New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-26

oss who was reluctant 20 enter this role that we
ora now playing 1 speak one who shared
| perhaps the most conservative views on this queS
| ton that anywhere are expressed IN this oIo""
| land Of ours: but when find that those VINO no"
are or lately have been opposed TO the rathcauo"
Of the treaty az all all with voice and one ac-
cord from Senator Hoar down through the ranks
OF the opposition declare that whatever might De
tide US we must drive out Spain from the rn'nP
pine Islands and keep her out. then there was pH'
one plain path of duty before those VINO s,hous"'
as did and could form no other opinion '"''''
81 no have no other opinion now. than that II was
our duty to take those Islands ana hold tnen III
trust for the great purposes OF American freedom
and American liberty. guided by all OF our history
that lies behind us and moving forward 10 so''
that must bring happiness, with law and liberty, 10
peoples who before had known wha' 'hey
meant. ,
How idle. in view ~ the opinion mus 'o',''eu
must seem the criticisms OF those VINO are hNoN"h
the Declaration Of Independence ana the t'he-no"-
orcd maxms 10 which We oil adhere, that all )usI
government rests the consent or the go'''"'u'
WHY don't we know that. after all. the achieVe-
me nj of liberty ordered and governed by law Is
practical thing and not thing OF phrases Dor
we know that It would be absolutely impossioe
that those people who for 400 years had known Ho
government but that OF Spain. who had no reaIza-
ton OF civilization except what had Deeh HiVeieU
down through the expressions of conquerins
race? Don't we know that II was iInpossloe ~.
them 10 conceive. much less achieve the ho''o' -
American liberty until the strong mana OF Amer
can power had established the law ana 'he o'ue'
" ch would give place and opportunity TOT 'he
blessings that are spoken Of when We so apos'ro-
phze the Declaration Of Independence ana hoe'''
A VERY PRACTICAL QUESTION.
Now. another thing-and you will pardon me, be-
cause this is becoming a very practical question:
and fills all our hearts and minds. l know, with
anxiety and with thoughtfuness In regard to the
future-we thinking about II. and taking aDout
1t in our homes and in our offices ana places OF
business-I want TO call your attention 10 thls
fact and to this consideration: After the signing
of the protocol on August IL last by which an
armistice and truce were brought about between
Spain and the United States. Manila, its harbors
and bay were occupied by the forces OF the
United States and General Merritt. commanding
the force and gallant army then in those waters
landed and proceeded to hold In strict obedience 10
the terms of that protocol that city, with MS COL
league, Admiral Dewey
SPANS power had been broken; her fleets had
been destroyed; her army had been surrendered
and there we stood. the guardians OF those people
that we had Just rescued from the despotism OF
four hundred years. There We stood. with our flag
and our soldiery and sailors as the guarantee
OF American honor and American liberty TO those
poor people And now what TO happen? And
what has occurred? Before the armistice Is over,
without a single departure from the strict ohliga-
ton imposed upon the United States and Its armies
by that armistice. before the Treaty OF Peace was
ratified and while stood there with arms at
rest guarding those people, having driven out their
oppressors waiting for the de1nitve ratification OF
the treaty with their enemy and ours they eXh'D-
tied their idea Of liberty their idea OF obligation.
by attacking without provocation the army that
had come to deliver them and the fleet that had
co-operated with It and brought about the conflict
which Is now, unhappy, being waged IN those
distant islands
LET US HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY"
What have we got 10 say about the Declaration
OF independence? Are to stop while our SOL
diers being shot down and our sailors staining
the decks Of American men-of-war with their blood.
and preach 10 them the Declaration OF lndepend-
ence and the saying OF Thomas Jefferson. that
all Just government rests on the consent OF the
governed? Let us have. at least, opportunity-and
we say It in the presence OF the world which Is TO
pass upon our conduct. and we invoke the public
opinion of the civilized nations Of the earth as to
the Justice Of our position-let us have at least
the opportunity TO show those people what we
meant and what we intended. before commence
TO talk to them about government resting upon the
consent OF the governed.
What analogy is there between their position and
ours in the Revolutionary War? have heard 1t
over and over again the floor of Congress and
IN the Senate Of the United States with vociferous
iteration asserted that they had much justihca-
ton in taking up and shooting down Amer.
lean citizens and American soldiers had tho
| patriots of 20 in resisting the forces OF King
George Why. for $50 years prior to the Revolution
Of '76 we had lived under English government, had
! protested against It's injustice had formulated
grievances and had petoned for their rectihcation
| and adjustment, and then only went 10 arms when
all other failed. Men OF their own
race. men capable of self-government as
the governing power itself And here are
a people who knew selfgovernment,
who have eroaned under Spanish oppression in all
these centuries; and for the first time In ell their
history they have had a CLEAN Of light brought TO
them by the flag carried by Merritt and Dewey.
| And yet they compared to the patriots who In
| &c were driven TO against King George and
| his forces the continent OF America. 1t Is
| absurd. and II is stun and nonsense. to talk about
there being any kind of comparison between the
two historic epochs l want. as much any one,
TO illustrate American character and American
principles wherever the American flag floats but
give US the opportunity and stop shooting Amer
lean soldiers and American sailors. and we Will tell
you then what will do.
WE ARE ALL AMERICANS.
Then what are we to do now? Tonight. in the
face Of this great crisis. for such it u.s. all
Democrats and all Republicans. and. more
than all we all Americans Let see to II tho
what we have undertaken In the sight OF tho
world is carried out and let us not turn our backs
upon a duty that is plain that mis-
take IT, Let tell these poor people that we have
come give them the liberty they Nighttime
for and which they attain except with
our aid. Why. were their allies. and they have
shed our blood. And yet. with 1t ALL bespeak FOL
them a patient and long-suffering consideration
that is becoming the greatness and the power anC
the precepts Of the great Nation to which we be
long We will give them better government thar
they have ever dreamed of having. We will give
them liberty governed by law and will do it
all costs and at a., hazards. and will not 81
back on American manhood and American citizen
ship and the principles OF American liberty In donl
IT.
RETREAT IMPOSSIBLE.
We cannot retreat. We cannot sail away from
those Islands now However might have dom
On in October or November we cannot do II ir