The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1899-07-14

Al Lebanon on the 4th Of July tn MI
grafton. Hon. Geo. 4. Chamberlain re-
ferred 10 our new possessions 10 . io'c''
bic manner and said:
1 lam not one OF those who believe ,na'
the situation which coniron,s thu 'n''eo
states with regard TO the Philippines
Ith,eatsns Democratic Institutions
lhaye too much confidence in the grea'
head at d heart OF the American peoP'e
10 Lartor such thought. | do believe
however ,ha, Il had been better tor tue
United States IL it had b'an possiols Tor
the gallant Dawey and his brave men %
have blown up the Spaui'h heet AZ MA
mia and called away. Such course
would have paved many noble lite, and
millions Of treasure. But this course
was net taken. IL probably could not
have been taken nnder the circumstan'
ces. The Spauish dag was hauled down,
and old glory uniurled 10 It's stead, ana
| il then became and Is now the duty oil
the American people 10 uphold the arm
OF the administration and sustain tue
honor q our coun,ry. But after quiet
has beea restored. the question then os
comes material, what shall We do with
the Philippines? Upon this subject
there must and viii be long and bitter
contest. To iorcibly annex these distant
islands necsssisates one Of two very po.-
ic:es, Either the establishment OF
military protectorate, and the adoption
OF colonial policy. modelled sfter the
sy stems in vogue under tht monaTchaal
and despotie forms Of government or
the adoption OF territorial forrn OF gov
ernment contem plated by the trainers
of our constitution. and which has been
successfully carried out since the adopt
ion. The fret line Of policy is contrary
to the letter and spirit OF the Magma
Charta Of our liberties, and is vieative
of .he fist self evident truth upon which
il is founded, 'that ell men are created
equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain inalienable rights
thai among ,hes4 are life, liberty and The
pursuit Of bappiness;iha to secnre these
riehts, governments are Instituted
among men, deriving tLeir just powers
from the consent OF the goierned."
Ii involves the fastening OF govern
mert upon people who we're at one
time in measure, allied with ne against
the Spanish power. without their con-
sent and againet their will :
The courage and fidelity with which
the Filipinos for upwards of century,
have opposed the despotism Of foreign
pewer, appeal to the generous impulses
Of free America against the adoption OF
such policy.
The second, If carried out in accord
ance with the teachings Of the fathers cf
the Republic, contemplates the annexa-
ton of these islands fret as territories
and then as states, with the same right
10 participate in our affairs 90 the consli'
tuition gives to citizpns OF our local terri
tories and states.
Such policy lneans eventually The
admission to citizenship OF ten millions
Of race with whose civilization we have
not had and cannot have any part or
parcel; who are forbidden By the very
laws Of nature from mingling their blood
with the Anglo-Amsrican race.
The same reasons which appealed to
Congress to Intervene in behalf OF the
Fllipinos. aSd il 10 my honest conviction,
that il to them there had ever been held
out the hope Of autonomy, the bones OF
our sons and brothers would not now be
bleaching under the sun Of tropical
sky, and even yet IL such hope could be
held out to them, the voices Of those who
lead them in the present war would be
powerlese to lead then. to further meas
ures OF 10 cd.
The question involved is not and
should never become political, and e7en
nov partisans ere divided as to the bes
policy to pursue. This, my fellow citi
zens, is as it should be, and It is the duty
Of every citizen in his sovereign capacity
to solve it according to the dictates oi his
own conscience. and predict that when
20 solved it will De consonsnt both with
reason and common sense.
In connection with the subject the
speaker forcibiy presented the position
taken by Washington 10 reference to en-.
tsngling alliances.