Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-08-17
A Man With Convictions.

In last weeks Independent William ].
Bryan clearly and comprehensively ex-
presses his opinions in regard to the
relations of this country with the Phil
ippine Islands, as fol ows;-
The Philippine question is important
because fundamental principles are inyoly-
ed 10 its discussion. There are two sources
of government, force and consent Mon
arches are founded upon force. republics
upon consent. The Declaration of INDIE
pendence asserts that governments derive
their lust powers from the consent of the
governed, and this is the doctrine to which
we have adhered for more than century.
II is the doctrine which has distinguished
us from European countries and has made
our nation the hope of humanity. The
statue in New York harbor typifies the
nations mission Ii the doctrine set forth
in the Declaration of Independence is
sound, how can we rightfully acquire
sovereignty over the Philippines by war
of conquest If the doctr ne set forth in
the Declaration of Independence is sound,
how can we rightfully purchase sovereignty
ON a Spanish sovereign whose title we
disputed in Cuba and whose rebellious
subjects we armed in the Philippines In
the resolution of Intervention Congress de-
cIared that the Cubans were and of right
ought to Oe free. Why Because govern
ments derive their just powers from the
consent of the governed, and Spain had
refused to respect the wishes of the Cubans
If the Cabans were and of right ought to
be free, why not the FlIipinos In the
beginning of the Spanish war Congress
denied that our nation had any thought of
extending its territory by war. If we then
had no Thought of securing by conquest
new territory in the Western Hemisphere,
why should we now think of securing in
the Eastern Hemisphere new races for
subiugation An individual may live a
double life when only one life is known.
When both lives are known he can lead only
one life and that the worst A republic
cannot enter upon colonial policy. 1t
cannot advocate government by consent at
home and government by force abroad.
The Declaration of Independence will lose
its value when we proclaim the doctrine,
familiar in Europe but detestable here, that
governments are round 10 shape, about
thirteen inches in diameter and fred out f
cannon Fol more than a century this
nation has been travelling along the path
way which leads from the low domain of
might to the lofty realm of right, and its
history has been without a parallel in the
annals of recorded time. What will be
our fate if we turn backward and begin
the decent toward force and conquest? It
is not sufficient to say that the forcible an
nextion of the Philippine Islands is a
benevolent undertaking, entered upon for
the good of the Filipinos. Lincoln pointed
out that this has always been the argument
of kings. To use his words: They always
bestrode the necks of the people, not that
they wanted to do it, but because the peo-
pie were better off for being ridden 1t is
surprising that any believer in self-govern-
ment should favor f0rcible annexation. but
still more surprising that any one believing
10 the Christian religion should favor the
snbst tntion of force for reason in the
of our nations influence. II
we adopt the gunpowder gospel in the
Philippines how long will it be before that
will be tTansplanted In American
soil ? So long as our arguments are adj
dressed to The reason and the heart our
progress is sure, but can we without danger
to Christianity resort to the ancient plan of
Injecting religion into the body through
bullet holes The question is frequently
asked What can we do? Over two months
elapsed between the signing of the treaty
and the beginriDg OF hostiliiies in the
During that time the Fresi-
lent and Congress might have given to the
the same assurance of independ-
snee that was given to the Cubans. Such
assurance would have prevented bloodshed
If the doctrine of self-government is sound,
he Filipinos are entitled to govern them
selves, and the President can now promise
hem independence as soon as stable
government can be established. If the
President is not willing to take the respon-
sibility of enforcing the doctrine set forth
ia the Declaration of Independence, he can
;alI Congress together and let it take the
a special session would be
Iese expensive than the war, not to speak
1f the principles involved Our nation is
the republics of South America
from outward interference while they work
out their destiny. We can extend the
same doctrine to the FIiIpinos and save the
Inhabitants from foreign yoke; we can
guard them from mOlestatioD while they
develop a republic in the o emit They
will be our friends instead OF our enemies;
we can send school teachers to Manila
instead of soldiers, and the world will
know that there is reality in the theory of
promulgated at Independence
Hall and defended by the blood OF the
fathers