“ No one is entitled to a more respectful hearing on public questions than Mr. Carl Schurz. His long experience, his proved ability, and especially his singular disinterestedness and devotion to a high ideal of public life have won for him the confidence and sympathy of thoughtful Americans. In civil life he has been a distinguished leader in three great struggles, that with slavery, that with unsound finance, and that with political corruption. ”

“ Spain has agreed to cede it to the United States. As to the Philippines the question is still open. As to Cuba, no one will deny that we are bound to give the people of that island an independent government, but it must be a real government. We are not bound to turn the island over to anarchy and chronic civil war, if the people of Cuba can not and will not agree on a government of their own. As to all this territory the question seems to us largely one of responsibility quite as much as of selfish interest. ”

“ It is true that there is no specific provision in our Constitution for administering their affairs, but neither was there any for the process of reconstruction by which the insurgent Southern States were brought into their full relations with the United States. We think it is more a question of what we ought to do than of the way in which it shall be done. If we can see our duty we shall find means to perform it. ”