The San Francisco call., 1899-09-29
OUR NATIONAL DUT Y.
The Question Of Expansion and Annexation
Of the Philippines.
BY Frank H. Short
PART III.

ment in the premises, which Ionr,nni undou0'euiS
1t matters little to me what pFa acIie4l
men who want trade might say, ~ dia, nc, 9
ters not much more what p9ii.lottl,iis ~ ,Sis
might say: there is to my nina III CI!s
instance only one course that IS iisLLt,
only one course that is manly, am anu ~ ~, ~ :
as a people can come to the sahte toti- a.
clusion, it would be inhuman 10 iui 'i4
There is never a moment Of time Wnen
ii is too soon to do right, and the tiLle
has now arrived (and for some 'lIne nd5
existed when this Government shouId
seek to end this war by an lhlineuIdIe I[ae
proposal to grant the Fiipinos 1reeqoin foI i
and self-government upon terms enIIId he no no
question Of their immediate acceptdhLG;e an; <:
If these people desire liberty 1t IS thIS thelTs
of right We have. no right 10 "Iinnoiu dafaot
destroy and sunjugate them ana tnen M
grant them liberty; but IT is theirs now
# they wish it. BY purchasing the cTr4bs }bs
of geo years we have not acquired tne
right to continue that wrong 1or one
instant, and whatever others may say
contend that the question or freedom anu
another is not to be solved by the ne
nation which is seeking TO impose lIs
government upon another. Such q oen-
milton of liberty would be denying liberty
to all men.
If there is any place in the world where
we have no natural right, no AnniiieS n,l.Iiss
by birth or by nature, it is In the Phllipo
pine Islands. Unless we can purchase
jurisdiction over men and countries from
king that had no right TO such luIIs-
diction, and thereby acquire go9G Hue ~ y
rule over them, we are in the Fnl1pP'ne
Islands attempting TO force our repupL-
can institutions upon the Malay lnnaol-
tants thereof by the sword with as HltIe
right as any country, ancient or mooerh,
ever undertook TO impose its government
upon any people.
Correctly speaking republics are created
nfT II
Government is to govern subjects or
subjects in addition to its citizens, 1t
ought not to be founded upon republican
or democratic lines. Historically speak
ing, republics, where they have taken up
on themselves the inconsistent power or
privilege to rule over subjects, have been
far more despotic, ruthless and unreason-
able in their rule than have absolute
monarchies. 1t can be readily seen that
citizens naturally accord toward each
other good government. But miiIions OF
others having no right or participation IN
that government, subject them to worse
depotism than the absolute rule or one
man.
If these seventy millions Of people un-
dertake to rule the Filipinos without
their consent 1t is simply a depotlSm
divided among seventy millions OF people
In other words, seventy millions OF Tree
citizens with relation TO themselves,
occupy the relation of being seventy
millions of despots as to others. AS an
aggregation of people arbitrarily impos-
ing our government upon an unconsenung
people, we are each one of US as much
form Of government as the Car Of
Russia, when he imposes by military
force his rule upon his subjects. \
1t would seem that we have embarked
upon and undertaken the policy OF eX-
pansion and subjugation without ade-
quate consideration either OF the question
Of the right or the policy, its expedlency
or the suitability of our form of govern
ment to undertake such course. When
considered in the light of our previous
declarations, when considered in connee-
ton with our form of government! 1t GER
tainly must and ultimately will be con-
ceded that the attempt is not only un-
just but wholly impracucable and Will
result ultimately not only in disaster to
the people upon whom we are attempting
to impose oar government but even with
greater disaster to ourselves. 1t is not
Filipincs Will give themselves good
government. as a king, an emperor or
republic. We have no right TO determine
that question for them. 1t is no more our
France of China or of Switzerland.
Our flag was once supreme over the
were in undisputed possession of the prin-
cipal stronghold of that country. While
we required the cession to us of certain
territory already largely populated by
American citizens we took our flag down
from every place where ii had no right to
float and returned the territory to the
Mexican people, together with the capital
and their government, which government
they have since exercised and with which
we have not interfered So that even in
our past history it has not been our policy
that where the flag once goes up it must
forever stay. Except for military pur-
poses the flag should never go up over
any country or any people which we do
not desire ultimately TO make into States
and into citizens.
If it were to be asserted that our OBJ
ject was ultimately to create States in
the philippine Islands and grant to the
cal popularity of expansion would cease
in a moment and, the policy would be
more consistent it would be wholly un-
popular policy. The other policy of
colonization and subjection is more wrong
in principle and less desirable and profit
able FOR the reasons set forth.
If the American people and their Cow
ernment should at once take an open,
manly and humane position with relation
to the Filipinos and accord them lib
erty we would not only be entitled to re-
ceive but would receive the commenda-
ton of all people who appreciate justice
and love liberty throughout the earth.