that
Governments rest on the consent of the governed; that all
the painful consequences which have attended the war for the
subjugation of that distant people, would have been avoided
if the Democratic opposition had been hearty and sincere.
The same spirit that defeated the Election bill in spite of
the majority in its favor, would have easily accomplished
that result. The Democratic Party, as a party, never meant
business in this matter. I do not deny that many Democrats--
I dare say a majority of the Democrats--were as earnestly
and seriously opposed to the acquisition of the Philippine
Islands as I was myself. But they never wielded their party
strength in opposition to it. I said to one eminent Democratic
leader early in the year 1900: "There is one way in which
you can put an end to this whole business. If you can elect
a Democratic House it will have power under the Constitution
to determine the use to which the Army shall be put. In that
way you compelled President Hayes to refrain from further
support by military force of the Republican State Governments
in the South." He answered: "Mr. Hoar, we shall never do
anything as radical as that."

When Senator Bacon made the offer to the majority of the Senate
to agree to give them all the military power they desired
for the suppression of the resistance in the Philippines
for as long a time as they should think it necessary, the
entire Democratic Party in the Senate was in their seats,
and there was no expression of dissent.

I think the Democratic Party feared the fate of the Federalists
who opposed the War of 1812, and of the Democrats who opposed
the War for the Union in 1861. This of course in the nature
of things is but conjecture.

Seventeen of the followers of Mr. Bryan voted for the Treaty.
The Treaty would have been defeated, not only lacking the
needful two thirds, but by a majority of the Senate but for
the votes of Democrats and Populists.

Senators Morgan and Pettus of Alabama, Senator McLaurin of
South Carolina, Senator McEnery of Louisiana, were avowed
supporters of the Treaty from the beginning.

Mr. Bryan in the height of the contest came to Washington
for the express purpose of urging upon his followers that
it was best to support the Treaty, end the War, and let the
question of what should be done with our conquest be settled
in the coming campaign. He urged upon them, as I was told
by several Democrats at the time who did not ta