The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-10-04

ed by a seven years war, was a mis-
1t has been said that our govern
ment, having overthrow the Spanish
authority in these islands, principle
of international law requires US to es-
tabliSh q government there which shall
be capable of maintaining itself at
home, and also of dealing with other
powers as member of the family of
nations.
7 know this has been said, but I also
know that it is disputed by good law
yers, who declare there is no such prin-
cfple of international law. The British
and some other despOtic nations that
believe only in force as the supreme
law, and scout the idea of consent as a
basis of government, have asserted that
so-called principle as a pretext for hold
ing weaker nations, races and people,
in SubjectiOn-but republics and other
governments ''of the people, by the peo-
pie and for the people, can never recog-
niZe such a principle, and therefore it
can not be esta blished as part of the
law of nations.
tribes, either with or without their con-
sent They have always governed
themselves-and the colonies, the states
and the federal government made many
treaties with them. The Indians and
the FilipinGs ought never to be men
toned in connection with EACH other
their cases are SO dissimilar. At the
settlement of jamestown, that part of
the North American continent now en-
braced in the United States and terri
tories was almost an uninhabited
waste-a race of hunters and trappers
roamed over it at wide distances. It
is doubtful if the total number exceed
ed half a million. The whites obtained
what title the Indians had to their
lands mostly by treaty, though often
unfairly. But we find the Philippines
densely settled by native population
largely agricultural and pursuing the
arts of peace in a quiet way, except as
IN Ter "a h. a "
erS that attempt their SubjugatiOn.
Under the principles of the Declaration
of Independence and the Monroe doc
trine we ought to be the very last ma
ton to engage in that kind of a task
with these simple people who live on
the other side OF the world, who never
did aught against US, until we treated
them as enemies and invaded their
countrywide assisted US in our war
with Spain, and whose only Offense now
is a desire for independence and a
manly struggle for it against great
odds
These islands are not valuable for
purposes of colonization Our people
can never colonize that region success
fully for the same reason that Great
Britain has never been able to colonize
India. Tt is too hot, and too densely in
habited by native population suited
to the climate. Luzon is not tWo-thirdS
the size of Kansas, but has nearly four
times our population. All the islands
together are not one and a half times
as large as Kansas, out It's native
population is estimated as eight to ten
millions 1t is as if Kansas had a popu-
lation of seven millions, ms cad of less
than one and q half milliorS-in that
case the state would not be viewed as
an inviting field for immigration.
Working people from the United States
are excluded from the Philippines by
the conditions existing and that they
must continue indefinitely, unless the
native population shall be eXterminated
by the presidents policy of benevolent
assimilation with fire and sword. This
might be possible. 1t would also have
a precedent in the dealings of Spain
with Cuba; and Otis or some other
American captain general might attain
as great distinction as Weyler-but still
the climate would remain.
THE Filipinos are not in rebellion
against our government unless they
owe allegiance TO US. They were not
born under our flag, they nave never
been naturalized, nor in any way ad-
mitted to citizenship. We have not even
the n-republican title by conquest to
assert over them. Spain claimed title
by conquest, but that claim was very
shadoWy, for Spain had little more than
naval and trading stations at a few
points along the coast. She never ruled
the F1ipInoS by their consent, and this
is the only sort of title that is good IN
der Republican ideas. Tom Reed says
we paid two dollars apiece for the Fill
pinOs, but the trouble is we paid the
purchase money to the wrong man, the
Spaniard. Our twenty millions were
paid for Spain's alleged right to gov
ern the FilipinOs without their consent
by a military despotism. We got a quit
claim from Spain, but it is not as good
a. quit claim deed from the holder
of a void tax-title, for there is no way
to get our money back, unless we fol-
low the example of Spain, by robbing
the poor islanders.
7 consider a foolish question, Who
shall haul our flag DOWN. although it
was put up by President Mckinley. The
same power that placed it there in tri-
umph can take it down with honor. Our
flag has been hauled down many times
by ourselves. It has hoated over Can
ada, Mexico and the Barbary States,
but was each time taken down. 1t now
floats over Cuba-but it must soon come
down, unless we fagrantly violate our
faith expressly plighted to the Cubans.
We plainly owe the same duty to the
Filipinos by a faith implieIy plighted
when we accepted them as allies in our
own war with Spain. 1t can not be
upheld there permanently without ma
tional diShOnor, and a wantOn disregard
of the principles upon which our gov
eminent was founded. The war begun
to hberate the CubanS from Spanish
oppression, is now carried on to subju-
gate the Filipinos and bring them I'M
der the yoke of the United States. We
have reversed our position with Spain,
and have become the oppreSSOr of an
unwilling people, with this in favor of
Spain, that she had ruled Cuba for CEN
turtles, while the Filipinos never owed
any allegiance to US. It is the first
time we ever played the role of the des-
pot We can not quit too soon.
1T may be that partisan spirit, in
f1uenced by greed and commercialisrn,
will attempt to justify this departure
from American principles, by the re-
nomination of Mr.. Mckinley as an in
dorsement of his Filipino war policy,
but unless that policy shall soon be
changed, Populists, Democrats and
those Republicans who place the honor
of their country above the success of