Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1898-11-05
Speaks Against the Present
Policy of the Republican
Leaders.
Declares That We Should Con-
tinue in Our Own Path and
Not Follow England.
THE SOUND ADVICE OF A STATESMAN

There have been many utterances dur
ing the past few weeks as to the advisa-
bility of annexing Porto Rico and the
Philippines, but none should be read
with more careful attention than those of
Senator Hoar, of Massachusetts. The
venerable statesman has had long expe-
rience in national affairs and is compe-
tent to judge impartially the effects of
the proposed policy of the Washington
authorities. AT a political meeting this
week he intimated that the present policy
would lead 10 trouble in the Senate.
From the press dispatches we extract the
following portion of his address:
"This year has been crowded with his
tory and crowded with glory. 1t is also
to my mind crowded with danger. The
flag of Spain, formerly the proudest
power on earth since the day of the
Roman Empire, has gone down in dark
ness and in blood before the victorious
navy and army of the United States. The
flag of the United States has arisen in the
eastern sky like a new constellation.
Let us not accept the duties and respon-
sibilities of this victory in any temper of
vulgar vainglory, still less of vulgar greed
of power or of gain. The United States
comes to these oppressed people, East
and West, as great deliverer. 10 deal
with this great commission by talking
about coaling stations and trade advan-
tages degrades and belittles it. We have
not overthrown Spain, we have not per-
lied the precious lives of our sons that we
may add to our possessions, or that we
may make money out of our new rela-
tions. But yet the first duty of the Amer
lean people is to themselves, and when l
say this l say it in no spirit of sel6shnesj
or of indifference to the welfare of man.
kind
ION the contrary, l believe that the
highest service the American people can
render to mankind and to liberty is to
preserve unstained and unchanged the
republic as it came to us from the fathers.
1t is by example and not by guns or by
bayonets that the great work of America
for humanity is to be accomplished And
in my opinion we are today in a great
danger-a greater danger than we have
encountered since the Pilgrims landed at
Plymouth. The danger is that we are to
be transformed from a republic founded
on the Declaration of independence,
guided by the counsels of Washington,
into a vulgar commonplace empire
founded upon physical force.
81, for one, am not dazzled by the
example of England. The institutions of
England which have enabled her to gov
ern successfully distant colonies and sub
iect states are founded, as Mr.. Gladstone
pointed out on the doctrine of equality.
If we are to outstrip England in national
power it must be by pursuing our own
path and not by following in hers.
at is said that Porto Rico is already
ours. 1t may be that Porto Rico is to
become ours. But there is no authority
under the Constitution of the United
States to acquire any foreign territory
save by treaty approved by the Senate
by a two-thirds vote or by an act of legis-
lation in which the President, the House
of Representatives and the Senate must
unite. 1t is said the Philippine Islands
are already ours by right of conquest.
For one, deny this alleged right of con-
quest. Human beings-men, women,
children, people-are not to be won as
spoils of war or prizes in battle. 1t may
II a. u =
the ancient and barbarous laws of war,
but it has no place under the American
: Constitution. 1t has no place in the code
of morals of the people of the United
States. have stated elsewhere the con-
ditions which, in my Judgment, war
ranted the acquisition of Hawaii. Ha-
wall came to us with the consent of her
own Government, the only Government
capable of maintaining itself there for
any considerable length of time In the
case of the Philippines we are asked to
subject nation and to hold it in subjec.
ton. We get them by conquest and hold
them by force. In the case of the Ha-
: waiian Islands we get them by compact
made with their lawful Government
"Some of our good friends have said,
thoughtlessly, in their zeal, that where
buC AhSllNoh SONo ~ Aiuoe ohdy. DHa
surely they do not wish to commit the
: country to that doctrine. We planted il
on the City of Mexico. But no man
demanded that it should stay there. II
the war goes on we shall plant it on the
coast of Spain, but we have no desire to
hold permanent dominion there
"If the Philippine Islands become ours
then, under the late decision of TIN
Supreme Court, every child hereafter
born in them becomes an American citi
zen-free to come, free to 60 Are you
going to hold them as subjects? Are you
going to have trained and governing
classl Are you going to have the nation
al tax gatherer the mos. frequent and the
best-known visitant to every American
housel Are you going to increase many
fold your national debt?
These things are involved in this wild
,, and impassioned cry for empire. Fol
t.oA a. ~.