Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1899-10-26
A REPUBLICAN, IDEA.
Opposed to the Mckinley Policy
in the Orient.
EXPANSION RIGHT DIRECTION
Philippine Policy in Strong Letter
to the Warrington Post.

notice in your dispatches Of Monday
morning that some Of our Methodist
brethren in Minnesota have declared that
the charge laid upon the American nation
in the Philippine acquisi ion was provi.
Dental. II so, where do Roosevelt, Long,
and Dewey come in? In the same breath
our Methodist friends rejoice in "the
splendid achievements OF the army and
navy" Now this Is slightly inconsistent.
If the taking Of Manila was providential,
the claims Of the entire army and nav!
must 60 the way Of Dewey, Long, and
Roosevelt. confess l don't see where
the army comes in. don't mean the
boys in the trenches, but the directing
influences, which seem to me to have
their inspirati, in the white house. All
this talk about especial providence" is
pure drivel The merest tyro in war and
diplomacy must have seen the probable
| ity Of the capture OF Manila and calcu-
lated the consequences.
The dispatch is headed "Methodists for
Expansion. Mr.. Editor, all Americans
are for expansion in right directions and
on correct principles. Expansion means
equality Of rights. From the cession Of
the Northwest Territory to that Of Alaska
it was provided that the coded territory
should be incorporated in the union and
it's inhabitants admitted as soon as posi-
BILE, according to the principles Of the
federal Constitutional the enjoyment Of
the rights, advantages, and immunities
Of citizens Of the United States" That
was expansion.
In the so-called cession Of the Philip.
pines Il say so.called because Spain had
nothing, even on paper, to cede but
Manila, and that was at the mercy Of the
Filipinos), this provision was omitted.
The civil rights and political status were
to be determined by congress.
After the ratification of the treaty the
senate passed resolution declaring that
it was mot intended to incorporate the
inhabitants Of the Philippine Islands into
citizenship Of the United States" The
presidents proclamation promised to the
Filipinos government suitable to their
capacities. The Schurman commission
decided on a governor, nominated by the
president and confirmed by the senate,
legislative council, to be appointed by
the g vernon, and an elective house of
representatives, over whose acts the gov.
ernor should exercise IAN absolute and
unlimited veto." This is not expansion.
1t is "pure and unadulterated imperial
ism," and is incompatible with the basic
principles Of our government, as contained
in the immortal Declaration Of Independ.
ence, and in conflict with the Constitu.
ton Of the United States. 1t is particu.
larly abhorrent to the republican party,
OF which have been, through good re-
port and evil report, lifelong and
active member.
The first resolution Of the first platform
Of the republican party, adopted in its
convention at Philadelphia, June II, 1856,
declared that "the maintenance Of the
principles promulgated in the Declaration
Of independence and embodied in the
federal Constitution is essential 10 the
preservation Of our republican institu-
tions."
Four years later, in the platform upon
which Abraham Lincoln was first nomi.
mated and elected, the party declared,
with even greater emphasis, "that the
maintenance Of the principles promul-
gated in the Declaration Of Independence
and embodied in the federal Constitution,
that all men are created equal, that they
are endowed by their Creator with Ger.
tain inalienable rights, that among these
are life, liberty, and the pursuit Of happi-
ness, and that to secure these rights, gov.
ernments are instituted among men, de.
irving their just powers from the consent
OF the governed is essential to the pres
ervation Of our republican institutions"
The supreme court has decided that
there is mo power given by the Consti-
tuition to the federal government to estab.
lish or maintain colonies bordering on
the United States, or at distance, to be
ruled and governed at its own pleasure,
nor to enlarge its territorial limits in any
way except by the admission Of new
states. To acquire territory and govern
it by congress as it sees fit would be dan.
gerous to the liberties Of the people,"
These principles are sustained by every
constitutional lawyer and commentator,
from Daniel Webster to Mr.. Justice
Brewer, who says that I'VE stand conse.I