The times., 1898-11-24
bearing Of the burden Of our just re-

| Sponsibf1ities and the assumption of the
! benefits that iiow from them. Most en-
| phatically 1t does not mean that we are
| to admit to full citizenship. to take part
| in the government of the States, of the
| millions of people who inhabit the ISL
ands. The fear OF that does not -oppress
| even the advocates of perpetual
| American babyhood and provincialism.
The expression of such fear is insin-
cere and fraudulent. There is nothing
either in the Declaration of Indepen-
dence or the Constitution that confers
the right of suffrage on the people of
| the newly acquired territory. AS the
attorney general of Massachusetts
points out. in reply to the hysterical and
maniacal misrepresentation Of the con-
ceited minority, it has always been true
that majority of our people have
| never had anything to say about gov
ernment: that the people of the Terri
tories have no right to vote; that until
| recently no colored man was allowed
to vote in the South; no Chinaman and
| no Indian can vote. and women, except
| under restrictions and in very few
places, cannot vote. Ii the people ever
think the Filipinos are capable of an in
telligent and honest exercise of the
right of suffrage, they may confer the
| right on them.
OF course this minority distrusts the
judgment and honesty of the great body
OF the people. 1t always has. 1t is
, this that makes the minority un-Amer-
ican. and II is this that makes its pro-
tests Intellectual and unworthy of con-
fidence and support. Carl Schurz and
his fellows are constantly ON guard to
defeat every purpose on which ma
jority of the people are agreed. They
are now engaged in a campaign to in
duce the President to abandon his
policy. This is why the nation should
rejoice that the decision has been pub
licly and formally announced and our
claim presented. Now there can be no
retreat save by an act of perfidy that
would consign the President To an
ignominy such as no predecessor has
ever encountered.
1t is true that the extension of the
blessings of American government over
some eight millions of people hitherto
the victims of Spanish tyranny is equal
| to less than a decades natural in
crease in our own borders. But it has
a meaning and force apart from that
and apart from the enormous CONNER
cial and industrial advantages that
must follow the development of the
matchless resources of the islands We
are now removed from the exclusive
position in relation to other ma
tions that was means of protection
to us in our infancy, but which would
be reproach to our manhood if main
| tanned at the cost of splendid opportu-
mites to advance the march of civiiza-
ton, promote our ideal political insti-
futions and extend our infiusnce for the
righting of great wrongs and the hui
manizing Of oppressed peoples. To this
nation more has been given than to
any other on earth and surely pros
perity carries its obligations. We recog-
nize this as individuals and why should
we not as nation? Mere examples are
as Intellectual in the cast of nations as
! in the case of persons. Examples cor
rect nobody. Influence. however. may
do much. America, with her strength,
| intelligence and invulnerability. can al
most alone preserve the peace of all
the world. Hitherto engaged exclusive
ly in her own development. she has
| evaded all external responsibilities and
| therefore denied TO herself the right to
| interfere in the affairs of the world By
the blood of her sons she has bought
possessions that enlarge her interests
, and make her voice potent I'm the
worlds councils. That 1t WIN always
speak for what is best and never for
selfish ACKNOWLEDGMENT no one who
knows the influence Of Republican in
stitutions will doubt A special cause
for gratitude in the Presidents decision
is that il virtually completes the divine
work of depriving tyrant nation OF
the empire IL has forfeited all moral
| right to control by degrading its help
! less subjects almost to the point of de-
humanizing them. Whatever day may
be chosen for the remembrance OF this
act of imperishable glory. the twenty
first Of November. last Monday. was
the day when the great step was taken
and the people relieved OF their anxiety:
| the day that is to make President Nc
Kinley's administration forever MEM
! orable.