The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1899-05-13
WILL THEY Explain?

WILL LII II Ah4&'s
The silly, imbecilic writer of editor
ia's in the Oregonian imagines that he
has propounded a series of questions
to antrim perialists that are uuanswer-
able, and that will forever hush those
who are opposed to the idea OF expand
ing the government of the United
States over the entire universe. His
questions are as follows:
''Will some anti-imperialist kindly
explain why American ascendency is
right in the Caribbean sea and wrong
in the Malay archipelago? Why will
conquest be harmless in Porto Rico
and suicidal in L.uzon? Why is the
flag an emblem of right and order in
Cuba and of oppression and iniquity in
the Philippines? Why is it constitu-
tional TO capture and hold San Juan
with army and navy, and unconstitu-
tional to capture AID hold Manila!
Why does the consent of the governed
apply to naked savages in Luzon and
not to the civilized Christians OF Porto
Rico?"
Such questions as these are so utterly
absurd, that did not they come from a
paper having the standing of the Or
egonian they would be unworthy OF
consideration, bnt coming from a
- ,ril f.isar1 a tino nd
one that at least assumes TO be credit.
able. they are entitled To a passing g
notice.
The first interrogation, "Will some
anti-imperialist explain why American
ascendency is right in The Caribbean
sea and wrong in the Malay archiDel-
ago?" almost answers itself, FIR no
anti ntiimperialist has ever held that
"American a>cendancy in the Carib-
bean sea- is right, except by the con-
sert of the people inhabiting the is.
lands Of that sea. But conceding that
il is right under present conditions
Though as to Cuba, even Preside OF
Mckinley. the chief of i!nperialsts
does not insist that American ascend.
ency is to be pushed beyond assisting
the Cubans to establish government
for themselves his case is not analo
gous To that in the Philippines. B..
fore We went to war with Spain, Cuba
had plead with the United States tC
recognize her independence, and in
vited Am erican intervention. Cubans
were willing then and are willing now
to recognize American aseendancy to
the extent that they will turn their
governmental affairs over 20 the
United States until such a time as
they can Govern themselves, and, too,
there is very large mum Der of Cubans
who at this time favor annexation.
The Filipinos never asked Us for help
never signfied a willingness to accept
orr good Offices in drying The Spanish
army out of their country. We swooped
down upon them unawares. destroyed
the Spanish feet, then made them our
allies to help take Manila. After this
was ACCOMPLISHED, without consultiue Q
their wishes we undertook to bring
them under our subsection.
The otberquestions are alike absurd.
In Porto Rico there is no war of con.
quest. The Porto Ricans are willing
and eveu anxious to become citizens 0l
the Uni ed States. while the Filipinos
are not. The flag is an emblem OF
light in Cuba because it was with the
consent and invitation of the Cubans
that it was raised over them; it is an
emblem of oppression in the Philip
pines because the people there have
refused TO pledge it allegiance, and
never invited US to raise it over
them o. their country. The consen.
of the governed is just as necessary in
"Christian Porto Rico" as it is in
r"SaVage Luzon," and the fact that
this consent" was willingly given by
the Porto Ricans and refused by the
Filipinos makes the spf eading of
the aut ority of the United States
right in the former apd wrong in the
latter instance.
Now will the Oregonian or some
other imperialist explain why, when the
Filininos were fighting against Span
ish oppression, they were patriots, and
when they opposed American domina-
tion they suddenly became rebels?
Why they were made allies and were
armed when we needed their assistance
to drive the Spanish army out of
Manila. and then were made our
enemies as soon as the Spariards were
subdued? Why it was patriotism to
oppose Spanish oppression 10 the
Philippines and is rebellion to resent
American tyrany? And last. will they
eXulain what business the United
States has had in the Philippines at
any time after the surrender of Manila?