Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-01-13
We should Not Undertake to Govern
the Ftlipinos Unless We Have
Z. Their Full Consent to Be
.i Governed.

after the conclusion of the speech before
the senate could proceed with its business
on account of the confusion incident to the
congratulations which many Of Senator
Mason's colleagues FASTENED to extend to
him
Senator Mason's Speech.
SIT is easy to drift with the tide be-
gan Mr.. Mason, "but 1t is not always safe
The simple resolution I have introduced
: has nothing necessarily to do with any
treaty, nor do intend to speak of any pro-
posed treaty
The resolution does not involve ques-
ton Of law, but is a question as to the flu
ture policy of this republic. / am will
Ing to trust the people. and want the
people to hear both sides Of the case be-
fore the verdict is rendered
Distinguished editors and statesmen say
the republican party favors governing GER
tain nations without the consent Of its
people. Who dares speak in advance for
the party that speaks only In its conyen-
ton? That party sprang like young
giant from the womb of conscience and
made it's first fight for human liberty. It
has never bowed to the storm of expe-
diency. and. II may be allowed to proph-
esy, predict that If the delegates will
go in again. the rafters will ring again
and again when they demand the same
Independence for the citizens of the Phil
tppines as they did two years ago for
Cuba.
DO you say am speaking for the
Philippines? Yes one word for them. and
two for ourselves. A black man said to
q senator the other day: I thank you for
speaking for my race and the senator re-
pied; I am speaking one word for your
race ana two for my own; nothing ever
awarIeo the white race SO much as stoop-
ing for hundred years to keep the black
man down.. I may appear to speak one
word for the Philippines, but two for nv
own people, when plead for the broad
manhood of the man who wrote: All Just
powers of government are derived from
the consent of the governed You cannot
govern the Philippines without taxing
them. You have not yet their consent,
and the proposition of taxation without
representation is made again. Look out
FOR tea parties, those little semi-social
functions are likely to break out even
there, for Hall Columbia and Yankee
Doodle have been heard in the archi-
pslago.'
we may talk of 1t as we please, but
thsre is nothing that satisfies the human
mind In an enlightened age, unless man is
governed by his own country and the in
statuttons of his own government,
We are now asked to say to the citi-
Esns OF the Philippines: You poor, ignorant
Y creatures. you cant govern yourselves;
we will extend our commerce. and we viii
do 1t for you. You don't know s how hS Il" to
tax yourselves. and In order that we NAV
continue to exercise our Christian duty
70 you We will prevent your exercising
Z sovereignty, we will exercise that func-
= zion ourselves. Mr.. President, they will
never learn to govern themselves while
we govern them.
our own was the first great republic
ana IN the better and broader sense our flag
noats from the dome of every repubIie
From Brazil to Nicaragua and Venezuela!
the brave little republican flag is floating Y
It may not be striped or starred like our
own, but 1t is born Of the spirit of our
spirit wherever it floats and 1t breath
defiance to the monarchies of the world (.
because our flag is in our sky and because
the Monroe doctrine is written forever in
the hearts of the people,"
The other day, when the distinguished
senator from Massachusetts (Hoar) asked
the senator from Connecticut (PlatD what
he was going to do with this sentence
that all Just powers of government are
derived from the consent of the governed ~
he answered: From the consent of some
OF the governed" Mr.. President when !
any great cause, which is agitating the
minds OF the people needs for its defense
6uoh shallow and un-American eyasions
as TINS, that cause will not live long in the
minds OF intelligent people. We cannot !
amend that sentence now, and when we all 4
snail nave moldered In forgotten dust this
sentence Will live and continue to burn 4
menace to tyrants and beacon of hone
10 the downtrodden and the oppressed
Pleads for the Filipino.
The Filipino is begging to treat with us
as TO ms own land; he acknowledges our |
gallant services; there is no honest com
mercial treaty that an honest ma ton could
ASK that they are not willing to consent TO |
They want liberty, as we did, and when
70,0OO.0OO people have heard their cry for
mercy and independence the father in
New England will plead for the father in |
Manila, the mother in Illinois will nrav
TOT the poor mother in the islands of the
sea; the fathers will vote as the mothers !
pray; the poisoned views of selfishness
Will nave mad its run, and God help the
party that urges war on the native who
delends only his liberties and his home
All, Mr.. President, have we got to fight
ana plead Tor these people as we did for
cuba? Are we to hear Aguinaldo and his
followers called robbers and cutthroats &c
we neard OF the brave Garcia and his fol-
lowers within the last u months in This
chamber? Why not make them our friends
forever instead of our enemies? WHY
stingily withhold the jewel of independ-
ence2 Why not finish this war as we began
II, Tor humanity.s sake? Why not with a
!ree and open hand give to them what weS
have promised to give to Cuba? Then we
have kept our promise, then have we |
bound them to us by bands stronger than
steel, and then can we answer the ISLANDERS
OF Europe, who called us land -grabbers.
Pointing to Bedloe's island we can say;
80, VIZ Apetty cap ~ not crown; see,
the goddess has turned on her pedestal !
ano, with searchlight, swept the continent:
see. lo,0VO miles across the water, the seed
6oWn at concord has taken root there and
haunts its defiant flag of self government +.
at the very portals Of the orient
some Features of Our Civilization.
Y Referring to the statements that the
Americans intended to give the Philippines
liberty, Senator Mason said: How "a
liberty to be established? Is 1t to be done
hypodermically with a 13-inch gun? Are
not our men and ships lying off Ioilo?
Did not the natives who have been our ally
drive the Spaniard out? Are they not in
possession of their own land, their own
homes? Are they guilty of any crime ex-
cept of love of home and country? Hav-
ing worn the Spanish yoke so long, do you
wonder at their fear of ours? Shall we
shoot them and burn their homes because
God Almighty has planted in their hearts
and to their lips the sweet song Of lib
ertyf Forbid 1t, Almighty God.
But, Mr.. President, we are told that we
2, ciyilize them; which part OF our civ
lnzation shall we give them first? Shall
we show them how to run municipalities
with Doodle aldermen? i see the chief of
mat great ethical society, known as Tam
many nall, says keep the islands. hold
them Shall we send them to teach the nm
Taught Philippines cleanliness and mu-
nicipal politics? Shall we teach them to
Worship money or the man who has it?
onau we have special instructions to teach
them how to kill postmasters and their
wives and children because of their COM
piexlon? Shall we have illustrations show
ing enlarged pictures, the works OF our
Eaops HlshN Hs.assf W aavsln North Caro-.