The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-12

phmcb-Sonneut VI thc WV
erned. Ii an Empty Phrase.
An eloquent argument in favor of colonial
expansion was delivered last night before
the Dewey Club In the Chamber of Com
nerce rooms by VIII II. Thomson. one
OF the Democratic leaders of Seattle. In
fiuential members of all three great poiiti-
cal parties. Republicans. Democrats ana
Popu,ist. were present. Mr.. Thompson's
speech. with the addresses which have
been previously delivered before the club,
are to be printed and sent to political lead
ers throughout the country.
Perhaps mono OF u.s. said Mr.. Thomp-
son, ''have discussed this question of ex-
pansion as much as We should. and feel
sure that the more we do discuss 1t the
more we viii be brought to see its justice
and the less win we care to listen to any
anti-expansion talk. There has been more
foolish can't I call 1t, against expansion
than against any political question which
has been before the American people for
yearR
Il did not think the anti-expansionlsts
were sincere until within the last few
weeks when have begun to believe that
they really think as they speak, In their
sincerity lies the danger to the country.
They base their assertions upon the prin-
ciples contained In the Declaration OF In
dependence. which, they say, are in direct
opposition to our ideas upon the subject.
This famous document says in the Begin
ming: All men are created free and equal
and subsequently carries out this idea. The
mon who formulated this document meant
by that statement that no man Is born with
any earthly power to govern his fellow
mon. but the power must be created In
him. There were slaves In the United
States at that time and for many years
afterward. Those slaves were not FREE
and were never considered free by our
forefatherA Their idea was that no man
could be born president. the power had to
be created by the people.
Consent Of Governed q Fal1acy.
Governments are not instituted by
unanimous agreement. A number OF men
get together. usually minority, and frame
a constitution. They are usually opposed,
but II the majority of the people sides with
them the rest are forced to submit. Even
In primitive days there were governments
formed by the upper classes to protect life,
liberty and happiness. The colonists had
this idea OF protection, and Great Britain
opposed 1t. hence the Revolutionary war;
There were citizens OF this country at that
time who were not in favor of going to
war. They were called Tories and were
told that they had to submit to the new
government and yield to the majority.
That seems harsh, but who can say that 1t
was not the best policy at that time?
West Of us lie the Philippines, with a
population Of from 100000 to 100000.
They have the Same rights as other ma
tons OF their grade. BY the expression of
their grade mean that intelligent, refined
and educated people deserve more rights
than ignorant, barbarous savages. We
have, for instance, our own Indians, whom
we shut up In reservations because we do
not consider them able to take care of
within the confines of this county or state,
as we have intelligence enough to be safe
outside, but II we become dangerous, our
liberty Is at once reduced.
Our ancestors landed here, refugees
from tyranny abroad, and found the coun-
try full Of aboriginal tribes with laws and
customs. and possessing life and liberty.
What was done? They felt that civiliza-
tion was moving westward. and as the In
dams would not accept the enlightenment
and civilization brought to them, they were
practically exterminated. Can anyone say
1t was not right? The results are too evil
dent. distinguished senator once said:
You can buy land, but not people When
Louisiana was bought for a few paltry
millions. the Frenchmen wept as they saw
their flag superseded by the Stars and
Stripes. but they took the oath of allegi-
ance and made good citizens. No one
doubts but that We were right when we
bought them with their lands. Some one
had to control Louisiana, and 1t was better
for US to have 1t than some foreign nation
Tn the same way, in 1916, after the war
with Mexico, in which we broke her power
and forced her to cede to us California,
Utah, Arizona and other territory, we did
not ask consent of the Spanish and Indian
inhabitants of these lands, but took them
with the land There was as bitter feel
ing against that war as against the Philip
pine war, but the descendants OF those
Spaniards approve of our action
There was the Gadsden purchase, lands
and men; the Alaska purchase where we
bought both land and Russians, and made
the latter subservlent to our rule No
greater fallacy ever existed than to think
that the Declaration OF Independence can
be construed to mean that a man cannot
be governed without his consent.
Case of the South in Point.
but we have a memorable instance
within the memory of many of you here
present 1 refer to the time when eleven
states of the Union seeded. The people
of the United States said you have no
right to do SO; first, because 1t is not
right to break up this great government,
and, second. when you withdrew you
fired on our flag and now the government
VIII not lay down Its arms until you have
first laid down yours. Then followed
four and half years of bitter bloodshed,
involving the slaughter of thousands of
men, but the government did not cease
till the Southern Confederacy was COM
pletely broken Now tho stars are all
together once more and every one saws
Thank God'
"The people OF the South were forced
to yield. The Filipinos do not deserve as
much consideration as the Southerners.
When the civil war began the people of
the seeding states had no weapons. no
ammunition, and no factories. The Fill
pinos have better rifles than the Ameri-
cans, and Judging from the amount of
unnecessary firing they do, must have
plenty OF ammunition. Out of the nine
or ten millions of people only a small
percentage are in arms against the
United States. Only $4,000 or 10000 SOL
diers are pitted against a nation which,
II all were to rise In arms no country on