The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-31
Philippines and becomes "A man without a
On Lake Maxinkuckee.

country"
The phrase consent of the governed"
as used in the Declaration of Independence
relates only TO such peoples as are capable
OF self-government. If people are not
capable of instituting government that will
protect the equal rights OF all, then those
people have no right or power of consent
as TO how government shall be instituted.
In republican government the phrase con-
quiescence in the will of the majority. Who
is 1t that will say that the Filipinos are
to-day capable Of instituting and maintain
Ing republican government? Who will say
people that can submit public questions 10
a popular vote and then the whole body OF
the people abide the result? II is long
road that the Ffipinos must travel. and
uphill all the way before they arrive al
such a social condition and attain 10 such
a schooling in governmental matters that
they Will have an ingrained love of law and
order. and such an appreciation Of the
rights of life, liberty and property that they
can institute and maintain a just govern
ment deriving its powers from the consent
of the governed. Aguinaldo's authority is
not based on the consent of the governed
He is an autocrat a military dictator. The
Filipinos. not being capable of self-govern-
ment, Aguinaldo was not concerned about
their consent He could safely assume au-
tocratic powers and only have TO maintain
his authority against other aspiring Flip
inc military chieftains. The qualities which
our anti-expansionists so much admire in
the Filipino leaders are shown in the incl
dent of the disagreement between General
Luna and Aguinaldo. Luna was something
of an autocrat himself. and he made a visit
to the would-be chief 10 accommodate or
reconcile their differences TO his own view
OF the matters of contention, or make
Aguinaldo's life the forfeit of his noncom-
pliance. Aguinaldo anticipated him. inter-
cepted him near his ,Aguinaldo's) head
quarters by an armed party, and General
Luna has gone to the moon or somewhere
else, where he can no longer contest or
question Aguinaldo's authority 10 rule and
govern without the consent of the governed:
The Lincolnian idea of government Of
the people, by the people, for the people"
has no place in the minds of the people OF
the Orient. 1t is the high mission OF the
American people to give the people of the
East lessons in human rights and just gov
eminent Hoke Smith is authority for the
statement that the people Of the Southern
pansion, and that they base their Oppos-
ton TO the war with the Filipinos on the
fact that they are fighting for freedom as
freedom. Such is not the fact There is no
parallel The colonies had long had self
government, were possessed of the highest
capabilities for instituting and maintaining
Just and free government. The Filipinos.
for near 400 years, have been the degraded.
debased and ignorant subjects Of the Span
ISL monarchy. Under the centuries of Span
ish oppression the idea is imbedded in mind
and body that might is right, and that he
who has power and does not WELD il To his
own purposes, regardless of what we think
should be despised.
The insincerity of those Southern anti
expalsionists is manifested in their present
methods employed TO put millions Of the
citizens of those States under a constitu-
tional ban, denying them voice IN the
matters OF government. MiIions of colored
people in the South are not asked their
consent to the laws that govern them. In
those States where the law does not deny
the colored man voice in government vio-
lence and intimidation accomplish the pur-
pose of putting them under government
without their consent.
L do not refer to this action OF Southern
people to question its necessity or rightful-
ness. Their action is based upon the opin-
Ion that the masses of the colored people
In those States are not capable of intelli-
gently exercising the franchises Of freemen.
In this they are recognizing the principle
as Just and polite, on which the govern
ment of the United States is acting in Cuba,
Porto Rico and the Philippines
GEORGE w. ALLISON.
Nashville, Ind, JULY %