Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-10-09
A CRIME AGAINST LIBERTY.

Tx Governor OFerrlll, CT Virginia,
in Il signed letter 10 Tie Cincinnati En-
quirer, gives some breezy criticisms of
the imperial policy of the admtnisiea-
ton, taking for his text the Geographic
announcement that some of our Meth
odist brethren in Minnesota have de-
clared that the charge laid upon the
American nation in the Philippine ac-
QUESTION was providential." and re-
marks: eff so. where do Roosevelt,
Long and Dewey come in?" Proceed
ing, the Governor says:
I'm the same breath our Methodist
friends rejoice in the splendid achieve
ments of the army and navy Now, this
is slightly inconsistent. If the taking of
Manila were providential, the claims of the
entire army and navy must go the way
of Dewey. Long and Roosevelt. l con-
, fess [ 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 inspiration in the White
House. All this talk about special
Providence is pure drivel. The merest
tyro in war and diplomacy must have
Mia and calculated the consequences.
1.-The dispatch is headed 'Methodists for
Expansion Mr.. Editor, all Americans are
for expansion in right directions and on
equality Of rights From the cession of
the Northwest Territory to that of Alaska
it was provided that the ceded territory
should be incorporated in the Union and
its inhabitants admitted as soon as posi-
bic, according to the principles of the
the rights advantages and immunities of
citizens of the United States That was
expansion.
I'm the so-called cession of the Phil
ippines q say so-called, because Spain had
nothing even on paper, TO cede, but Manila,
and that was at the mercy Of the Eli Eli
civil rights and political status were to be
determined by Congress-
"After the ratification of the treaty the
Senate passed a resolution declaring that
it was not intended to incorporate the
inhabitants of the Philippine Islands into
citizenship of tho United States The
Presidents proclamation promised to the
Filipinos a government suitable to their
capacities. The Schurman Commission de-
cided on a Governor, nominated by the
President and confirmed by the Senate;
Legislative Council, TO be appointed by the
Governq IT,, and an ELECTIVE S House 90. OF Rep-
ernor should exercise an absolute and un-
limited veto This is not expansion. 1t
is pure and unadulterated Imperialism
and is incompatible with the basic prin-
ciples of our Government, as contained in
the immortal Declaration of independence,
and in conflict with the Constitution of the
United States. 1t is particularly abhor-
rent to the Republican party, of which |
have been, through good report and evil
report, lifelong and active member
Concluding, Governor O'Ferrall we'll
says:
THE very point in issue is the one for
which the revolutionary fathers fought.
George III. was willing to concede them
government for the benefit of the govern
ed He even finally consented to give them
representation in the British Parliament.
The ttmid, and the wavering. and the mer-
cenary were willing to accept this, but the
immortal Samuel Adams and his confreres
were fighting not for prosperity, but for
principle that governments were there
after to derive their just powers from the
consent of the governed or, as Lincoln
aptly put it, government of the people,
for the people and last but most i'm
portant by the people.
This argument is one which cannot
be successfully combatted by the adj
ministration imperialists. The Philip
pine war is a crme against liberty.