Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-04-24
FROM THE
COMMONER
Mr.. TAFT AS A CRITIC.
MIR. BRYAN'S PAPER

else Mr.. Bryan. His first criticism
was directed to Mr.. Bryan's conduct
In advocating the ratification of the
treaty. According to Secretary Taft,
Mr.. Bryan can not consistently criti-
else the imperialistic policy of the
government because he favored the
ratification of the treaty. Secretary
Taft is either misinformed as to what
Mr.. Bryan did, or he is lacking in the
candor that ought to characterize pub
lie men in speaking of an opponent.
The question before the country was
not whether the treaty was as good
treaty as might have been made, or
whether it contained provisions that it
ought not to have contained. The
treaty was made by the presidents
representatives, and when presented
to congress, contained provision for
the ceding of the Philippine islands
to the United States. The Republicans
had majority in both senate and
house, and the president was a Re-
publican, but as the treaty requires
two-thirds majority, some of the OPP
ponents of Imperialism thought it pos
sible to secure the rejection of the
treaty. The rejection of the treaty,
however, would simply continue the
state of war and furnish an excuse for
continuance of war taxes and war
expenses. If the Democrats had sue
ceeded in preventing the ratification of
the treaty, they were not in a position
to give instructions as to new treaty.
If they had prevented the ratification
they would have taken upon them
selves the responsibility for anything
that happened while the state of war
continued. If. for instance, they had
refused to ratify the treaty, and in
sisted that Spain should give indepen-
dence to the Filipinos, there was
danger Of objection being made by
the European nations which have col
onies in the orient, and none of the
monarchies of Europe are anxious to
have a republic established in Asia.
With minority in both houses, the
Democrats could not possibly shape
the policy of the government, but they
could bring upon themselves just
criticism if they involved the country
In further war. This was the situation
that the Democrats had to meet and
MIR. Bryan proposed plan for meeting
1t, and he has never for a moment re-
GREETED the part he took in that crisis.
He proposed the ratification of the
treaty and declaration of our nations
purpose to recognize the independence
Of the Philippine islands just as the
treaty provided for the recognition of
the independence of Cuba. The treaty
settled the question as far as Spain
was concerned and left the future of
the Filipinos entirely to us. 1t was
easier for us to act alone than to act
through treaty, and by acting alone
we relieved ourselves of the dangers
that attend the negotiation of treaty.
The plan which Mr.. Bryan proposed
came SO near realization that it re-
CURED the vote of the vice-president
to defeat it, for the treaty was rati-
fed by very slender margin, and the
vote on the Bacon resolution promising
independence was so close that the
presiding officer, the vice-president,
turned the scales and decided the
question in the negative. One more
vote and the promise of independence
would have been given and all subse-
quent trouble saved. Now it is hardly
fair to judge Secretary Taft of ignor-
ance of the situation at that time. He
certainly knew that Mr.. Bryan's plan
included the promise of independence
as well as the ratification of the treaty.
How can he, then, discuss the matter
without discussing the entire plan?
Why does he speak only of the ratifi-
cation Of the treaty and ignore the
promise of independence? Secretary
Taft is not the only Republican who
shows this lack of candor. Time and
again Republicans have made the criti-
cism that Secretary Taft makes, and
by doing so have been guilty of the
same unfairness.
Mr.. Bryan has constantly and per-
sistently opposed Imperialism; he has
from the very first insisted upon the
promise of independence. The rati-
fication of the treaty was only a means
of securing independence, and the
only means in sight. If we could not
defeat imperialism when thu Bacon
proposition was presented, we could
not defeat it when our fight was EN-.
barrassed by the prolonging of the
war and the mourning of dangers Incl
dent thereto.
There has never been time since
the treaty was ratified but we might
have settled the question by promise
of independence, but Republican lead
ers were willing to surrender the doc
trine of self-government in order to
secure trade advantages in the orient
and not being able to defend their
policy. they have tried to lay the rati-
fication of the treaty upon Mr. Bryan,
as if the ratification had made it i'm
possible for them to avoid colonialism.
We have spent more than five hun
dred millions in this foolish attempt
to ape the monarchism of the old
world; we have more than doubled our
army, and we are constantly increas.
ing our navy, and imperialism is the
only excuse that can be made for
either. Our annual appropriations for
the army and navy are more than one
hundred millions year in excess of
what they were ten years ago, and
are still increasing. The Republicans
refused to announce policy; they re-
fused to discuss the subject, and yet
the expenses go on. The Democrats
say, just as Bryan said in 1899, prom
ise independence and fulfill the prom