The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-02
FILIPIN0S SHOULD BE FREE.
nRYAN AGAIN SAYS THEY OUGHT
TO DE INDEPENDENT.

Entitled to the Same Rights as Were
Guaranteed the Cubans-COngress
Committed an Error In Failing to
Assure the FnipinOs That They
Would BE Given FreedOm-Thc
President should Now Promise the
People Their independence.
New York, Aug. William J. Bryan
discusses the Philippine question in this
weeks Independent. He says;
The Philippine question IS important be-
cause fundamental principles are involved
In its discussion. There are Two sources of
government, force and consent. Monarch
les are founded upon force, republics upon
consent
The Declaration Of Independence asserts
that governments derive their Just powers
from the consent of the governed and this
is the doctrine to which we have adhered
for more than a century 1t is the doe
trlne which has dis inguished us from Eu-
ropean countries. and has made our nation
| the hope of humanity. The statue in New
York harbor typifles the nations mission.
IF the doctrine set forth in the declara-
ton of independence is sound, how can
we rlghtfully acquire sovereignty over the
Fhpinos by war of conquest? If the
doctrine set forth in the Declaration of In
dependence is sound, how can we rightful-
ly purchase sovereignty from Spanish
sovereign, whose title we disputed in Cuba
and whose rebellous subjects we armed
in the Philippines?
Same as with Cubn.
an the resolution of Intervention Con
gress declared that the Cubans were and
of right ought to be free. Why? Because
! governments derive their just powers
| from the consent of the governed, and
| Spain had refused 10 respect the wishes
| of the Cubans If the Cubaus were and
| Of right ought to be free, why not the Fill
| pinos? In the beginning of the Spanish
| war Congress denied that our nation had
| any thought of extending It's territory by
! war If we then had no thought of Sc
curing by conquest new territory in the
| western hemisphere, why should we now
| talk of securing i'm the eastern hemisphere
| new races for subiugauon?
| IAN individual may live a double life
when only one life is known. When both
! lives are known we can lead only one
| life. and that the worst. republic cam
not enter upon colonial policy. 1t can
| not advocate government by consent at
home and government by force abroad.
| The Declaration of Independence viii lose
its value when we proclaim the doctrine
familiar in Europe but detestabie here,
that governments are round in shape about
thirteen inches in diameter and fired out
of cannon.
Right VS.. Might.
"For more than century this country
has been travelling along the pathway
which leads from the low domain of might
10 the lofty realm of right, and its his
tory has been without parallel in the
anua.s Of recorded time. What will be
our fate il we turn backward and begin
| the descent toward force and conquest?
1t is not sufficient to say that the fore
| ible annexation of the Philippine Islands
is a benevolent undertaking entered upon
for the good of the Fillpinos. Lincoln
pointed out that this has always been
| the argument of kings. To use his words
They always bestrode the necks of the
people, not that they wanted to do il,
| but because the people were better off
| for being ridden
1T is surprising that any believer in
| self-governmcnt should favor fOrcible an
| noxation. but still more surprising that
any one who believes in the Christian re-
ligion should favor the substitution of
force for reason In the extension of our
nations influence.
"If we adopt the gunpowder gospel In
the Philippines, how long win It be before
that principal will be transplanted In
American soil? SO long as our arguments
are addressed 20 the reason and the heart
our progress is sure, but can we, without
danger to Christianity, resort to the an
cient plan Of injecting religion into the
body through bullet holes?
Give Them Independence.
THE question Is frequently asked what
can we do? Nearly TWO months elapsed
hetween the signing Of the treaty and the
beginning of hosulities i'm the Philippines.
! During that time the President and Con-
! eress might have given TO the Philippines
the same assurance of indep- nlence that
wos given to the Cubans. Such assurance
would have prevented bioodshed. If the
doctrine of self-government is sounf the
! Fi1pinos are emitted 10 govern them
selves and the President can now promise
them independence as soon as a stable
government can lie estab ished
'If the PrCsdtnt is not willing 20 take
the responsibility OF enforcing the doc
trlne set forth N the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence he can call Congress together
and let thcm lake the resp Jnsibi.iiy A
specai session would be less expensive
than the war, not TO speak OF the pflnci-
pes involved
"Our nation is protecting the republics
of South America from outward interfer-
ence while they work out their destiny.
We can extend the same doctr ne TO the
Philippines and having rescued the inhabi-
tants from a foreign yoke. we can guard
them from molestation while they develop
a republic in the Orient. They will be
our friends instead Of our enemies, we
can send school teachers to Manila in
stead OF soldiers, and the world WI know
that there is a realty IN the theory Of
government promulgated at independence
haI and defended by the blood Of the reyo-
lutiouary fathers