Os
The Commoner.
A. 23, 19.03
not bet all surprising if a formal movo on
annexation proposition is made at an early
lHE INTERESTING STATEMENT THAT
from Jannarv 1 tn Jiinn 1 no less than 21.077
ititnnm nf th TTnUwl States snttlod in the Dro-
Snco of Manitoba and adjacent territories is made
iv a. wrltP.r In h Snrlnerfielrl fMRSS.") RODUblican.
h is pointed out that 25,000,000 acres of land In
le Canadian northwest are now ownea oy ciu
n nf thiK nmmtrvr fi OOfi.000 have been acauired
uring the present year, and about one-fifth of this
rea has been taken by bona uae setuers irom ma
tes. The remaining 4,uuu,uuu acres nas Deen
ild to liind r.omnanies who-are now reselling it at
nrnfit tn fho tidft-of emigrants who are nouring
mrfh-wnrri nvnr tha liorder. It is said that from a
(single Iowa neighborhood forty families have gono
to this new territory witnin a lew monuis.
Mr HE PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA ARE BEING
X treated to a novel bit of "argument" theso
days. B. S. McGuIre, the republican nominee for
delegate to congress from Oklahoma, in an inter
view printed in the Kansas City Journal, says:
"I have a hard fight on my hands, but I feel con
fident of success. I have the advantage in that
Oklahoma cannot expect to get statehood from a
republican congress next winter if it sends a demo
crat to congress in November. Many democrats
in the territory liave come out for me on vthat
ground alone."
WEBSTER BALLENGER, IN A LETTER
written to a citizen of Ardmore, I. T., makes
this statement: "Opposition to the passage of the
omnibus statehood bill through the senate next
December will depend entirely upon the result of
this fall's elections in OTdahoma and New Mexi
co. These territories are at present looked upon
as surely republican, and if the republicans can
demonstrate their numerical strength by not-only
electing republican delegates, but also a majority
of the territorial legislatures, the bill vHl be fav
orably reported from the committee and passed
by the senate within ten days after that body re
convenes in December. I make this statement
upon the highest authority. The day before con
gress adjourned an Informal meeting was held,
at which, six of the seven republican members "of
"the committee on territories of the senate were
present. It was decided then that a favorable re
port should be made on the bill, unless it should
be shown at the fall elections that those terri
tories were democratic, in which event the re
publicans of the committee .would recommend ad
verse action, as they did not care to give the
democrats six additional United States senators at
this time. From assurances received from Dele
gate Flynn and Delegate Rodoy, it was believed
that this latter contingency would not arise, and
Senator Beveridge was requested to draft a favor
able report to be submitted to the full committee
the day the senate convened." The people of Okla
homa are therefore confronted with a threat that
if th6y do not vote the republican ticket they need
not expect statehood at the hands of the repub
lican party. Similar methods have been em
ployed by republican leaders, and employed suc
cessfully, but It remains to be seen whether the
people of Oklahoma will submit to the imposition.
IT HAS BEEN REMARKED THAT CARTER
Harrison, mayor of Chicago, was omitted in
the distribution of decorations to those who en
tertained Prince Henry during .his recent visit to
'America. It develops, however, that this was not
due to any intention on the part of the prince to
slight Chicago's mayor. It is explained that It
ras announced to Mr. Harrison that he would be
among the number to be decorated, but Mr. Harri
son replied that be did not think It proper to ac
cept such a distinction. He did, however, accept
a -portrait of the prince as a souvenir of the visit
SINCE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT AGUIN
aldo was contemplating a visit to the United
States tor the purpose of relating to the Ameri
can people the Filipino side of the story, the re
publican press has been .having considerable
sport at Aguinaldo's expense. The Chi
cago Post remarks that "the report that
Aguinaldo Is coming to this country to lec
ture "will cause some to doubt the wisdom of that
.amnesty proclamation," The Chicago Record
Herald says that if Aguinaldo's visit to the United
states "does not kill anti-imperialism, the admin
istration may begin to take it seriously." The
Washington Post suggests that Aguinaldo might
"be able to make a satisfactory arrangement with
some enterprising museum manager." The De
troit News says that the Filipino leader will prob
ably bo the guest of Edwin Atkinson and will
make arrangements and sign contracts with Major
Pond for a lecture tour.
