The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-09-16

| was to be, but was not, with not tlVe | rounds of ammunition for the guns which we had, war was declared for hu- | manity's sake, and in twelve weeks | time two hundred and fifty thousand | men were mustered, equipped and | drilled, and a navy put upon the seas which has taught the world new les | son in naval construction, and by it's | achievements given higher value to American citizenship and made the l United States factor to be reckoned with in solving the problems of modern civilization.
 For centuries millions of Gods crea- | lures, our nearest neighbors on one | ocean, and far removed upon another, had been the sport and plaything of | dying monarchy, and under a pretense of government, the objects of old world plunder and oppression
 On other nations and races of men, the world around, the light of liberty had long since dawned, but in the hearts of those men hope seemed dead, and God was far away.
 Suddenly, while the great powers of Europe were engaged in an eager strife for Oriental trade, it seemed that the fullness of time had come when the Almighty would use this nation as His chosen instrument to carry to the isles of the sea the blessings of civil liberty and Christian civilization.
 And as I believe that under His guid- ing hand, our fathers came to these shores to do His will and work out His plans and purposes, so now I believe that He bids us plant our footsteps in the sea and hold for Him the peoples | over whom our flag now floats
 Self government and freedom to wor- ship God first found Judgment on the Atlantic coast.
 It pushed it's way across the prairies, climbed the mountain slopes, and looked out upon the Pacific. Trough all the earlier years, while claiming freedom for ourselves, we held a race in bondage, until amid the storm of war, He drove out slavery from the land.
 We reached out to the icy north, and now from her frozen sands, Alaska pours into our hints a wonderful stream of wealth.
 i Where is the foot of soil which this nation would willingly lose to-day?
 Six years ago, the descendants of he Pilgrims raised the flag of liberty over the Hawaiian Islands and a democrat ic president dragged it down.
 To-day, by two-thirds vote of both houses of congress, those islands are part of the national domain, and the picket guards of freedom are stationed in Porto Rico and Manila bay.
 Where is the republican, who follow ing democratic precedent, would order down the flag and withdraw these out posts of new and better civilization? | The question raised by our occupation of the islands conquered in the war is not one affecting our form of govern ment now but theirs and theirs only.
 It is question of whether these peo- pie are capable of self-government or whether they can ever attain to a con- dition which will render it possible.
 Democrats and Populists in both house and senate attempted to decide l this question in advance and to recog- nize the so-called republic of Cuba as the then existing government of that is- land and it was only after an all night contest between the two houses that a 1 declaration of our purpose was made l possible.
 It was known then, as 1t is to-day that no such government in fact exist ed
 So far as Cuba is concerned, there ! need be no doubt as to the republican l policy, for the house of representatives voted to instruct the president "to in tervene to stop the war in Cuba, to the intent and purpose of securing perma- nent peace and order there and estab- fishing by the free action of the people thereof, stable and independent gov ernment of their own in the island of Cuba"
 The senate resolution, which finally | (with the preposterous recognition clause stricken ouD became the action of congress, and received the approval of the president, declared that "the United States hereby disclams any dis position or intention to exercise sover- eighty or control over said island. ex- cept for the pacifcation thereof and asserts it's determination, when that is accomplished, to leave the government and control of the island to it's people |"
 Nothing has yet occurred to indicate that the policy herein set forth will not be honorably and strictly carried out
 Spain may cede to us the Philippines and Porto Rico but the inherent right of the people to self-government still | remains
 My own belief is, that whatever course of action is taken in regard to Cuba, will ultimately be applied to any other territory occupied by us during the war.
 It was not a war of conquest, but of freedom, and the one question to be de- termined in Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines alike, Is as to the social con- dition of the whole people. not the in- surgents only,and their fitness now or in the future, for independence or a CO., lonial system, if this should be their choice as I believe it will be, if we so act as to win their respect and confi- dence.
 do not believe that the approval of our own people could be secured to any plan of annexation to the United States on any basis involving representation in our legislative body
 To give them or any of them back to Spain for further pillage, murder or ra- pine, would be inhuman, and our own self-interest wholly forbids their control ) by other nations.
 , | Indeed one of the reasons given for l 3.o+n