when he was
a candidate" Organism is the per-
sonal way in which papers like the
Chicago Chronicle refer to the princi-
pies of the Kansas City platform.
While the Chronicle pleads for "har-
mony," and says that "all that is need
ed is a candidate acceptable to all DEM
! ocrats, platform constructed on old
| democratic lines, and united demo-
cratic action at the polls" the same
paper serves notice that any candi-
date who would be acceptable to the
| advocates of the Kansas City platform
would be defeated This is fair rep
J resentation of the harmony" which
| the reorganiZers seek.
practiced in the Philippines prove, not
| that we are worse than other people,
| but that human nature is too frail to
| be trusted with the use of arbitrary.
power. An irresponsible government
| will certainly result in atrocities. Man
is not strong enough to withstand the
temptation to misuse power and there
fore constitutional restrictions are nee
essary for the protection of the weak
and for the maintenance of civilized
| government.
1t is the duty of democrats every
where to give general support to their
local papers. The so-called country
weekly" fills an important place and
the result that may be accomplished
by the good efforts of these papers,
if they are properly encouraged, can
not be over-estimated. q