The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-12-05


This year has been crowded with his
tory and crowded with glory. 1t is
also, 10 my mind, crowded with dang
err The flag of Spain, formerly the
proudest Power on earth since the day
of the Roman empire, has gone down
in darkness and in blood before the
victorious navy and army of the United
States. The flag of the United States
has arisen in the Eastern sky like a
new constellation. Let Us not accept
the duties and responsibilities OF this
victory in any temper of vulgar vain
glory, still less of vulgar greed OF
power or of gain. The United States
comes to these oppressed people, east
and west, as a great deliverer. To deal
with this great occasion by taking
about coaling stations and trade ad-
vantages degrades and belitrles 1t. we
have not oyerthrown Spain, we nave
not periled the precious lives OF our
sons, that we may add to our posses
sions, or that We may make money out
of our new relations.
But yet the first duty Of the Amerl-
can people is to themselves, and when
say this | say it in no spirit or sell
iShneSs or of Indifference to the wei
fare of mankind. On the contrary, L
believe that the highest service the
American people can render TO man
kind and to liberty is to preserve I'M
stained and unchanged the republic as
il came to us from the fathers. 1t is
by example and not by guns or by
bayonets that the great work of Amer
lea for humanity is to be accomplished.
And in my opinion we are today in a
great danger-a greater danger than
we have encountered since the Pilgrims
landed at Plymouth The danger is
that we are TO be transformed from
republic founded on the Declaration OF
independence, guided by the cOunsels
of Washington-the hope of the poor,
the refuge of the oppressed-into
vulgar, commonplace empire founded
upon physical force, controlling sub
ject races and vassal states, in which
inevitably one class must for ever rule
and other classes must for ever obey.
l for one am not dazzled by the ex-
ample of England The institutions of
England, which have enabled her to
govern successfully distant colonies
and subject states, are founded. as Mr..
Gladstone pointed out, on the doctrine
of inequality. Our institutions are
founded ON the doctrine of equality. If
we are to outstrip England in national
power, it must be by pursuing our own
path and not by following hers. Why,
lelIO" We are
utteranceS from the platform and from
the press, and, | am sorry to say, from
the pulpit, which show how already
our old constitutional restraints and
our old doctrines of freedom are being
forgotten.
1t is said that Porto Rico is already
ours. 1t may be that Porto Rico is to
become ours. But there is no authority
under the constitution of the United
States to acquire any foreign territory
save by a treaty approved by the Sen
ate by a two-thirds vote, or by AN act
of legislation in which the President,
the House of Representatives and the
Senate must unite We are told that
it is proposed to purchase 100000 OF
people and thousand islands, 10000
miles away from this spot where we
are gathered. But under what doctrine
ever yet heard on the soil of America
are peoples, men, women, and chi dren,
TO be bought and sold like sheep?
1t is said that the Philippine Islands
are already ours by the right of con-
quest. For one | deny this alleged
right of conquest Human beings
men, women, children, peoples-are
not to be won as spoils of war or prizes
in battle. 1t may be that such a dec
trine finds place in the ancient and
barbarOuS laws of war. But it has no
place under the American constitution.
1t has no place in the code Of morals
of the people of the United States. I
have stated elsewhere the considera-
tons which III my judgment warrant
ed the acquisition of Hawaii. Hawaii
came to us with the consent of her
own government, the only government
capable Of maintaining itself there for
any considerable length of time. In
the case of the Philippines we are
asked to subject a nation and to hold
1t IN subsection. We get them by con-
quest and hold them by force In the
case Of the Sandwich Islands, we get
them by compact made with their law
ful government.
Some of our good friends have said,
thoughtlessly, in their zeal, that where
the American flag goes it must st Y.
But surely they cannot wish to commit
the country 10 that doctrine. We
planted it in the City of Mexico, bu-
no man demanded it should stay there.
If the war goes on, we shall plant il on
the coast of Spain, but we have no de-
sire to hold permanent domination
there.
If the Philippine Islands become
ours, then under the late decision Of
the Supreme Court every child here
dLttI ubiu II jnSm becomes an Am III
can citizen, free to come. free TO go.
Are you going to hold them as subects2
Taxation and representation not going
together. all men not created free and
equal to live under the American flag.
Are YOU going to have a subject people.
without trial by jury, without habeas
corpus, governed not by their own leg
fslative assemblies. but by praetOrTs
and prOcOnsuls? Are you going to
enter into the struggle and scuffle fOl'
power in the eastern hemisphere. with
its necessity for intrigue and barg7in
and secret diplomacy? Are ven going
TO abolish the right of the Senate TO
concur in treaties, or the right or Con-
greSS to declare war and make peace?
To maintain itself in that struggle.