The record-union., 1899-10-17

grievous burdens of taxation upon the
American people
The question with us as a nation
should be, what is right, determined
by the application of the ethical prin-
ciples upon which our Government was
rounded, and upon which it must rest If
it is to endure. Not what may we do
because we have the might; that is
the method of monarchy.
The President was right, because con-
forming to our principles, when he de-
ciared to the world that we entered
upon war with Spain not for conquest,
put prompted by a spirit of benevo-
lence. Not for the purpose of aggrand-
izement by territorial acquisition, but
IN the name and for the sake Of hu-
manity TO give to the Cubans their in
dependence and the blessings of liberty.
II to the Cubans, then why not also
to the Fflipinos? Admiral Dewey says
they are even more capable of self gov
ernment than are the Cubans, and he
has knowledge of both peoples.
Again, the President was right when
he declared to the world that it was not
the purpose of this Government to fore
IDLY annex the Philippines, because
| under our code of morality that would
be criminal aggression" He was right,
because his utterance was in beautiful
harmony with the spirit and the letter
of our Declaration of independence.
| Now, then can it be justly main
tanned that he is right, when acting
counter to his avowed spirit and de-
clared purpose? The ethical or moral
principles Of our code are the same
now as they were when the President
invoked them to stay aggression in the
/ philippines. If, forSooth, the Presi-
dent has allowed himself to be seduced
! from the path of national rectitude in
which he started to walk, is it inexor-
able that the sovereign people are in
| duty bound to follow him? Not so.
The President is but the servant of
the people sworn to do their will. Their
Will is expressed by the Constitution.
1t is the duty of the people to hold
! thelr servant in check If he develops
a proneness to take the bit in his
teeth, so to say, and run away from
the salient principles by which our
Government is vitalized and rendered
stable
| Just word as to the Presidents
conquest by coin, Of the savage Moros
through the agency Of their sovereign
| the Sultan of Zulu.
! By the terms of the treaty made By
! the President with the Sultan Ghe Con-
stitutfon says that "by and with the
| consent of the Senate the President
| shall have authority to negotiate
/ treaties'O, the United States Govern
ment secures the privilege of floating
| the Stars and Stripes-emblem of lib
erty, self-government and the rights
or man-over people tyrannized over
/ py despot who maintains harem
and enforces slavery. Where man has
| no rights except as accorded him by
the sceptred monarch who is supreme
/ But under the provisions of this treaty
/ the United States Government has not
| jurisdiction to abolish these evils of
barbarism; they are to be undisturbed.
/ why? Because to disturb them success
fully we would have to fight. Where
fore, rather than risk fighting these
/ saVages in order to be able to say they
are in subsection to the authority of
/ the United States. President McKin-
| ley as an expedient, has elected to
exceed his Constitutional perrogative,
and at the expense of the peoples
money and the nations honor has made
our cherished ensign to legitimatize
polygamy and slavery in pagan landl
Is there any wonder that those OF
US who truly love the flag for what It
symbolizes, and who value consist
ency at it's proper worth, revolt at and
against the Presidents Philippines
policy? Even the Record Union"
wishes that it were otherwise, I trow.
JOHN AUBREY JONES.
Fruitvale, Alameda Co., Oct. 13, 1890
1.-THE Record Uhion'' gives space to
this lengthy communication in order
that its readers may get a clear idea
OF the position of the anti-expansion-
lists. 1t presents that side of the case
more cleverly than has been done by
any other writer but the trouble is
that the argument is all based on false
/ premises and is therefore misleading
and mischieyous We have already ex-
posed in the editorial referred to. the
weakness Of the arguments used, but
viii take occasion to refer to them
again at another time.-Eds
TIE HELVETIA SHOOT.