r3-lrs.^.-WW -.LO y; WHY HE ~PtfitS BRYAN. --— 54123 iCol. Charles R. Codman Sets Forth His Beasons. Willis J. Abbot, Esq., Manager of Press Committee of Democratic National Committee. Dear Sir,-I have your letter of September 15, Inviting me to give the reasons that have led me to declare that I will support Mr. Bryan for the presidency. In reply, I would say that there are, ili my opinion, two paramount considerations that should 'make the re-election of Mr. McKinley impossible., I hold that a verdict against the present administration is demanded of the American people-first, by the necessity of maintaining their character as an honest and just nation in their relations with the world at large; and, secondly, by the necessity that is upon them of declaring that they still believe in their own form of republican government. It is an undeniable fact, proved by unquestionable evidence, accessible to any citizen who will take the pains to obtain it, that Aguinaldo's assistance in the war with Spain was solicited by United States officials; that he and his friends were used as allies by the American naval and.pilitary commandrs; that, until after the capture of Manila, to which they contriBited, they were allowed to believe that the independence of the Philippine Islands would be recognized by the American government; and that it was not until after: the 'American forces in the islands had been made; m - strong enough to be able-as was supposed-to conquer,'the islanders, that the mask was thrown off. Independence was then refused them, and the se ofiv the president to extend the sovereignty of the United States over them by military force was openly pro-claimed. That the Filipinos resisted, and that they took up arms against foreign rule, was something that ought to have been expected: for it is exactly what Americans would have done, under similar circumstances. In private life, to use- your friend, then to throw him over. and then to aluse him,- would be recognized by all honorable men, as something unspeakably base. It is-or ought to be-the same in public life. and in the dealings of nations. The McKinley administration first solicited, then used, then threw over, and is now killing those who have given it loyal aid against Spain. For this perfidy of their presidential agent the American people are not yet responsible.- They, surely will be responsible if, with a full knowledge or the facts, they allow him to retain his office, after having had the opportunity to displace him. This would seem to be a sufficient reason-if there were no other-for not permitting him to be re-elected. The people of this country, it is not unreasonable to presume, are generally convinced that republican government is not only the best for them, but the best and most just in itself. They are now told, however, by representatives of the Republican party, that. they may rightly control foreign peoples, with or without the consent of those peoples, and that the peoples so controlled have no rights except those that the American government may choose to give them. The Declaration of Independence, which asserts that all just government rests upon the consent of the governed, is openly disavowed; and no prospect is held out to the inhabitants of Hawaii, of Porto Rico, or of the Philippines of constitutional protection, of American citizenship, or of representation in the Congress that taxes them. The president and Congress, it is claimed, can rule outside of the States that compose the Union, without regard to the limitations of the constitution. If the American people indorse this claim by the re-election of Mr. McKinley, they will manifest indifference or disloyalty to the hitherto acknowledged principles of their own government. That they should be expected to do this, and to abandon the ideals of the republic is disheartening to the friends of liberty everywhere, and encouraging only to those, at home and abroad, who hate and fear democracy. For this reason also, the re-election of Mr. McKinley ought to be prevented. In view of these considerations, it is comparatively of little importance how subordinate questions are met. Errors in currency legislation, if made, can be corrected; and, if inconvenience or distress come from such errors, these can be endured; if only honor and liberty are saved. The only way by which Mr. McKinley's re-election can be prevented, and the country saved from the disgrace of betraying its allies and of repudiating its, ideals of liberty and justice, is by the election of Mr. Bryan, with whatever risks that election involves. No one has the right to question Mr. Bryan's sincerity when he declares that, if elected, he will immediately convene Congress, and will urge upon that body to proclaim to the world that the United States will assure to the Philippine islanders the same independence that has been promised to the Cubans; and there is no reason to suppose that, when the will of the American people has been expressed by the defeat of Mr. McKinley, Congress will disregard it. Not to support Mr. Bryan is to throw away the only chance that remains to call a halt in the policy, which is now endangering the good name of the country, and the perpetuity of its form of government. The arguments that' are being addressed to the people by the Republican leaders are appeals to the lowest and most sordid motives. They never speak of American liberty, but they say, "Look at our prosperity." They do not speak of justice to the Filipinos, but they tell us that we must hold the islands to protect and extend our trade; and there are among them professed ministers of the gospel, who justify the killing and harrowing of the Filipinos by sying that we are but fulfilling the ultimate purposes of the Almighty, by disobeying his positive commands. There is nothing in the catalogue of crimes that cannot be justified by such reasoning as this. Nor are the other means that are being used to keep the administration in -power any better than the arguments. Money is freely employed to corrupt the press and to deceive the people. Mr. Hanna's 4emands upon the moneyed interests, by appealing to their timidity or greed, are open and unblushing. He will, nb doubt, obtain all that he requires, and will be able to buy every purchasable newspaper and every purchasable voter in the country. All citizens who would save the national honor, and all who still believe in the fundamental ideas of the republic, should, in the coming election, support the Democratic party, which, happily for the country, stands to-day fully committed to those ideas. The election of Mr. Bryan and of a Democratic Congress is, in the highest sense of the words, a political necessity. Very truly yours, CHARLES R. CODMAN. Cotuit, October 8, 1900. For copies, address the Anti-Imperialist League of.New York, 150 Nassau Street, Room i50o, or P.O. Box ixi. New York City.