The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-09-19

of the island of Luzon, the
city of Manila was captured from the
Spaniards, and at this stage of opera
tons the war between Spain and the
United States ended; but while peace
negotiations were in progress at Paris,
the ancient inhabitants Of the Philip
pines repossessed themselves, by
force of arms, of substantially all the
Philippine territory, except the single
city Of Manila, then in the hands of
United States troops. The territory
regained by the Filipinos had previ-
ously been won from them by con-
quest. 1t had always been theirs of
right, but was now theirs both by right
and might, and their flag was every
where respected as the emblem of au-
thority outside Of the city of Manila,
and excepting possibly one or two
places then held by the Spanish gar
risons In state Of seige.
This, then, was the status of affairs
in the Philippine archipelago when the
treaty of peace was concluded. 1t is
now claimed, however, that we bought
the islands from Spain. When did we
buy them? Months after Spain's title
such as 1t was-had been rendered
worthless by reconquest Of the ter
ritory by the native owners Of 1t. In
deed, the most that any imperialist can
claim is that Spain once obtained the
Philippine territory by conquest and
held it against the will Of the inhab-
itants, and that prior to the alleged
sale to the United States, she had lost
1t by conquest to the people from
who in equity had always been its
owners. Which title to the islands,
therefore, is the better one? The title
of those who won them first by con-
quest, and held them to oppress their
inhabitants, or the title of those who
won them last by conquest, and there
by regained what was theirs of right?
If Spain had no just title when she
assumed to transfer the islands to the
United States, what right morally have
we to insist upon the possession OF
them?
AS to Our Legal Right.
AS a. rule, whatever is good in NOR.
ais is found to hold good in law, and sc
1t is in this case. The rights of mer
were perfectly guarded by the trainers
Of the constitution and the Older
statesmen of our republic. Wher
Louisiana was acquired from natior
whose title to the territory was undis
puted, the instrument transferring Il
contained the following provision, to
|
territory shall be incorporated in the
Union of the United States and ad
mitted as soon as possible, according
| to"-according to- what? the will o
the president? No; the will Of con
gress? No; but according to "the prin
ciples of the federal constitution to tht
enjoyment Of all the rights, advan
tages and immunities Of citizens of th
United States" From this we ascer
tain definitely what the principles o
the federal constitution require, ant
we ascertain also that under the con
stitution we can not hold either ol
this continent or elsewhere colonies
dependencies or territories never to b.
admitted to the sisterhood of states
Florida came to us upon substantial.
the same conditions as Louisiana, ant
so also did the territory obtained iron
Mexico and Russia. TeXas'was an in
| dependent nation, and asked for ad
mission into the Union.
AS to the third question suggestet
I can not do better in short spac
than present a summary of an edi
torial which appeared in Harper
Weekly of April 8th last. 1t wa
based upon the testimony of bushes
man who lived for many years in Ma
nilla, and gives the following esti
mates of what it would cost the Unite
States to hold the Philippine country
and Of what we should derive from
in way of income:
1--WE can not maintain peace in tn
islands without garrisons aggregatin
cfNTg Charge of Of s75ooo,OoO. anu 70 % ii this sur
must be added 25 per cent army pa
for colonial service, the cost of trans
portation back and forth, the frequen
recruitments for maintenance of tn
strength of the garrisons, the cost G
the naval service =; and we fin
that the annual charge for militar
service in the Philippines would reac
500, 100000. Assuming that the Amer
leans engaged in the Philippine trad
made a profit Of 10 per cent on thei
sales to the islands, we should the
have a revenue Of about $1,500,000 &C
cruing to a score or so of americans
and for the maintenance of this rev
enue the country would be taxed a
least $100,000,00 year."
In other words, the tax payers of tn
United States would pay 100000, 90
annually to enable say fifteen .Ameri
cans to eac make a yearly profit c
100000. Can the taxpayers affor
to do a business of this sort?
AS to the fourth query l need sim
ply quote the language of our ma
tional Republican platforms:
The first platform Of the Republica
party, that of 1856, said: "The main
tenance of the principles promulgate
in the Declaration of independence
and embodied in the federal constitu
tion is essential to the preservation
of our republican institutions. TIL
highwayman's plea that might make
right is in every respect unworthy @
American diplomacy, and would brin
shame and dishonor upon any govern
ment or people that gave 1t their sane
ton"
The Republican platform Of 1856
said: 1--WE recognize the principle
laid down in the immortal Declaration
of independence as the true founda
tion of democratic government" Tn
platform Of 1876 said: "All men ar
created equal. They are endowed b.
their Creator with certain inalienabl
rights, among which are life, libert
and the pursuit Of happiness. For tn
attainment of these ends government