The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-16
WHICH VIEW IS RIGHT?
Well Written Opinions on Our Rights and Duties
in the Philippines.

| and the people are believers in the good
| American doctrine of national growth
How great is the interest of the west
| ern people in the Philippine problem
can only be understood by those who
| come in actual contact with them. Ever
| since the American troops landed in
Manila all the great papers of the west
have been filled with graphic and in
terestfng letters from western volun-
teers. These letters have told all about
the islands and their wonderful posi-
bilities in homely but effective fashion,
while at the same time they have de-
scr1bed with many quaint touches of
racy western humor the tribulations
and pleasures of the boys in camp. For
this reason it is a fact, strange as it
may seem, that the people of the west
know great deal more about the act
ual situation in the Philippines than do
the people of the east. That with their
clearer knowledge, derived from their
own sons, the people of the west still
believe in acquiring these islands is an
argument in favor of that policy upon
which, in our opinion, not enough stress
has been laid. 1t certainly cannot be
met by quoting academic maxims and
theories of closet philosophers. The west
has not sent it's sons to the Philippines
on a FOOLS errand, but to aid in fulfill
ing the destiny of the nation. 1t is not
frightened by the boyle of Imperial
ism," nor does it shrink from the duty
of making worldwide the power and in
f1uence of the nation because that duty
may perchance interfere with the Mir
/ alists.
THE PHILIPPINES AND THE DE-
CLARATION.
TFrom the New York SUM-
Mr.. Allen of Nebraska has introduced
into the senate a resolution reciting that
the senate ''reaffirms' the Declaration
of Independence and declares that it's
doctrines and principles are of universal
application. Mr.. Allen and the rest of
the anti-expansionists seem to assume
their special benefit. Likewise the Con-
stitution.
The United States government made
virtually autOcratic government for
its territory of Orleans. Somewhere in
the country always political equality
has been denied to certain parts of the
population. The Indians are governed
without their consent. The Chinese ex-
clusion act forbids Chinese to come here
to enjoy life, liberty and happiness, and
those that were here before the passing
of the act do not have the political
rights of Americans who are in the full
enjoyment of the same, as several mill
lions of Americans are not. The resi-
dent Chinaman, the Indian and the ne
gro in the south are in substantially the
same condition of deprivation of pOliti-
cal equality. The immigration laws of
recent years are not founded upon any
genial theory of the abstract rights OF
man. 1t may be added that protection
itself, which has worked so successfully
in the United States, has not increased
the happiness or our commercial rivals.
In short, the country acts a. reason
able country should, for it's own ad-
vantage, and not for the prOpa cation of
principles which have never been really
applied here and are not likely to be
applied anywhere else. In the southern
states the more intelligent and powerful
race protects itself, provides for it's own
security at the expense of and with no
especial regard for the rights of the
weaker race. 1t may be unfortunate
that this should be so, but so it is, and
no amount of Declarations of Independ-
ence or declarations by the senate can
amend human nature or revise the con-
StitutiOn of man.
Now the assertion, so much quoted
by the anti XpansiOniStS, about gov
ernments deriving their just power
from the consent of the governed"
means nothing more or less than the
right of revolution, 1.-THE right of the
people to alter or abolish" any form of
government which is destructive of
these ends,'' i. e., such ''inalienable
rights" as life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness" This right of the people
will not be denied. 1t is right that
has always existed. Any people can
revolt, and the only question is as to
their power to succeed. not only in es-
tablishing. but in maintaining, their
government as the Americans did.
When Spain ratifies the treaty and
her sovereignty over the Philippines
passes to the United States Mr.. Hoar's
MeStizo Simon Bolivar will be a rebel
against the Onlted states. Ii MI. dOar
and Mr.. Jones and the rest of the con-
tractionist brethren believe that the
American form of government is de-
structive of the great ends of govern
ment, they will continue to justify and
encourage the rebellion. 1t is clear
however, from the language of the De-
claration of Independence that the con-
sent of the we'll governed to good gov
eminent is assumed, and that reVolu-
ton for the sake of revolution is not to
be treasured. Meanwhile, the United
States government will proceed to "es-
tablish justice, insure domestic tran
quillity'' in the Philippines, provide for
the common defense, promote the gen.
eral welfare by stamping out the Mes
tho riot, thereby affirming practically
the principles of the Declaration of In
dependence and the constitution.
OUR PURCHASE IN THE FAR EAST.
IFrom the Cleveland Plain Dealer1
The advocates of expansion insisted
that the recent fighting at Manila was
begun by the F'ilipinos for the purpose
of affecting the vote on the peace
treaty, and some more of the unscrup-
ulous intimated the probability that
traitors in the senate suggested to
Aguinaldo that he make the attack in
order to aid in defeating the ratifica-
ton. The Filipino president" and
diplomatic agent and ''juntas'' here,
there and everywhere are Vehemently
calling all the nations of the earth to
witness that the attack was begun by
the Americans without provocation and
InaC It's ODJecI was TO make votes Tor
the treaty, Which effect 1t certainly had
The F'iIipinos insist that the stories
sent out from Manila by the Americans
have all been strictly censored and that
the truth has been carefully blue
penciled out of them. A censored dis
patch is, of course, subject to suspicion,
but the Filipino stories sent from Hong
Kong, or evolved out of the magma
tionS of the agents or "juntas" else
where, contain in themselves evidences
of untruthfulness.
Whoever began the conflict, or how
ever it has been carried on upon either