Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-01-09

acquisition of territory to be populated
b. homogeneous people TO be carved
into states like those now in
| existence. An empire suggests va
| riety in race and diversity IL
| government. The imperialists 60 not
| desire to clothe the F'ilipinos with all
the rights and privileges Of American
| citizenship; they want to exercise Sow
| ereignty over an alien race and they
expect to rule the new subjects upon
a theory entirely at variance with con-
| stitutional government. Victoria IS
| queen OF Great britain and empress of
| India; shall we change the title OF our
| executive and call him the president OF
| the United States and The emperor OF
\ the Philippines?
| The Democratic party stood for the
money of the constitution in 1895; it
| stands for the government Of the con-
| stitution now. 1t opposed an English
| financial policy in 1896: il opposes an
| English colonial policy now. Those who
| in 1896 were in favor of turning the
American people over to the greed of
| foreign financiers and domestic trusts
| may now be willing TO turn the Flip
| lnos over to the tender mercies of mill
tary governors and carpet-bag officials.
These who in 1895 thought the people
OF the United States too weak to at
| think them strong enough TO attend 10
the business Of remote and alien races:
but those who in 1896 fought for indie
pendence for the American people Will
not now withhold Independence from
those who desire it elsewhere.
Has a Familiar Ring.
We are told that the Filipinos are
not capable of self-government; that
has q familiar ring. Only two years
ago heard the same argument made
against a very respectable minority of
the people OF this country. The money
loaners, who coerced borrowers did il
upon that theory: the employers who
coerced their employees did il for the
same reason. Self-government in
creases with participation in govern
r1ent. The Fllipiros are not far enough
advanced To share in the government
OF the people of the United States. but
they are competent TO govern them
selves. It is not fair to compare them
with our own citizens because the
American people have been educating
themselves in the science of govern
ment for nearly three centuries. and
while we have much to learn we have
already made great improvement The
Filipinos will not establish a perfect
government but they will establish n
government as nearly perfect as they
are competent to enjoy and the United
States can protect them from molesta
ton from without
THE Republicans OF Illinois. of course,
will not expect the Filipinos to select
q Legislature equal to the last Repub-
lican legislature in fidelity to the pub
lie welfare. Illinois became n state
nearly a century ago and the legislature
which enacted the Allen law was. as it
were, the ripened fruit of long expert
ence. Give the Filipinos time and OPP
portunity and while they never will
catch up with Us. unless we cease to
improve. yet they may some day stand
where we stand now.
KeyhoIe OF the Administration.
What excuse can be given for the
adoption of a colonial policy? Secre-
tary Gage disclosed the secret in his |
Savannah speech. / think we might be |
justified in calling Mr.. Gage the key
hole of the administration because we |
look through him to learn what is go !
ing on within the executive council |
chamber. He suggested that 'phiIan- |
thropy and per cent would go hand |
in hand in the new venture. These are |
the two arguments which are always |
used in favor of conquests. Philan- |
thropy and per cent. The one chloro-
forms the conscience of the conquerer
and the other picks the pocket of the
Some say that philanthropy demands
that we govern the Filipinos for their
own good. while others assert that We
must hold the islands because of the
pecuniary profit to be derived from
them 1 deny the soundness of both
arguments. FCrcible annexation will |
not only be criminal aggression Ito Dor
row Mr.. McKinley's language of year
ago. but il Will cost more than il is
worth. and the whole people will pay
the cost while a few viii reap all the
benefits.
Still weaker is the argument based |
upon religious duty. The Christian re-
ligion rests upon the doctrine of vicari-
Gus suffering and atonement: the CO.
lonial policy rests upon the doctrine of !
vicarious enjoyment.
Two Ways to Put 1t.
when the desire to steal becomes un-
in an individual he is de-
clared to be kieptomaniac and is sent
to an asylum: when the desire to grab
and becomes uncomfortable in a nation
we are told that the currents of destiny |
are flowing through the hearts of men
and that the American people are en-
tering upon their manifest mission.
Shame upon a logic which locks up
the petty offender and enthrones grand
larceny. Have the people returned to
the worship of the golden calf2 Have
hey made unto themselves a new COM
mandment consistent with the spirit
of conquest and the lust for empire?
Is Thou shalt not steal upon a small
scale to be substituted for the law of
Moses2