Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1899-10-05

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Every lawyer. not IN the service Of the
moncpolirs, knows that corporations and
individuals dealing between two or moe
states arc engaged in Interstate commerce
and that the power Of congress to iegn.
late such commerce is perfect and com
p'e.e, even to the extent o! declaring all
contracts 70, articles Of monopoly made
in the pursuit Of such commerce null and
void. The laws can be made and can he
enforced, both consistently, with our
constitutional system. In fact, that sys.
tenn requires them il it is TO remain what
the fathers made it. The question to be
decided then and the only question is,
Are monopolies desirable and to be toler-
atcd in flee country: The republicans
are saying yes, and in this they have quit
hu>hwharking and come into the open.
The war in the Philippines is another
manifest .tiom Of the control of the repub.
lican party by the aggregated wealth OF
the country. They vetoed the war with
Spain even after tie destruction of the
Maine and the brutal murder OF Our
sailors. until the country became dis.
gustcd and outraged will, the pusillanim
ity vi the administration and forced il to
act. They forced the war on the Philip.
pines.
''In the one case they were afraid that
war won d disturb our business and trade
relations. In the other they thought they
saw chance of extending them. The
war in the Philippines has nothing be.
hind it but the almighty dollar. Faith,
justice, charity and magnanimity are all
against it. The Filipinos were cur allies
and helped us fight Spain. This 10 one
can deny who is conversant with the facts
aud has any regard for his reputation.
We no sooner conquered Spain than We
began ruthless war to subjugate our
allies, the Filipinos. They had been
fighting Spain for their independence in.
termittently fo' three hundred years. We
encouraged them TO renew the fight,
brought their leaders back to the islands
on our own vessels and furnished them
arms and equipments. Then when it
suited our purposes We wrested the SOW.
ereignty Of the islands from Spain, took
it unto ourselves and coldly informed the
deluded Filipinos that their dream OF in.
dependence was over and that they must
submit to our dominion or be treated as
rebels and traitors.
1.-The American people are brave,
magnanimous, courageous. libarty-loving
people, and. above all, they are just
people. When the facts are placed before
them they can neither tolerate nor con-
done the action OF the unfaithful agents
who have placed them in this light before
the world. 1t is shocking to every sense
Of right and justice. Moreover, we have
already spent in the effort to subduc the
islands more money than their trade will
bring us in the next twenty-five years, if
we had it all, and we have made no
appreciabe progress in the effort.
cater they have been subdued it will
cost us more every year to garrison the
islands than their trade is worth. But it
il said that our interest in the trade Of
other portions Of the Orient requires ns
to have a strong naval station in that
quarter. This. l think, is true, but we
could have had it as a free will Offering.
along v it'll the hearty gratitude and good
will OF the Filipinos. 1t We had treated
them Justly. We could have had any OF
the islands or any part Of them we wanted
for such station. We could have had
commercial and political treaties which
would have given us all, and more than
all we can ever have from their subjec.
ton in the way Of trade relations. All
this talk about our duty to the world and
civilization is the most paltry rot. We
hav. the evidence Of Admiral Dewey that
the people Of the islands are capable OF
forming and maintaining civil govern
ment OF their own, and they ought to have
been encouraged and protected in doing
so. Civilization would not have suffered
nor conld the honor and good faith Of our
people. But there is one aspect OF the
Philippine question that is even more
serio Is than the false position in which
it has placed us before the world. refer
to the effect on ourselves and our institu'
tons when we have subjugated those is
lands. They are already fully populated
ut present by 10000, 900 natives.
III they were bsrren. the climate for
bids that they could ever be American
lied. Are we to incorporate 100000
Asiatics into our body polite as citizens
and subjects, free to come and go as they
please, and to have their voice in shaping
the destinies OF the republic? II not, the
only alternative is to treat them rs con
quered provinces and 10 govern them by
the sword. do not hesitate to say that
this alternative means the destruction OF
our constitutional system and the ulti'
-, oto doet r,ri ion ri the ronuh1iC itaolt. IL