The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1904-10-28
WASHINGTON letter.
Parker Sounds His Own
Political Death Knell.
His Exaggerated Statements.
Churchmen Uphold the Philip
pine Policy.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, d. e., OCT. 20, 1904.

From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, d. e., OCT. 20, 1904.
In the opinion OF many Of the most
astute political observers, Alton B.
Parker has sounded his political death
kncll. Replying to certain anti-inl-
perialists who called on him at
Esopus, Parker delivered himself Of
speech on the Philippines character
lied by such absolute recklessness
that Tx. Postmaster General Smith
declares that it must have heen the
"rccklcssness OF despair. Apparent
ly without thought of the con seQuen-
ces, Mr.. Parker INDUCED in most
yindictlvc arraignment Of the Ameri-
can administration in the Philip
pines, repeated, as his own assertions,
all the campaign lies regarding the
cost Of the islands in lives and money
and IN every possible manner dis
PLAYED a complete lack OF that
judicial temperament and fairness
which have been. vauntcd as his only
claims to the high Office to which he
asprcs.
Candidate Parker asserted that the
Philippines had been won at the
sacrifice of "over 200,0 900 lives" :"
The fact 5 that only l26,ooO Amerl-
can soldiers ever went to the Philip
pines. The total loss of life from all
causes including alcoholism and
other evils brought on the troops by
their own indiscretions, amounted to
but I. 222 men. The total Filipino
loss did not reach 10000, SO that
combining the two there were hut
$4,000 lives lost and many of these
were lost ia heroic and success ful
attempt to stamp out the plague and
other contagious diseases which had
prior to American occupation, run
riot IN the archipelago. So much for
Judge Parker's 1900, 900 lives sacri-
feed"
With great ychemence the Demo
cratic presidential candidate de-
clared that the Philippines had cost
the United States $3.50, 600, 900. Dur
ing the last Congress Secretar, Root
sent to the Senate report showing
that the total cost of the Philippines,
including the twenty million dollars
purchase price, amounted, up to May
1902, to 189 million dollars. The
figures now show that the next yeaI
the cost to this country was $780,.
600 and for the fiscal year just ended
s., 100, 900, a total to June 80, 1904
of $l94, ,080, 600, instead OF ESQ mil
lion dollars, as ated by Judge
Parker. Democrats as we'll as Re
publicans regard this outburst al
insuring Democratic defeat. Th,
figures here quoted are all official
and no Democratic member of Con-
gress has ever challenged them
They were as accessible to Parker a
they are to your correspondent, or Il
any other person who cares to inquire
The wildly exaggerated assertions 0
the Democratic nominee were, there
fore, entirely inexcusable aud onl
the more rabid element of the Dem,
cratic press attempts to excuse th
oulburst.
One OF the most significant feature
ot The American administration o
Philippine affairs Is the unanimuu
praise received from churchmen of al
deneminations, men prone to diSd
srce On many subjects, but unit i
Their commeudatiou OF the McKinle
and Roosevelt administration Of III
Philippines.
lit. Rev. Charles II. Brent, Protes
'ant Episcopal Bishop OF the Philip
pines, has said, To-day the on
'orce that makes for peace and unit
W The PhiHppines) is the America
mud. Those of us who are con
'lhccd that we are pursuing the ON
course honorable to ourselves an
Just 10 the Filipino are not unmint
'oi of our national heritage of th
principles of liberty" DR.. WarrcI
'he Methodist Bishop Of Colorado
recently said on this subject, wv
sooold, not only for the benefit of I'll
i'''lnuos and not unly for the benct