Washington sentinel., 1898-12-17

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common place empire founded oi
physical force. for one am no
dazzled by the example ofEngland
The institutions of England whicl
have enabled her to govern sue
cessfully distant colonies and sub
! iect States are founded, as Mr.
Gladstone stated, on the doctrine
Of inequality. Our institutions
are founded on the doctrine o.
equality. II we are TO outstrip
England in national power, it musI
be by pursuing our own paths and
not by following hers. There is
not a single Republic in the world
which has gained any advantages
financial or otherwise from its
colonial possessions. France with
her colonies loses eighty-three
million francs a year, but still she
is forced to retain them on account
Of her pride.
1t is said that the Philippines are
already ours. This is not so, and
there is no authority under the
Constitution tor 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 Legislation in which the
President, the House Of Represen-
tatives and the Senate must unite.
II is claimed that the Philippines
are already ours by right Of con-
quest. Have we conquered the
insurgents7 Will not thousands
Of our boys be sacrificed in such a
contesta Human beings-men,
women, children--peoples are not
TO be won as spoils OF war or prizes
in battle. 1t may be that such
doctrine finds place in the ancient
and barbarous laws OF war, but it
has no place under the American
Constitution and in the code OF
morals of our people. In the case
OF the Philippines, are we no. asked
to subject a nation and to hold it
in subiection2 Dove not get them
from conquest and hold them by
force2 Is tina republicanism1
Can we avoid, if we should ac-
quire this territory, repudiatng
the wise advice of the fathers OF
the republic and keep clear Of en-
tangling alliances with other ma
tions? Why reach out our arms
nine thousand miles beyond the
limits OF our present territory;
endanger our peace, imperil our
security and invite those present
conditions which all the great lead.
ers of thought OF our nation have
warned us against Why not heed
the voice of Washington when he
said: "Why leave our own to stand
upon foreign ground2 Why by
Interviewing our destiny with any
other part of Europe, entangle our
peace and prosperity in the intri-
CUES of European ambition, rival
ship, interest, humor or caprices"
Imperialism means government
without the consent Of the gov
erned. It means taxa ion without |
representation, it means the very
things against which the Declara-
ton Of Independence demonstrated
ana against which our fathers rose |
in revolution. If the Philippine
Islands become our own then,
under the late decision of the Sup
RENE Court, every child hereafter
born in them becomes an Ameri" |
can citizen, free to come, Tree to
go. Are we going to hold them
as subjects2 Are we going to have
the national tax gatherer the most
frequent and the best known visit
ant to every American house7 Are
we going to increase manifold the |
national debit Are we going to
saddle the war tax permanently |
upon our peopleP What is TO be-
come Of the Chinese immigration
lawsp These things are involved in
this wild and impassioned cry for
empire. Are the American people |
going to submit to such transfor-
nation? Shall we surrender the
Monroe Doctrine, a doctrine that
has proven so beneficial to our
national peace and security? Shall |
we abandon a principle which has
challenged the respect and COM
manded the admiration Of the aTro-
CANT. watchful powers OF EuroPep !
Shall we again open wide the door
OF this hemisphere to foreign intri-
que and aggressiona To annex !
these islands will upset all the safe
guards of the Monroe Doctrine by |
our own departure from its princi-
pies. Surely this cannot be the
evidence Of wisdom, nor the lnau-