The American people have always claimed to
bo lovers of fair play. If truth is tho thing sought
for, what possible objection could there bo to a
visit at this time from tho most conspicuous
Filipino? On the contrary, would it not be ad
vantageous to have this Filipino leader visit tho
American people and present to them the Filipino
side of the story?
WE HAVE MANY THINGS TO LEARN OF
conditions in the Philippine islands. State
ments that are now being made to the American
people by certain soldiers "and seamen who figured
conspicuously in tho Philippines are strikingly
inconsistent with statements made by the same
soldiers and seamen at the time when they seemed
most anxious to entortain Aguinaldo sis their
guest. Those. who have nothing to conceal and who
have no interest in aiding others to hide the truth
ought to encourage, rather than discourage, this
proposed visit.
On April 24, 1898, when the United States was
engaged in war with Spain, E. Spencer Pratt,
. United States consul general at Singapore, cabled
the American representatives at Hong Kong as
follows: "Aguinaldo, insurgent leader, here. "Will
.come Hong Kong; arrange with commodore for
general co-operation insurgents. Manila if do
sired. Telegraph' Pratt."
On the Bame day Admiral, then Commodore,
Dewey, telegraphed 'Consul Pratt: "Toll Aguin
aldo come as soon as possible."
AGUINALDO ACCEPTED THE INVITATION.
He was provided with arms by Admiral
Dewey. He organized the Filipino forces and
whatever may have been said, or whatever may
have been left unsaid, the fact remains that ho was
practically our ally in our fight against SpalD.
When we felt the need of his assistance In crush
ing Spanish authority in the Philippines, our rep
resentative telegraphed Aguinaldo to "come us
soon as possible." Now that this Filipino leader
claims that his people are in need of justice and,
he proposed to visit tho American people and tell
them what he conceives to be tho truth of the
situation, republican newspapers have nothing but
jeers and sneers for the proposed visit.
While on this subject of visits, it may not bo
out of place to refer to a fact that has doubtless
been overlooked by many people. When Agon
cillo, the representative of Aguinaldo, came to
this country prior to the ratification of tho peace
treaty,-no sooner had he landed in the states
than the republican newspapers began to chide
him for his impertinence in coming to this country
to Interfere with this country's affairs. A great
many people who had been kept in the dark by
the republican newspapers actually came to re
gard this visit as a piece of impertinence. Many
of these did not know and many of them do not
yet know that Agoncillo came to this country upon
the express invitation of the American administration.
THE TRUTH IS THAT MURAT HALSTEAD
went to the Philipines bearing a commission
signed by R. A. Alger, then secretary of war, desig
nating Halstead as the official historian of the
war department. Mr. Halstead in his book entitled
"The Story of the Philippines," relates that he
called upon Aguinaldo and suggested to him tho
advisability of sending a representative to Wash
ington, and also to Paris, where the treaty of
peace was under consideration. Mr. Halstead re
lates, that Aguinaldo said that he had thought of
sending a representative to Washington, but he
did not think it advisable to send one to Paris, be
cause ho took it for granted that the American
representatives there would protect the inter
ests of the Filipinos.
Mr. Halstead relates that as a result of this
suggestion and this conference Aguinaldo sent for
Agoncillo and that General Merritt provided
means for the transportation of Agoncillo to this
country. After this invitation was extended by
representatives of the republican administration,
after the invitation had been accepted, after means
of transportation had been provided by an Ameri
can general, when Agoncillo arrived in this coun
try he was met by the sneers and jeers of repub
lican organs. Something had happened in the
meantime to impress upon the republican politi
cians tho notion that a visit from Aguinaldo's rep
resentative might not, after all, be "good politics."
