Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-10-26
IMPERIALISM A CRIME
McKinley's Philippine Policy De-
nounced by Carl Schurz.
Prerogatives of Congress UsurPed by
the Observation-Disclosures of Fill
pinos a Blot Upon Amer
lean Honor.


In Chicago, Tuesday, October II, was
opened by leading democrats and anti
imperialists from all over the union.
In the evening, at Central Music hall, a
large gathering listened to lengthy
address by Carl SchurZ, of which the
following is liberal digest:
More than eight months ago had the
honor of addressing the citizens OF chi
cago on the subject of American Imperial
ism. meaning the policy of anneXing 10
this republic distant countries ana amen
populations that viii not mt into our oeHo
cratic system of government dlScuSSeu
at that time mainly the baneful erect tne
pursuit of an imperialistic policy would
produce upon our political institutions
After long silence, during when nave
carefully reviewed my own opinions az
well as those of others in the Ight OF the
best information could obtain, shali
now approach the same subject from an
other point of view. We all know that the
popular mind is much disturbed by the
Philippine war and that, however highly
we admire the bravery of our soldiers, no
body processes to be proud of the war itself
There are few Americans who do not
frankly admit their regret that this war
should ever have happened L think risk
nothing when 1 say that it is not merely
the bungling conduct of military opera
tions but a serious trouble of consciences
that distTbs the American heart about
this war, and that this trouble OF cons
science will not be allayed by a more sue
cessful military campaign, just as 80 years
ago the trouble of conscience about slav-
cry could not be allayed by any COM
promise.
MANY people now, as the slavery COM
promisers did then, try to ease their minds
BY saying: Well, are in it, and now
we must do the best we cam In spite of
the obvious futility of this cry in some
respects, will accept it with the one pro-
%Eak 10 hAn off ~
ascertain what really is the best We can
do. To this end let us first clearly remem-
Der what has happened.
I'm April. 1898, we went to war with Spain
for the avowed purpose of iiberating the
people of Cuba, who had long been strug-
Cling for freedom and independence. Our
object in that war was clearly and en-
phatically proclaimed by solemn reso-
luton of congress repudiating all inten-
ton of annexation on our part, and declar-
ing that the Cuban people are. and of
right ought to be. free and independent.
This solemn declaration was made to do
justice to the spirit of the American peo-
pie, who were indeed willing to wage
war of liberation but would not have con-
scented to a war of conquest. 1t was also
to propitiate the opinion of mankind for
our action President Mckinley also de-
clared with equal solemnity that annexa-
ton by force could not be thought of, be-
cause, according to our code of morals. 1t
would be criminal aggression
Purely a War of Liberation.
Can it justly be pretended that these
declarations referred only to the island
of Cuba? What would the American peo-
pie. what would the world have said, IL
congress had resolved that the Cuban peo-
pie were rightfully entitled to freedom
and independence, but that to the people
of other Spanish colonies we recognized no
such right. and if President Mckinley had
declared that the forcible annexation of
Cuba would be criminal, but that the
forcible apnexation of other Spanish COL
onies would be righteous act? A general
outburst OF protest from our own people,
and of derision and contempt from the
whole world would have been the answer.
No. there can be no cavil-that war was
proclaimed to all mankind to be a war of
liberation, and not of conquest, and even
now our very imperiaIists are still boast
ing that the war was prompted by the most
unse.hsh and generous purposes, and that
those insult US who do not believe it.
in the course of that war Commodore
Dewey, by a brilliant feat of arms, de-
Stroyed the Spanish fleet in he harbor
of Manila. This did not change tbs her
aided character of the war-certainly MOI
IN Dewey'S own opinion. The Filipinos
constituting the strongest and foremost
tribe of the population of the archipelago
had long been fighting for freedom and
independence, just as the Cubans had.
Inc great mass of the other islanders
Sympathized with them. They fought for
the same cause the Cubans, and they
fought against the same enemy-the same
enemy against whom we were waging our
war of humanity and liberation. They had
the same title to freedom and independence
which We recognized of right in the Gu
bans-nay, more; for, as Admiral Dewey
telegraphed to our government, they are
far superior in their intelligence and more
capable OF self-government than the ma
tives of Cuba The admiral adds: Il am
familiar with both races and further in
tercourse with them has confirmed me in
this opinion
Indeed, the mendacious stories spread
by our imperiaIists, which represent those
people as barbarians, their doings as mere
savagery, and their chiefs as no better
than 'c1t-throats,' have been refuted by
such a mass of authoritative testimony
coming in part from men who are them
selves imperialists, that their authors
should hide their heads in shame; for sure
iy, 1t is not the part of really brave men to
calumniate their victims before sacrificing
them.
Recognized as Allies.
Now, whether there was or not any for
mai compact of alliance signed and sealed,
no candid man who has studied the official
documents will deny that in point of fact
the Fflipfnos, having been desired and in
Vfted to do so. were. before the capture of
Manila. acting, and were practically rec
ogniZed, as our allies, and that as such
they did effective service, which we ac-
eepted and profited by. This is an indis-
putable fact. proved by the record 1t is
an equally indisputabIe fact that dur
that period the Filipino government
constantly and publicly, so that no
body could plead ignorance of i.
or misunderstood it, informed the
world that their object was the achieve
ment of national independence, and that
they believed the Americans had come in
good faith to help them accomplish that
end, as In the case OF Cuba. 1t was weeks
after various proclamations and other pub
lie utterances of Aguinaldo to that effect
that the correspondence between him and
Gen. Anderson, which 1 have quoted took
place, and that the useful services of the
Filipinos as our allies were accepted. 1t
is, further, an indisputabie fact thai dur
ing this period our government did not in
form the Fflipinos that their fond ex-
pectatfons as to our recognition of their
independence were mistaken. Our secre-
tary of state did. indeed, on June is write
to Mr.. Pratt. our consul general at Singa-
pore. that our government knew the Phil
ippine insurgents not indeed as patriots
struggling for liberty and who, like the
Cubans. are, and of right ought to be- in
dependent but merely as 'discoutented
and rebellious subjects of SPAIN who. IL
we occupied their country in consequence
of the war, would have to yield US due
obedience And other officers of our gov
eminent were instructed not to make any
promises to the Filipinos as to the future
But the Fflipinos themselves were not so
informed. They were left to believe that
while fighting in cooperation with the
American forces, they were fighting for
ina CINE that the government of the great
American republic, while boasting of hav-
ing gone to war with Spain under the ban
ner of liberation and humanity in behalf
of Cuba, was capable of secretly plotting
to turn that war into one for the conquest
and subjugation of the Philippines.
Natives Ordered to Fall Back.
ssRut lust that WAS to hammer Az soon