The record-union., 1898-08-30
Weather Forecast.
For Northern California-Fair Tuesday;
brisk northwest wind.
THECONSENT OF THE GOVERNED

THECONSENT OF THE GOVERNED
Ultra-sensitive Americans are pleased
to cast into the faces of their fellows
the reproach that in annexing Hawaii
in taking Porto Rico and any part OF
the Philippines and Ladrones, we are
violating the letter and spirit Of oul
fundamental doctrine that right of gov
eminent springs alone from the Tree
consent of the governed.
That relates wholly to the consent q
the governed after they come into oul
political system, and has no reference
whatever to the taking of territory as
the penalty of war, or the reward OF
and compensation for costly victory.
Nor has it any reference to territory
coded by the lawful act of it's govern
ment That is invariably held to be
representative Of the people governed
We have in no instance sought the pre-
consent of the people of any territory
We have acquired. We purchased
Alaska from Russia, not only without
the consent of the subjects Of Russia
residing in that territory, but with
out the knowledge of the mass Of
them. We acquired California, Ari-
iona, Utah, Nevada and parts Of New
Mexico and Colorado as the reward Of
the war with Mexico, without any con-
sultation whatever with the very large
population Of those sections, without
their consent, and indeed in the face
of open defiance, the bitter opposition
and hot resentment by many of them.
In fact, we paid no heed whatever to
their protestations, and no one claimed
that we were offending against a
fundamental principle Of free govern
ment, of which we claim to be the
leading exponent.
Every foot Of the territory west Of
the Allegheny Mountains we acquired
without the consent of the people living
IN the region, and against the expressed
wishes Of quite large body Of them.
We consulted only the power exercis-
ing dominion over them. Louisiana
had very large and highly civilized
population when we dickered for and
bought it. yet we gave no thought
whatever to the wishes Of the people
living in that territory, and did not
take any pains to gain their consent.
Yet no man in all the land holds that
we violated the American doctrine. On
the contrary, the purchase and annex
alton have been looked upon as be-
nignant and magnanimous, and as be-
slowing upon the people blessings and
benedictions.
Florida we acquired in much the same
way; consent was not asked Of the
people In all these cases we now
have the consent Of the governed, but
it came after the acquisition. In the
cases of Hawaii and Porto Rico, clearly
we have the glad preconsent Of the
people, though we have not asked it,,
and by no precedent or rule of action
was 1t required.
We apprehend that within five years
Americans win find in these new pos
sessions of the Republic strong love for
the flag and deep devotion to freedom,
such as Is manifest in the States them
selves. Porto Rico and Hawaii will
sing our songs, praise our institutions
and fight our battles as promptly as
our people Of the continent. For 1t is
a remarkable fact that in all history
there is to be found no record Of a
nation that so rapidly assimilates peo-
pies: that so easily and with such lit
tie friction converts the alien into the
natriotic citizen and friend as the
United States
Liberty, justice, mercy, tolerance
free speech and free press power
fully impress a people to whom these
institutions under monarchies have be n
little known. The radical change from
servitude TO manhood sovereignty, from
the COW Of intolerance to the freedom
and manliness Of liberty Of conscience,
voice and person, works wonderful
transformation. If we take and keep
any part of the Philippines we will find
much the same results in time. Nat
ura1ly the period will be much longer,
the friction meanwhile greater, and the
task far more Iaborious. We have
had nothing to do with the Malay, the
oriental savage, nor the lazy, listless,
revengefuI. sluggish aborigine Of the far
South Pacific isles. Our experiments
with them may call for new processes,
and there may never be high success,
hut assuredly the conditions of the peo
nile we are now to take under our wing
an the Orient cannot be worse than
those they now endure under Spanish
tyranny. neglect and oppression, while
we know of a certainty that they will
he vastly improved, and that even IN
the savage breast the seeds OF manly
freedom and personal independence I'M
der law may be sown, with the we'll
huoyed hope of an eventful harvest
of beneficence.
James G. Mcguire, in Congress, on
.ha 18th of last February, said:
.arbere is but one cure for business de-
nression. there is no other; that is TIE
s.reIe tax" Do the farmers want him