The Portland daily press., 1899-05-29

Constitution. Its principles Impress us
profoundly. The plan of governm emit
offered the PhiIlprines seems in theory 3
good colonial system; - HUI Why should a
mako 4 celonS era distant people, who
have so long been fighting against spain
to secure the same rights that your CON
stitution givesY You fought the same
battle in America when you fought
against England
The law Of righteousness Is the same
whether 1t applies to- n man or to
nation; IL Is IN brief the Golden Rule, for
we are told that there is no law greater
than those which teach love 10 God aud
love TO tee ineighbor.
Can any one give me a. single reason
why the tiljpinos should submit TO the
rule of the United States except because
they are compelled to. and share the gen.
erai islike Of being Killed.? 1t is beyond
that oil the trouble, expense
and slaughter that there has been in the
Philippines might lave been avoided had
we treated thoss people as-we have trf ated
the Cublns And In my opinion it is
not yet too late But why this difference
In our treatment Of the two peoplesY The
reason Is not far to seek. First, the same
politicians who for selfish ends dreve the
country into war with Spain have
firm conviction that the pledges given to
Cuba will 90 for naught, and that island
win fall into the hands of the Unitsd
States without farther trouble, while II
We want the Philippians we must fight
for them; so fight 1t 10 Another reason ID
that the spirit of war and the thirst for
glory and territorial ACKNOWLEDGMENT
which was aroused during the last year
grows with what IL feeds on, and Will
not be satisfied until the sober second
thought of the nation calls a halt.
The excuse that has been advanced that
the tilipinos began the struggle is dis.
proved by the report of Gen. Macarthur,
who says that on February 4tb, an insur-
gent patrol attempted to pass the Ameri .
eau lines was fired upon by the sentry
and the shots were returned. Gen. Reeve
states that Aguinaldu at once sent orders
to hive the hring on his side stopped. and
sent to Gen. Otis asking the establish
ment of a neutial zone in order to avoid
a conflict, but bis request was refused.
y That shot fired bv an American sentry
so Influenced the United States Congress
that the eaty with Spain was no longer
in doubt, and the disputed Spanish title
passed into the hands of this people.
But when we ara told by Secretary
Long that no one connected with the adj
ministr alton favors the subjugation Of
the Fiupinos who. are offered their free
choice between death and unconditional
Surrender atand that 1.-The killing of
ing their homes is In slrictsst accord with
that principle of Our, constitution that all
governments tierive their just powers
'frem this consent Of the governed, our
fee bic brain; isEunable TO grasp the arRu7
ment. The Truth as nanitest to every
common sense person has Just been de-
olared by Senator Davis, who is chairman
Of the Senate committee on foreign
affairs, and was one Of the Peace Com
mission. He says: 1.-THE nation which
hopes to bs factor In China. has no
right to abandon possession of the Philip.
pines.' In other words We seize the
Islands on account of their commercial
value to us; this reason Is an Ineligible
one at any rate.
Comrades If We were not a party in
the struggle you know that not a citizen
of this broad land would withhold praise
from those who are lighting for the in
estimable principle of human liberty.
Much abuse has been heaped upon
Aguinaldo, and so there was upon Wash
ington. and upon Lincoln. The British
declared that Samuel Adams was pesti-
lent fellow, and short shrift would have
been granted him II the fortunes of war
had thrown him into their hands. The
judgment Of an interested party is not OIL
ways to be relied UPON If l am trying to
steal>your house and reduce you to sub
jeotion by force on the ground that have
bought out the man who has been unsuc-
cessfully engaged for years In the same
attempt, 1t does not follow that my asser-
tions as to your moral character are
necessarily true,
If the President were to ask prayerfully
what course righteous God would have
him follow in his treatment of people
struggling for freedom, instead of putting
his ''ear to the ground" at Omaha. l
think our nation would come nearer
walking in the right path.
Men are apt to think that the power to
unlock the secrets of science and by in
vention apply them to our comfort, to
feed and olothe ourselves, to engage In
trade, and to perform the duties pertain
ing to u civil government are dependent
upon their own wisdom without regard to
individual or national righteousness; but
the truth Is that all our power to live at
all as human beings is dependent upon
the existence in the world of Gods Holy
Word, and of church in which He Is
worshipped and. .obeyed
When nation disfegards, the precepts
of Gods word fb its dealings with other
nations or in its home life, 1t must die,
foE its ICON peetien with the fountain of
+ there Is literal truth In the the words,
THE nation and kingdom that will not
serve Thee shall perish; yea those nations
shall be utterly wasted" but blessed Is
that nation whose God is the Lord"
We shrink from applying these words
and. this universal . law. to our time
and our, own country; but closing our
eyes will not prevent its operating and
working out it's Inevitable results
The duty of every lover of country is
well defined; 1t is the same as in the days
of old, the same as in battle, simply to
obey our commanders orders in whatever
station we may be placed, whether on
picket or in the ranks. 10 the Jews God
said: "What doth the Lord require of
thee but to do justly, love mercy, and
walk humbly with thy GodT' This was
their standard of national righteousness.
Their spiritual flag. To the Christian has
been added these words by our Lord and
Master, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself.' Only as we keep this standard
ever floating in the breeze before our eyes,
only as we live in accordance with their
teachings can our country prosper and
remain a great nation. Is
AT ST. LAWRENCE CHURCH.
The chancel of st. Lawrence Congrega
tional church was Respondent with
American flags yesterday and on either
side of the pulpit We're stacked arms while
ha cfa nj