The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-19

I
he received this information direct from
! the Almighty or if at second hand
what Republican endowed with the gif
/ of prophecy has revealed it. As the
! president himself is responsible for ev-
! cry act upon which authority in the
/ Philippines is based, he ought to be
able to defend his course by argument
: or else give conclusive proof of his in
! spiratiOn.
The president dictated the terms OF
| the treaty Why did he provide indie
| pendence for Cuba and for the cessiOn
or the Phl1pp1ne Islands to the United
States? Why did he promise independ-
ence to the Cubans and only ''benevo-
lent assimilation" to the FilipinOS
| Congress was in session for nearly three
months after the treaty was signed. If
he had desired the Independence of the
FiIipinOS he could have asked authority
to promise it. But instead of asking
authority, the influence OF the admin
istratiOn was used to defeat the Bacon
resolution.
INCONSISTENT POLICY.
According to the resolution OF inter-
ventiOn, the people of Cuba ARE, and of
right ought to be, free; according to
the presidents theory, the FilipinOs are,
and of right ought to be. subjects.
When did Providence point out this dis
tinctiOn between the rights of the Gu
bans and the rights of the FilipinOs?
Must We hold the Philippine Islands
permanently because Dewey destroyed
Spanish fleet at Manila? Schley de-
strOyed a Spanish fleet at Santiago, and
I see the president promised the Cubans
independence. Must we remain per
manently in the Philippines because
American blood was shed there? Amer
lean blood was shed at Juan Hill and at
FL Caney, and yet the president prom
ised independence to the Cubans.
Must we hold the Philippines per-
manently because the American flag
has been raised over them? The Amer
lean flag was raised over Havana the
1St OF January last, and yet the presi-
dent has promised to haul it down as
soon as the flag of a Cuban Republic
is ready to rise in its place. Must we
hold the Philippine Islands permanent
ly because the people are not capable
OF self government? Admiral Dewey,
in communicating with our government,
asserted that t5Na FilipinOs are far more
capable Of government than the
Cubans, and yet the president has
promised independence to the Cubans.
RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE.
Clay, in defending the right of the
people OF South America to self-gOVern-
ment administered a telling blow to
the doctrine that God made a few to
exercise authority and the rest to be
servants to the few. He said:
1T is the doctrine of thrones that the
man is too ignorant to govern himself.
Their partSdnS assert his incapacity
in reference to all nations. If they
can not command universal assent to
the proposition, it is then remanded to
particular nations, and our pride and
our presumption too often make con-
NefLS OF US L contend t6aJ IT IS TO
arrafgn the dispositions of Providence
himself to suppose that he has created
beings incapable of governing them
selves and to be trampled on by kings.
Self government is the natural govern
ment Of man"
After more than a century of conten-
tiOn for the rights of man. our nation,
under the leadership of the Republican
party, is asked to turn its face back
toward the barbarOus doctrine that
might makes right.
The president says it does not seem
desirable Tor hlTn to recommend at this
time specific and final form of gov
for the Philippine Islands" He
however, describes in detail the govern
that it is notable begin
ming and points to it as being deserving
of special consideration. He says that
the people of that island adopted a con-
stitutiOn looking to the establishment
of popular government, but that it
was impossible to guarantee to the peO-
pie of NegrOs that the constitution of
the United States would be the ultimate
form Of their government, because such |
a question was, under the treaty, left |
to congress.
The government now in operation
there is military government, insti- |
tuted by military authority and pre- !
sided over by a military governor, who !
Is in turn, under the military governor !
Of the Philippine Islands, who, in turn, |
acts under the direct authority of the
president. As the military governor I
judges and other officers and |
has final vote on all legislation. sub |
iect only to the will of the military gov |
7rnOr of the whole Philippine Islands. it |
s evident that we are giving the people |
Of Negros. not such government as
we enjoy, but such a government as we |
think they ought to have.
The flag does not mean in the Phil |
ppines what it means in the United /
States. Here it stands for self govern
nent; there for military despottsm. If
his is the form of government for peO-
Die who. according to the president,
'unreSerVedly proclaimed allegiance to
he United States" what is to be the
liberty guaranteed to those who have
esisted our sovereignty? The president
ays that the future government of the
Philippine Islands rests with congress, /
md adds that few graver responsible /
les have ever been confded to us"
Certainly few graver questions have
ver fallen to US for solution
If congress undertakes the perma-
lent government of the Philippine Is
ands it will enter upon the work which
,arliament undertook for the American
olOnies and the Spanish Cortez for
cuba. If congress attempts to carry
he fag beyond the limits of the con-
and to govern subject peoples
~ arbitrary power. 1t will mark an
pooh in American history and a depar-
ure from the doctrines set forth in the
Declaration of Independence.
Before we invest this doctrine with
he sanctity of a divine command we
hOuld examine the credentials of those
Who assume to speak with authority
rom above. If our fOrefathers relied
pOn the aid of Jehovah when they re-
listed the doctrine of taxation without
representation. who shall say that the
anne Interchangeable God leads US to
Orce the same OdiOus doctrine upon a
istant people simply because they are
Inferior to US in civilization and weaker
n physical strength?
The president says that the islands
are ours by every title of law and
quity." Does he rely upon a title Sc
ured by conquest, or upon a title Sc
ured by purchase from Spanish
monarch to whose rebellious subjects !