The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-08
SENATOR HOAR'S PROPOSITION

which, he says, mo man during this whole
discussion has successfully challenged, and
no man will successfully challenge" And
he 10 quite right. The imperialists try to
evade them and wriggle around them, but
without success. They are plain to all
men.
The first is that this government was
not established for the purposes OF con-
quest--that the ACQUISITION OF territory for
governing It's people as subject nations is
foreign TO the purposes of the constitu-
ton. No one can successfully challenge
this proposition. There Is no such pur-
pose expressed or implied In the constl-
tuition. On the contrary the very cen
trail object OF our government was to free
ourselves from foreign control and Sc
cure the blessings OF self-government. The
idea that our forefathers dreamed OF inn
posing on others a tyranny from which
they sought to free themselves Is absurd.
The second is that ito leave our own
country to stand on foreign soil" is
against the warnings OF the fathers. This
does not mean that we should not invade
foreign country in time OF war, but re-
fers directly to the celebrated words Of
Washington: why quit our own to stand
upon foreign ground? Why, by interweav-
ing our destiny with that of any part OF
Europe, entangle our peace and prosperity
In the tolls OF European ambition, rival
ship, interest, humor or caprice?" In other
words, we should confine our political ac-
tiyity IN orr own dnmains or ac We ehtno-
ton expressed 1t, THE great rule of con-
duct for us, in regard to foreign nations
Is. in extending our commercial relations,
to have with them as little political con-
nection as possible" People may doubt
the wisdom of the forefathers. but no one
can truthfully deny that our present policy
is contrary to their counsel
| The third proposition is that no tropical
country was ever successfully governed
without a system OF contrac. labor, and
this is true II the words cor slavery" be
added. The contract labor systems of the
tropical countries are not far removed
| from slavery, but there Is a distinction
between them. Aud this Is true of all
successful work in the tropics whether II
be In Java. Hawaii or Mexico There is
no opening for the free American work
ingman in the Philippines He would be
as much out OF place as the free negro was
in the slave States before the war.
The fourth proposition is that no money
profit is to be expected from the Philip
pines. Even if we secured the full trade
of the islands for some of our syndicates,
the cost to the government would be more
than those profits to individuals. 1t would
be cheaper for the government to buy the
syndicates and let the islands 60 But
we can not have their full trade. Senator
Hoar. protectionist as he Is, realizes that
their trade must be thrown open to the
world. From the mere money making
standpoint there is nothing in the imperial
policy.
The fifth proposition Is that military &C.
cupation OF the tropics means an immense
cost to both the souls and bodies of our
soldiers No sane man can doubt this. We
have seen our troops in Cuba almost deci-
mated by brief rush into that country
0 from which they were as quickly hurried
2 back as possible. 1t is notorious that th'
defenders of our army commissariat CLAIM
1 that large portion of the sickness of oul
d troops was from venereal diseases, aid /
S is equally notorious that the same sourc,
a OF trouble is openly treated as one OF tht
J. great problems of British army life in In
dia. Life and morals are cheap in tn,
tropics
$ The sixth proposition is that oua Uazisss a
y declarations as to Cuba are equally ap
plicable to the Philippines. How can /
10 of
r cember 6. 1897, President Mckinley said
u ~ speak not OF forclble annexation, 70
that can not be thought Of That by gu
a code OF morality would be criminal ag
4 gression." IN his message of March 1
o 1897, President Mckinley said; I'VE wan
: no wars OF conquest; we must avoid tn
e temptation of territorial aggression.
There was no latitude or longitude alike
T TO these statements. Morality is not re
: stricted by geographical boundaries. VIVA
t miserable quibbling 1t is to say that W
: made a declaration as to Cuba, and mad
3 none as to the Philippines. We will avoi
cielinaity in Cuba because we promise
to do so. We will be criminals in tn
Philippines because we are not pledged no
to be.
3 The seventh proposition Is that Agui
: naldo and his followers had conquere
=
e began war upon them That is true Agul
n paldo returned to the Islands virtual
8 as an ally OF Dewey. We brought hiI
g back, and he and his men gained com
e plete possession OF the islands while W
n simply held Manila There was no wa
s with the Filipinos until after Spain ha
It agreed to sell us her dishonored title t
: the islands.
: The eighth proposition is that the Fill
s pines are nghting for liberty and indie
:. pendence, while we are lighting to asseI
+; right to control another nation agalns
: its Will. This Is self-evident. Neishe
Q party conceals Its purpose. Our imperial
Il lists merely claim that we are justified |
g imposing our will on the Fllpinos be
n cause they are not capable of self-gov
8 eminent.
: The ninth proposition is that the argu
y ments OF those who upheld our war {
! conquest are the same as those OF Geors
4 III and his supporters concerning the re
+ vcited American colonies, while the argc
e ments az the opponents OF the war al
who CnOOqnd