The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-05-16
A HERMIT AMONG TIE NATIONS.

At the Vance Memorial church, at Al
tenhelin. last evening, the pastor Rev.
c. B. Austin. delivered q timely and
thoughtful discourse from his theme,
1.-THE Mission OF the United States In
the orient,or the Meaning OF the Amer
lean Colors at Manila" The reverend
speaker sought TO convey the idea that
the United States must now deal with,
a new questionable conquest OF the
Philippines. and give the people OF those
Islands the blessings OF civil and relIg-
ious liberty demanded for Cuba; nrgu-
Ing that the OF humanity de-
manded American Intervention In both
instances.
~ believe we are living in the most
important era OF the worlds history,
not even excepting the Christian era,"
said Mr.. Austin. 1T Is an age which
triot. I'm particularly interested In the
present events. because I believe that
the special providence which guided the
aikaAAo "a thiU pu5ttN VIII bhluU klG pEeb-
ent. America 10 now at the forks OF the
road. She Is confronted with the prob
lem OF whether she shall assume colo
international complications"
Continuing, Rev. Mr.. Austin said
there was n certain amount OF RESPONSE
bility on America, and she must learn
that she can't live as q hermit any lon
Dar Che bol IN ipiarfara 1vtth kdo c,o, I.
ish government OF Cuba, and where she
had q right to Interfere, where does her
responsibility end? II she had a right to
interfere In Cuba, has she a right to In
terfere In the Philippines? These cues.
lions ask for answer considering the
present state OF affairs, and America Is
now forced to deal with them. The time
OF apathy has gone by.
The history OF the Philippines was
traced from their conquest In the fif-
tenth century, through their different
stages OF conquest by Spain. The lar
gest Of the Islands is Luzon. Their COM
mercial interests are worth much, prob
ably $50, 1000, 900 year. Rev. Mr.. Austin
also elaborated upon Manila, and upon
the pecullarities Of the natives OF the
Islands. Earthquakes and volcanoes are
not OF infrequent occurrence, but the
devastations. from the earthquakes are
not SO serious because houses are built
in accordance with what might be e1-
pected.
Manila Is a city of cigars, earth
quakes and intolerance. with a people
who SOW the rice in their fields to the
music OF viollns. The people are happy,
happy In the history of the past. and
poetical. Mohammedism, Confucfsm,
Brahmanism and later Catholic Chris
tianity, oil OF the different religions they
have embraced. The love Of ancestors
Is characteristic of the natives, a fact
that can be traced to the heather relig-
ions. but the Catholic religion has part
~ turned 1t into worship Of the Virgin
Mary. They are fond of music and
cock-fghting. They are llght-hearted
and poetical, and though clinging to
barbarism In some forms. give one the
impression that much may be hoped
from them.
Colonel Ingersoll once said that Spain
suffered from too much religion, re-
marked Mr.. Austin. But Spain has done
something for Manila. The city boasts
OF, q daily paper, and some schools.
SPAIN, however, Is always consistent.
and to-day Is as she was four centuries
ago. She cruelty taxed the natives OF
the Philippines, and tortured them. The
natives found It advisable to form se-
cret societies, and arose In Instruction.
while Spain found 1t advisable to tax
the natives more to put down the insur-
gents. The same inhuman practices in
Cuba were repeated by SpaiI. In the
Philippines.
We must interfere in the Philippines,
argued Mr.. Austin, the same as we are
doing with Cuba, II we intend to be
consistent. The speaker didn't think It
profitable for ministers to deal with
politics, but this was q matter deeper
than politics. The United States should
do something for the people OF the
Philippines. The United States owes
something to these islands. OF the sea. II
should see that some Of the larger bless
lngs Of civil and religious liberty e aIoy-
ed for over a century Is given TO slug
Cling peoples. 1t mag not be good pol
ley to break away from the traditions
of the past. that was q question pollti-
clans could settle, but America could
bestow q rich heritage on these Is
lands. 1t could bestow the English Ian
guage, American Ideas, and the Bible.
1t will not do to wait for Europe, Amer
lea must do It. America may some day
get an overthrow. but It will not be
from the disnensation OF civil and re-
liglous liberty.
In concluding his argument for Amer
lean Interference In the Philippines,
Rev. Mr.. Austin hoped for not only
commercial and colonial conquest, but
also moral and religious. Their distance
from America. he said. was not OF any
great consequence in these days OF nav
igation facilities. and he believed It was
the duty of the United States to give Its
attention toward the betterment of the
welfare Of the people OF the Philippines.