AFTER ALL THE EFFORT MADE BY
those citizens of the United Slates who par
ticipated in the coronation - ceremonies of the
king to appear to advantage, it seems that they
did not meet the favor of tho English, critics. A
Loncion paper, discussing tho dress of the visitors
from several countries, has this to say concerning
the American: The American there fa no mis
taking him when ho wears the clothes he haa
brought with him, and ho holds first placo as
matter of trade interest Ho almost always wean
a jacket of tho lounge typo, which somehow
seems to have been cut with the special idea of
making him appear to have very round and un
commonly fat shoulders. His jacket hangs away
at tho waist. This, together with his singular
fondness for straw hats which, both in shape and
texture, suggest tho idea of carving from corn
cob, gives a dumpiness to his figure, which is still
further accontuated by the closeness of fit in his
trousor legs. There is thus an appearance of
heaviness about his body, which is in striking
contrast to the alortness of his face, and so far
as tailoring is concerned tho effect is oxactly op
posite to that aimed at and gonerally produced
in the much more graceful lines of the dress of
the English gentleman." This is perhaps tho pen
alty we paid for permitting Whitelaw Roid to
como home beforo tho ceremonies took place. Had
Mr. Reid been there at tho proper time, wo have
no doubt that ho would have Bet for his follow
Americans such an example in dress that It would -have
met tho approval of tho English critics.
THE LATE SENATOR McMILLAN WAS A
man of few words, and ho soldom addressed
the senate. Ho is credited with one of tho short
est and ono of tho best speeches ever delivord la
that body. When tho subject of Cuban interven
tion was under discussion tho board of trade of
Michigan city sent him a memorial protesting
against intervention on tho ground that it would
injure business. Senator McMillan presented, the
memorial and said: "Mr. President: There are
Bomo things worse than war, and some things
better than money." Thlsono sentence covered
tho ground thoroughly and his stand was ratified
by tho people.
y ..... ;
THE WEST HAS ACHIEVED PROMINENCE
lately in other lines than politics and! busi
ness. Three of tho greatest secret and fraternal
orders in the world have recently chosen western
men to the highest offices In those orders. The
Ancient and Arabic Order Nobles of tho Mystic
Shrine elected Henry Aiken of Omaha to the posi
tion of imperial potentate. Tho Benevolent and
protective Order of Elks elected George Cronk of
Omaha to the position of exalted grand ruler, and
tho. Knights of Pythias have elected Tracoy R.
Bangs of Grand Forks, S. D., to the position .of
supreme chancellor. All three of these officers
are from tho trans-Mississippi country, and two
of them from the trans-Missouri country.
HAVING JUST RESIGNED FROM THE Su
preme bench of tho United States, Judge
Gray is credited with having sprung but one Joke
in his whole judicial career, and that ono while
court was in session. An attorney representing the
plaintiff in a mining suit held in his hand a map
of tho disputed property and occasionallyvpointcd
the court to different sections thereof. After peer
, ing down at the attorney for a while, Judge Gray
asked: "What is that you have in your hand?"
"That, your honor, is a blrdseye view of the
property in dlspfite." Leaning back in hJs chair
Judge Gray said: "Well, sir, the cotirt regrets to
say that it is not a bird." The attorney hastily
secured a larger map of the property.
KING EDWARD HAS RECEIVED A GREAT
meed of praise for having given Osborno
House to the English people to be used as an
orphanage or hospital. This' reminds tho Johns-"
town Democrat that it is very easy to bo liberal
with other people's money and property. Osborne
House was built and maintained out of the rev
enues of the kingdom, and tho Democrat remarks
that "it may strike Theodore Roosevelt one of
these days as a handsome thing to do to give the
White house to tho American people for an
orphanage or a refuge Jtor decayed exemplars of
tho strenuous life,"
WHEN MR. NEELEY WAS ARRESTED FOR
complicity in the Cuban postal frauds he
had $6,000 upon his person. This money was sent
to tho war department and was one of the ex
hibits during tho trial. It will be remembered that
Neeley was found guilty and sentenced to a long
term In jail. When President Palma was in
augurated he pardoned all American prisoners,
thus liberating Neeley. Now Mr. Neeley has ap
plied to the war department for the return of the
money found on his person when he was arrested.
Mr. Neeley figures that even if he did steal the
money he was sent to prison for the theft and
then pardoned, thus becoming the rightful owner
of the stolen funds. The contention has aroused
widespread Interest and the courts may yet have
to pass upon the matter.
t.