The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-10-27
IMPERIALISM A CRIME
McKinley's Philippine Policy De-
nounced by Carl Schurz
.,ttves Of Conaress tsurped b.,
a.. president-Tre"tme OF FIJI
,iuos "a Biot upo" Amer
lean Honor.

,.,.,.d bV leading democrats ana anti
.,c-,,,ists from all over the union.
-. "a. evening. M Central Music nan.
lar.sp gathering listened 10 a lengthy
a1dress bv Carl Schurz. ~ which the
following is a liberal dig, ~;
.,to~. man eight months ago had the
,.,r az addressing the citizens OF chi
., an the subject OF American imperial-
,.n meaning the policy Of anne KING 10
tnf. republic distan; countries ana hlleh
,,rrlHfions that will not ~ into our demo
-r,+te system OF government. | discusses
=, .h4t time mainly the baneful enect inc
..rs,t OF an impcrialistic policy would
-5rt. upon our political institutions
As.- long silence, during winch nave
r.r.f fully reviewed my own opinions -
,y.u rs those Of others In the lighi 81 me
XIII. reformation | could obtain, ] shaN
Nam aEnroach the same subject from an
@.t.r noint OF view. We All know that the
,fr mind Is much disturbed by the
ptfnrire war and that. however highly
"a admir-. the bravery Of our soldiers, no
iody rrof. sses to be proud OF the war itsel'
,rbMr. AR. few Americans who do not
franklv admit their regret that TINS war
srn,iia ever have happened. | think risF
..thing when / say that 1t Is not merely
III. bnrgling conduct Of military opera
Sims but serious trouble OF conscltnces
.bat disturb- the American heart about
and iHat iDlN lIOhblt VI 't4tF-
sriarc, viii rot be allayed by more sue
sfnl military campaign. just as - years
on ~. trouble OF conscience abou. slhY-
.ry could not be aiiayed by any COM
PROMISE
Many people now, as the slavery com
,,~nrriser- did then. try 10 ease their minds
lt saving. We'll. are in ~, and now
vi mas, 60 the best We can. In spite OF
tn. onyions futlity Of this cry IN some
~ pects | VIII accept ii with the one pro-
Viso that We make an honest EFFORT 70
ascertain what really is the best we can
do To this end let Us first clearly rem. m
..r what has happened
~. April. 1898. we went TO war with SPAN
fo- rhs svowed purpose OF lberating the
ntopis OF Cuba. who had long been sirls-
riinr COR freedom and independence. our
object n that wa. was clearly ana en-
phaucaMy proclaimed by "a solemn reso-
lnsOn 81 congress repudiating all inten-
tlof ot arnexation or our part. and declar-
ine thar the Cuban people are. and OF
right ought to he. free and independe NJ.
This .oiemn declaration was made 10 90
Justice to the spirit Of the American peo-
pis who were indeed willing TO wage a
war OF liberation. but would not have con-
scented TO a war CT conquest. II was also
10 uropitihte the opinion Of mankind for
Uur action President Mckinley also de-
c.arad with equal soemnity that annexa-
zion ~ force could not be thought OF. be-
cause. ArClrilnE 10 our tDlt OF lIplhi@, u
would rs criminal aggression
purely "a War OF Liberation.
"can IL Justly be pretended that these
a Declarations referred only TO the Island
Of Cubag What would the American peo-
p.e what would the world have said. II
congress had resolved that the Cuban peo-
Die were rightfully entitled 10 freedom
.,-and Independence. but that as 10 the people
nix y. other Spanish colonies we recognized nc
lch right and II President Mckinley had
declared that the forcible annexation OF
cuba would be criminal. but that tn,
forcibie annexation Of other Spanish col
o9i would be "a righteous act2 a genera
outUurst Of protest from our own people
ara Of Gcrision and cont mpi from th'
whole world. would have been the answer
No. there can BE- no caNil-that war was
proclaimed 10 all mankind % BE- q war 81
Iteration ard not or conquest. and ever
TOW our very imperiaiists are still boast
ine thai the war was prompted by ne mos
unsa'nsh and generous purposes. and tha
thps insult us who DO no; believe *.
I'm The course OF that war Commo ior'
II WY. by brilliant feat Of arms. de
siroysi ne Spanish fleet in the harho
al Mnnila This did not change the her
ait character OF the war-certainly no
"a prw.ys own opinion. The Filipinos
constituting the strongest and fore mos
tribe 81 the population % the archipelago
hAi ,ong been fighting fer freedom ar'
INDEPENDENCE just as the Cubans had
Tho great mass of the other Islander
sNmpathzed with them. They fought f.
The same cause as the Cubans. and the,
fought against the same enemy-the sam
enemy against whom We were waging on
war of humanity and liberation. They ha'
the same title to freedom and independence
which We recognized of right In the Gu
haus-nay. more for. Admiral Dewe
telegraphed TO our government. they ar
far superior I'm their intelligence. and NOR
capable Of self-governmen than the ma
tv,s OF cuba The admiral adds: 4 m
familiar with both races and further In
tercourse with them has confirmed me /
this opinion
Indeed. the mendacious stories sprea
hy our imperialists. which represent thos
people a. barbarians, their doings as mer
savagery.' and their chiefs as no bette
than 'cut-throats have been refuted b
such a mass OF authoritative testimon,
coming in part from men who are them
selves imperialists, that their author
should hide their heads IN shame for sure
~ y Is not the part of really brave men {
illuminate their victims before sacrificin
them.
Recognized rs Allies.
Now. whether there was or not any foi
NAL onpact OF alliance signed and sealeS
no candid man who has studied the ofiici'
documents Will deny that in point of fac
Niitd 10 DO so. were. before the capture
Manila. acting. and were prac ically re-
osnized. as our allies. ard that as sue
thty lid effective service. which we az
cepifd and protited by This Is an indi
pu'ahe fact. proved by the record 1t
An equally indisputable fact that du
that period the Filipino goyernmel
constantly and publicly. 50 that NJ
BODY could plead ignorance of
or misunderstand H. informed u
world that their object was the achev
ment Of national independence. and thu
iNey believed the Americans had come
good faith TO help them accomplish tn
end, as In the case OF Cuba. 1t was weel
after various pr0clamations and other pul
VS. rtterances of Aguinaldo to that ene
WAT the correspondence between him ~
Wen. Anderson. which ! have quoted. to,
pare, and that the useful services OF u
Ftipinos as our allies were accepted.
ls' further. an indisputable fact that du
t.f tl.s period our Eovtrrm ent did rot /
form the Filipinos that their fond e
pfctations as to our recognition of th'
int@ue .1v-c1 rrre mistaken. our seer
tafy u state ar-. ia1scr. "a :. - = ~rl
~ MI Pratt. our rvn-.i genera - @..y