Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-01-12

riety in race and diversity In
government. The imperialists do not
desire to clothe the Filipinos with all
the rights and privileges of American
citizenship; they want to exercise SOW
ereignty over an alien race and they
expect to rule the new subjects upon
theory entirely at variance with con-
stitutional government Victoria is
queen OF Great Britain and empress Of
India; shall we change the title of our
executive and call him the president of
the United States and the emperor of
the Philippines?
The Democratic party stood for the
money OF the constitution in 1895; it
stands for the government OF the con-
stitution now. 1T opposed an English
financial policy in 1896; 1t opposes an
English colonial policy now. Those who
In 1896 were in favor of turning the
American people over to the greed OF
foreign financers and domestic trusts
may now be willing to turn the Flip
mos over to the tender merces of mill
tary governors and carpet-bag officials
Those who in 1896 thought the people
of the United States too weak to at
tend to their own business may now
think them strong enough to attend to
the business of remote and alien races;
but those who in 1896 fought for indie
pendence for the American people will
not now withhold independence from
those who desire it elsewhere.
Has Familiar Ring.
ave are told that the Flipnos are
not capable of self-g government; that
has familiar ring. Only two years
ago l heard the same argument made
against very respectable minority of
the people of this country. The money
oaners, who coerced borrowers did IL
upon that theory; the employers who
coerced their employees did 1t for the
same reason. Self-government in
creases with participation in govern
ment. The Filipinos are not far enough
advanced to share in the government
of the people of the United States, but
they are competent tp cavern. them
selves. 1t is not fair to compare them
with our own citizens because the
American people have been educating
themselves in the science of govern
inent for nearly three centuries, and
while we have much to learn we have.
already made great Improvement. ) I4S
F'ilipinos will not establish q perfect
government but they will establish a
government as nearly perfect as they
are competent to enjoy and the United
States can protect them from molesta-
ton from without.
1.-THE Republicans of Illinois, of course
will not expect the Filininos ia select
legislature equal to the last Repub-
lican legislature in fidelity to the pub
lie welfare. Illinois became a state
nearly century ago and the legislature
which enacted the Allen law was, as it
were, the fipehed fruit of long expert
ence. Give the Filipinos time and OPP
portunity and while they never will
catch up with us, unless we cease to
improve, yet they may some day stand
where we stand now.
Keyhole of the Adlninistration.
What excuse can be given for the
adoption Of a colonial policy? Secre-
| tary Gage disclosed the secret in his
| Savannah speech. / think we might be
justified in calling Mr.. Gage the key
hole of the administration because we
look through him to learn what is go
ing on within the executive council
chamber. He suggested that 'philan-
thropy and per cent would go hand
in hand in the nav venture. These are
the two arguments which are always
used in favor of conquests. Philan-
thropy and 5 per cent. The one chloro-
forms the conscience of the cnnQuerer
and the other picks the pocket of the
| conquered.
"Some say that philanthropy demands
that we govern the Filipinos for their
| own good while others assert that we
must hold the Islands because OF the
pecuniary profit to be derived from
| them. l deny the soundness Of both
arguments. Forcible annexation will
not only be criminal aggression Ito Dor
row Mr.. McKinley's language of year
| ago. but it will cost more than it is
| worth, and the whole people WI pay
| the cost While few viii reap all the
| benefits.
| Still weaker is the argument based
upon religious duty. The Christian re-
ligion rests upon the doctrine of yicayi-
| GUS suffering and atonement; the CO.
lonial policy rests upon the doctrine of
| vicarious enjoyment.
Two Ways to Put 1t,
When the desire to steal becomes UNI
controllable in an Individual he is de-
clared to be kleptomaniac and is sent
to an asylum; when the desire to grab
\ -NA~ oSkoihSo III d udIlOl
we are tos1l that the currents Of destiny
are flowing through the hearts of men
and that the american people are en-
tering upon their manifest mission.
Shame upon logic which locks ur
the petty offender and enthrones grand
larceny. Have the people returned to
the worship of the golden calf? Have
they made unto themselves new com.
- - consistent with the sniri,
of conquest and the lust for empire
Is Thou shalt not steal upon small
scale to be substituted for the law o
Moses?
awake, Oh. ancient Law-Giver
Awake. Break forth from thine un
marked sepulchre and speed thee bacl
to the cloud crowned summit of Noun
Sinai: commune once more with tn
God Of our fathers and proclaim agai
the words engraven upon the tables c
stone-the law that was. the law tina
is today-the law that neither individ
ual nor nation can violate with impun
, ity."
E Tanning the Zebra.
! A curious detail of the African que.
ton is engaging the interest OF natura
I lists. 1t appears that one OF the Germa
I colonists-Lieutenant Won Schellendor
0 believes that he has succeeded
!. tanning the zebra. He asserts that
II | -, Soia 70