The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-08-10
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A Groundless Charge.

Democrats of the State says that the
Republican party is turning it's back
upon the Declaration of Independence,
and W. j. Bryan says that that same
party is forgetting the great principle
laid down in our constitution, that all
lust government is derived from
the. consent of those governed.
Both Mr.. Bryan and the gentlemen OF
the committee would be rather en-
barrassed if they were called upon to
prove the truth of the statement
Throughout our history that principle
has been proven liable to limitations
such as the exigencies of the case
might make necessary. So long as
people are not in reality on the same
basis of equality relative TO the mass
it will be impossible to define princl-
pie of government that will apply to
them all alike. Thomas Jefferson him
self, the author of the Constitution, and
of that immortal sentence concerning
the consent of the governed, when he
became the President of the United
States took possession of the territory
of Louisiana without either the advice
or consent of the populations con-
cerned. For years the fathers of our
Constitution governed the negro with
out their consent. Mexico and Texas
were treated in similar manner.
All over the Union today, in spite of
this constitutional principle, thousands
of the citizens of this republic are being
governed without their consent. Every
time a party goes into power in the
United States it subjects vast number
of people not only to government with
out their consent, but as usual thing
against their most vigorous protest.
The very fact that there are q number
of people who are at present declaim-
ing against the present mode of gov
eminent inaugurated by the Repub-
lican party is evidence that there are
those who are being governed without
their consent. We're we to analyze the
principle as far as possible we would
find, no doubt, that wherever govern
ment exists there are thousands of
people who are subject to government
without their consent. Not that these
prove the right of the United States to
impose it's form of government upon a
foreign people, for they do not, but
thew do demonstrate the fact that the
much quoted principle is subject to
limitations and qualifications, and that
to prove that the Republican party has
turned it's back upon that that princi-
pie would be difficult matter. To do
that it would be necessary to set forth
that in the present case the facts do
not Justify a similar modification of the
principle.
When the makers of the Constitution
saw that to make the Constitution and
the republic possible it was necessary to
virtually overlook this same principle,
they compromised with slavery to pro-
mote a greater liberty. When the
dispute with Spain over the mouth of
the Mississippi threatened to disrupt
the Union Jefferson jumped at the OPP
pOrtunity of purchasing Louisiana,
thereby violating the letter of princi-
pie to secure a permanent good. Now
another emergency arises involving the
principle when its apparent violation
seems to be the way of duty, and the
Democratic leaders cry out against the
Republican party because it follows all
these precedents and aims at the pro
motion of civilization and the general
good rather than the direct conformity
to a set principle. The fact that JEFF
ferson, strict constructionist, accept
ed policy seemingly unwarranted by
the Constitution with such benelcent
results is sufficient evidence that the
principle may at times be violated to
the advantage of all concerned. What
then is there in the present case that
iustifies the charge of the Democratic
party? The manner of our appearance
in the Philippines puts all thoughts of
preconceived conquest out of the ques-
ton. Subsequent events made our re-
manning there absolutely unavoidable.
With time it has become clear that the
future of the islands and their redemp-
ton to a Christian civilization must de-
pend upon some other power than the
people of the islands themselves. The
opportunity has been put into the
hands of the American people and with
1.-THE duty. There is no government
better able to perform this service than
the United States. Self government
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