Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-10
Would Not Govern an Unwilling
People.
HIS POLICY AS TO TEE FILIPINOS
Opposed to the Taking of the
Islands.
DENOUNCED AS UNAMERICAN

Senator Mason of Illinois spoke over an
hour in the Senate this afternoon on his
resolution opposing the acquisition of ter
ritory contrary to the will of It's inhab-
itants.
1T is easy to drift with the tide began
Mr.. Mason, but it is not always safe. 1t
is pleasant to remain in the harbor when
the storm is on, but sometimes the storm
within the inner conscience is more dam
gerous to peace of mind than the storm
without the harbor is to human life. The
simple resolution 1 have introduced has
nothing necessarily to do with any treaty,
so far as I am informed, nor do l intend TO
speak of any proposed treaty.
The resolution / present does not in
VolVe question of law, but it is question
as to the future policy of this republic.
My resolution recites the Declaration of
Independence. | do not apologize for the
resolution regret it's necessity. L agree
that you cam as Lincoln said, in the long
run trust the people l am willing to trust
the people, and ] want the people to hear
both sides of the case before the verdict
is rendered.
distinguished editors and statesmen say
the republican party favors governing GER
tain nations without the consent Of it's
people. Who dares speak in advance for
tne party that speaks only in it's conven-
tlon mat party sprang like young giant
from the womb of conscience and made it's
hrst fight for human liberty. 1t has never
bowed TO the storm of expediency and if
1 may De alloWed to prephesy / predict
rhar IN. 4 ralters VIII ring again and again
IoT the citizen of the Philippines as they
ala two years ago for Cuba
10 You say l am speaking for the Phil
ippihes! Yes, one word for them and two
LOT ourselves. A black man said to a SEN
ator the other day: L thank Won for sneak
ing OF my race and the senator replied: I
am speaking one word for your race and
TWO lor my own Nothing ever dwarfed the
WHte lace so much stopping for n hup-
qfed years to keep the black man down
may appear to speak one word for the
ihllpplhes, put two for my own people
wheh plead for the broad manhood of
the man VINO wrote, All Just powers of
government are derived from the consent of
lne governed We ought to begin to learn
the memorable law of compensation You
cafnot govern the Philippines without tax
ing them; you have not vet thar consent
ana the proposition of taxation without
representation is made again. Look out
Tor tea parties. Those little semi-sociaI
functions are likely to break out even there
for Hail Columbia and Yankee Doodle have
been heard in the archipelago
Only Home Rule Satisfies
we may talk of it as we please but
there is nothing that satisfies the human
mind in an enlightened age, unless man
Is governed by his own country and tn.
A'4'S'i'''I4Oii VI HIS own government. No
matter how easy may be the yoke of a
foreign poWer-no matter how lightly il
sits upon the shoulders-if it is not imposed
by the voice of his own nation and Of his
own country he will not, he cannot and
ne mans not to be happy under its bur
den.
We are now asked to say to the citf-
zens of the Philippine Islands, You poor.
ignorant creatures, you cant govern your
selves: We Will extend our commerce, and
we VIII do 1t for you. You don't know
now to tax yourselves, and in order that
we may continue to exercise our Christian
duty TO you we Will prevent your exercis-
ing soVerelSnty-we will exercise that func-
ton ourselves Mr.. President, they will
never learn to govern themselves while
we govern them There is no such thing
as teachlng the art of seif-government.
The Declaration of Independence.
When kossuth wrote the declaration for
Hungarian independence he said he had in
mind our own Declaration of Independence
For over 100 years every lover of liberty
has pointed 10 this sentence within this
resolution: That all just powers of gov
ment are derived from the consent of the
governed as reason for their fight for
liberty. This sentence has been pillar of
lire by night and has stirred the hearts
of the oppressed all over the world In
the light of this sentence crowns have
fallen into dust, and the foundation of re-
publics have been laid.
You ask for expansion See how we
have expanded in the time since this SEN
tence was written. Not only have repub-
lies started up in place of mOnarchies, but
monarchies have themselves gradually
bioadened into constitutional governments
getting nearer and nearer to the voice OF
the people. Our own was the first great
republic, and in the better and broader
sense our flag floats from the dome of every
republic. From Brazil to Nicaragua and
Venezuela the brave little republican nag
is floating. 1t may not be striped nor
starred like our own but it is born of the
spirit of our spirit, wherever it floats. and
it breathes defiance to the monarchies of
the world, because our flag is in our sky
and because the Monroe doctrine is written
forever in the hearts of the people.
Consent of the Governed.''
THE other day when the distinguished
senator from Massa chusetts asked the SEN
ator from Connecticut CPlatD what ne was
going to do with this sentence that all
Just powers Of government are derived
from the consent of the governed he an
swered from the consent of some of the
governed
Mr.. President, when any great cause,
which is agitated in the minds of the peo-
pie, needs for Its defense such shallow and
un-American evasions as this, that cause
will not live long In the minds of intelli-
gent people. We cannot amend that SEN
tence now, and when we all shall have
moldered in forgotten dust this sentence
will live and continue to burn, "A menace to
tyrants and beacon of hope to the down
trodden and the oppressed.
Attitude of the FiIipinOs.
"The Filipino Is begging to treat with us
as to his own land. He acknowledges our
gallant service. There is no honest COM
mercial treaty that an honest nation could
ask that they are not willing to consent to.
They want liberty did, and when
seventy million people have heard their
cry for mercy and Independence the father
IN New Eng land will plead for the father
in Manila, the mother in Illinois will pray
for the poor mother in the islands of the
sea, the fathers will vote as the mothers
pray the poisoned views of selfishness will
have had its run, and God help the party
that urges war on the native who defends
only his liberties and his home.
'Ah, Mr.. President, have we got to fight
and plead for these people as we did for
Cuba? Are we to hear Agunaido and his
followers called robbers and cut-throats
hes rC of the \