The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-10-19
BOURKE COCHRAN
ON IMPERIALISM
Addresses an Anti-Annexation
Meeting in Chicago.
GREETED WITH APPROVAL
Speaker Said it Was by Act of United
States Government That Aguinal-
do Landed at Manila-Two
Courses Are Open

Chicago, October 1S.-The anti-imperialst
meeting at Central Music hall came to
close tonight, Bourke Cochran, of New
York, delivering the Grafton of the evening.
The hall was filled and the remarks of the
orator were greeted with approval by those
present. Mr.. Cochran based his objection
to the policy of the government on the
broad ground that one people had no right
to force a government on another. He
discussed the question in dispassionate
manner, claiming there were many reasons
why the United States should hold the
islands, but no reason why 1t should at
tempt to force upon any people form of
government to which that people objected.
The conference adjourned at the conclusion
of Mr.. Cockrans address, those in charge
of the meeting expressing themselves as de-
lighted with the success of the affair. Mr..
Cockran's address was in part as follows:
In dealing with the fruits of the late
war two courses are open to us. One, the
old course of treating our success as an
opportunity to wrest from the conquered
the utmost he can be made to yield, the
other to establish a new standard of JUS
tice in the dealings of nations with each
other by refusing to accept either tribute
or territory for ourselves and by acknowl-
euSluS Inc cOHuIllOnS Oh peace d prONiSiOi
for improving the conditions of men.
IF, on the other hand, we conclude to ac-
cept no other reward than the establish
ment of a free and beneficent government
in the territory wrested from Spain, we will
show that we did not take up arms for con-
quest and plumber, but for justice and HUI
mainly. The president proclaiming such a
policy, so novel and so enlightened would
take a place in history as distinct and con-
spicuous as that of Abraham Lincoln, while
this country would acquire a moral in
fiuence among nations unprecedented and
unparalleled.
I'VE are told that 1t would be cowardly
to treat with these inhabitants while they
have arms in their hands; that We would
be discredited in the eyes of the world If
we disarmed them by justice and kindness
rather than by bullets and by steel. No
body doubts our capacity to subjugate these
islands. The Fiipinos themselves don't dis
pute it. They don't deny that we can ex-
terminate them, they only deny that we
can subiugate them. This country has be-
come great of the justice which has always
governed her. There is one thing and only
one thing which this nation is strong
enough to do, and that is to perpetrate
wrong. There is but one force of which
this country stands i'm awe and that is its
own conscience.
''It is said that Aguinaldo is a savage.
If he be a savage, then We have made
alliance with a savage to war on a Chris
.tian people and our own profession as
civilized power is impeached 1t was by
our act that he landed at Manila. When
we protest against the forcible seizure of
territory as a violation of the declaration
of independence we are told that Jefferson
himself violated it. This statement is not
true, but if it were it would not answer
the objection. Louisiana was purchased as
an act of necessity and the law of self
preservation juStifieS measure. our
Mississippi commerce has been so ham
pered by the restrictions imposed by the
authorities of New Orleans that it has been
proposed in the senate to seize this land
forcibly. jefferson undertook to secure it
peaceably and in the course OF his nego-
tiations ne found it necessary to take the
whole territory of Louisiana. This turned
out to be an incalculable benefit and 1t Is
a benefit which can be enjoyed without the
slightest faint of injustice at its source.