Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-12-14
PRESENT-DAY THOUGHTS.
BY @. aRosvENoR DAVE.
copyrighted by DAVE 4 Tabor.

their owners. 1t is only eXpica BILE by re-
Numbering that a dependent race is al
ways quick to recognize and to be grateful
for even shadow of kindness, thoughtful
ness and fair dealing. But IL cruelty had
been the rule instead OF the exception in
the southern states, the slave question
would have been solved in such slaughter
ings OF whites that northern lives would
probably have been laid down in repress-
ing the negro instead OF in freeing him.
Overlooking the inherent wrong of own
ing human chattels in day and a country
of freedom, the records of colored faithful
ness are written in history and in hearts
because large proportion OF the southern
gentry undid the wrong by doing right as
far as their ability and the social customs
of their neighbors would permit.
The temptation before the writer is. be-
cause OF its timeliness, to carry the above
thought further and endeavor to explain
why the negro is greater problem than
ever. But that question is somewhat apart
from the one intended for consideration.
The contentment of the oldtime negro is
merely a starting point for further re-
marks regarding our future government
OF the Philippines.
dare to predict that we shall not find
it difficult to govern the dark races that
have come under our protection in these
distant isles. This cheering thought is
uttered, however, with some mental reser-
vations that 1t may be well to set forth.
We must in all cases choose with the
most scrupulous care the men who will
govern them. Every government official
in these islands OF the sea will be a maker
OF history. II he should be cruel arbitrary
or forgetful that the rights of the dark
races in these new possessions ante date
ours by hundreds of years, the history he
will make will be shameful reading; for it
will tell of strong race, brutal because of
its strength, once more supplanting and
destroying a weaker race for the sake OF
land.
We must have as judges broad minded
men who will be quick to recognize in the
crimes and disputes and pleas OF these new
members OF cur great family, the influence
OF previous habits of thought and OF pre-
vious standards OF morals; and Who by
the passionate impulses of untamed ma
lures will make the new law and the new
order seem things OF worth instead of
mediums for further prosecutions.
Bearing in mind their original owner
ship of the land, every acre now belonging
to the natives of these islands must be so
recorded and its sale and transference so
rigidly held under the supervision of
honest government officials that the sim
pie owners shall not become the prey of
rapacious land -gra bbers Who, even in this
day, would be glad to repeat our own old
time frauds when good land was bartered
to us for very bad whiskey. Every man
who is defrauded will be centre OF dis
affection, and cause more trouble and ex-
pense than the most ella borate system of
land recording.
We must not only think OF these terri
tories as means OF extending trade, but
we must remember that We are set as a
nation for an increase OF human happiness
by means Of good government. If we fail
in producing the happiness OF the indi-
vidual, We fail in the most important
function OF progressive rule.
In short il We leave out heartlines in
the reading of the palm of the future, our
ctions will be biased and our end pos
sible calamity. Give these dependent ones
after centuries of oppression and heartess
repression a right to fair, just, generous
treatment and they will give US no trouble.
A great sigh of content will go up from
their over burdened shoulders when they
find that a change OF rules means the
equivalent OF a change from the darkness
OF despair to the dawn of hope. But If we
forget our duty, rebellions here and there
and discomfort everywhere, will keep
in turmoil of anxiety and, beyond all
that, prove US incapable any more of ad-
justing ourselves to new conditions.
One OF the most frequent questions with
which some OF Us are perpleNed is that
concerning 1.-The consent of the governed.
II that consent is to hc learned by an
actual intelligent vote, fifty years from
now " i'll be none too soon to look for ii.
But if the consent of the governed can
be learned by some other means other than
a vote, six months of proper admins
tration will show whether we have that
consent or not.
To make this point absolutely clear, let
me refer to home conditions. In the
United States the vast majority of the in
habitants never express their desires at
the ballot box. Their consent" is known
by the quietude with which they go about
their daily tasks and the contentment
with which they regard life as it is lived
on American soil.
Another urgent point brought forward
by Andrew Carnegie and others is that
colonial government must by its very
nature be contrary to the spirit of the
American republic. 1t must be borne in
mind that, if this be SO, then America is
untrue to itself every time it adjusts itself
Ia new c0ndit ions Vet we have hare at