The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-08-03
BRYAN ON PHILIPPINES.
FRO7 HIS SPEECH AT CHICAGO
AUDITORIUM nEETINO.

FRO1 HIS SPEECH AT CHICAGO
AUDITORIUM rlEETINO.
Declaration Of independence Should
be Our Guide and Rule of Faith in
Dealing With the Filipinos-Mon-
:rchies are Founded on Force, Re-
pubiics on Con nsent-If the Doctrine
Set Forth in the Declaration of In
dependence Is Sound, Then We Cam
not RightfuIIy Acquire Title by
Conquest.
When we come to the Philippine
question again. they say, What can
the administration do?" There were
two months between the signing Of
the treaty and the breaking out Of
hostilities, two months lacking siN
days, and when we asked them what
they were going to do, they said they
hadn't had time to decide what to
do. Why, there are but two sources
of government, force and consent.
Monarchies are founded on force, re-
lpublics on consent Our Declaration
of independence declares that govern
ments derive their ust powers from
the consent of the governed. Is that
doctrine true or is it false? If it is
true, how long ought it take us to
decide what to do in the Philippines?
We recognized the truth of that
declaration when we went to war
with Spain. We said the people Of
Cuba are and of right ought to be
free. Why? Because they lived near
us9 No. Because they are part
Spanish? No. They were and Of
right ought to be free because they
wanted to be free, and governments
come up from the people. (Applause.) }
If they were and of right ought to be
free who can draw Il line between
them and the people of the Philippines?
Where is the Philosophy that entities
one to liberty and another to vassa-
lage? You say you don't know what
to do? (Applause.) If you find a
pocketbook, and on it the name of the
owner, do YOU have to count the
money IN the pocketbook before you
know what to do with the pocketbook? ?
(Applause.)
If the doctrine set forth in the Dec
laration of Independence is sound,
then we cannot rightfully acquire
title by conquest. If the doctrine set
forth in the Declaration of Indepen-
dence is sound, we cannot rightfully
purchase S,O00,O00 of people at 81 a
piece from an alien monarch, whose
rebellious subjects we ourselves armed
to fight against their monarch. There
is principle involved, and where the
principle is once understood its APP
plication is not difficult, and if the
people of the Philippine islands are
and of right ought to be free, then
this nation should, without one mo-
ment's delay, announce to those peo-
pie that we are there as friends and
not as enemies, to establish a govern
ment which shall be their govern
ment and not our government when
it is established.
Not only ought we to do that now
we ought to have done it in the be-
ginning; and if the promise to Cuba
) had been made to the Filipinos not
, one drop of blood would have been
, shed in the Philippine islands. Gap.
: plause.) And we would be sending
: school teachers to Manila to teach
them instead of soldiers to tell them
, that the Declaration was lie. Gap.
plause.) The Filipinos came into oul
hands by accident of war, coming into
our hands, they must be dealt with
according to American principles and
! not according to European principles
, (Applause.)
) They say that if we were to give
those people their independence, other
| nations of Europe would laugh at us
Are we afraid to be laughed at? Why
, more than 100 years ago, when there
, were but three millions of people il
: this country, our forefathers dared tt
: give to the world a declaration a
: which the people of the old wOrl,
: laughed. but for which our people
, fought. (Applause.) When the fra
mers of the Declaration of Indepen
l dence wrote among the self eviden
= truths that all men are created equal
! endowed with inalienable rights; tina
governments are instituted among
men to secure these rights. deriving
E their just powers from the consen
g OF the governed, the people of th'
Y Old world laughed.
But they didn't laugh long. Gap
plause.) Because our forefather
/ maintained their declaration, and 70
more than century this republic ha
5 been the most potent factor in all the
t world in influencing the destiny 0
a the human race. Applause.) Shal
| we be ashamed to admit now that W,
e believe in the Declaration of indie
; pendence? repeat that we mus
D deal with these people according t.
: American principles. They desire
= their independence. lie: Us say t.
: them, as we said to Cuba, stand up
6 be free, and then to all the world say
t hands off, and let every republic live
e (Applause.)
: They tell me that we don't know
what to do? All we have to do is t.
read our nations history. to watcl
- the nation as it travelled the pathwa,
. leading from the little name of NIGH
. to the lofty name of right. and ther
: YOU can tell what this nation must d'
if it is true to its past
!. Did your liberty bell ring in vain?
Is the Declaration a lie?
Must we turn 20 the old world again
With the penitent prodigals cry?
Il | ask the question q. you; Di'
your liberty bell ring in vain? Why
history tells Ia, that when the Declar
alton was about to be signed the peo
: pie gathered in the streets and waite
for the signal, and finally. when thos
. immortal names were fixed to tina
immortal document, the old libert
bell rang out and the people caugh
q up the sound and cheered and cheer
ed again And from that day to thi
that great relic Of Revolutionary day
:, has been carried from State to Stat
from city TO city. and eyes are file
with tears as they look upon it, Di
your liberty bell ring in VAIN Sha
- its tones no more be heardo Was tn