The San Francisco call., 1899-06-25
HOLDING SUBJECTS.

! n which is abroad that a republic can hold, rule
and own contented subjects" To the subject
it makes difference whether his master Sa repub-
lie or an empire; it is his master II ne happen to
know history he will be aware that military repub-
lics avid OF conquest and holding subjects, have been
the worst governments that cursed the earth
and backened the name OF
Many people in this country to have sup
posed that all we had to do in the Philippines
tell the people that had bought them OF SPAN for
dollars per head and proposed to give them good
government and to that 1t good that we pro-
posed to administer it ourselves. Such strange
mistake to be made by citizens OF republic! Who
better than we should know that no government is
good nor be made good, or even tolerable, ex-
cept it be the free choice OF the governed?
When the desire to govern himself has come to
man and his spirit has been touched by the glorious
inspiration OF liberty, none can choose for him. his
consent must be the only OF the just powers
OF the government that is good enough for him.
1t is we'll for mankind that are still willing to
fight, willing to die, willing to be roasted in the fire.
for good government based on the consent OF the
governed. The world has been witness to a novel
spectacle, and it seems to pity that it pro-
vided by this republic. A commission, called Peace
Commission, has been sent to a people who have
fought hundred years for self government against
monarchy, to ask them to lay down their arms,
give UP their hope of efgovernment their dream of
freedom, and become the subjects OF republic!
No man has been born good enough to govern
another without that others consent, and the lovers
Of freedom should take courage that in the far
islands OF the sea men have learned the lesson OF in
dependence and aspire to it unto death.
1t is this that makes our undeclared in the
Philippines hard. The people fighting for liberty
we for empire On the Fourth of July it will be just
five months since we began the task OF compelling
the unconditional surrender of our fresh boughten
subjects. What anniversary to find tree-born re-
publicans painting under vertical sun, ordered to
slay people who never offered harm to this repub-
lie nor raised finger against our mission to pro-
claim liberty to all the world.
When we were fighting Spain, opposing mon
archy engaged in for humanity and to lift the
woke OF subecton from the necks OF subjects put
only 10000 men in the field and in a war OF only
ia days The stars in their courses fought with
for freedom.
In this undeclared war against our subjects in the
Philippines we have fought 40 days and Com
mander Ford OF Deweys feet says: "We hold not
quite so much ground as during the first part OF
August last year, and Our lines are restricted to
Manila" One need not be supersttous to the
faes in this In the first part OF August last year what
ground we held in Luzon held against SPAIN
against a monarchy, against power which denies
and defes the declaration that governments derive
their Just powers from the consent Of the governed
Since then we have sent free-bOrn soldiers to the
Philippines, until the roster reaches $1,000 men.
Twenty-seven expeditions have gone across the Pa
cifc and by the Suez Canal, carrying troops and
nitions of war, and we have fought poorly armed,
badly oficered unframed people 14o days and hold
less ground against them than we did against Spain.
1t is said that the administration is pleased with
General Otis Weyler's successor as Military Gov
ernor of the Philippines, and it may be granted that
Otis is pleased with the administration; but whether
the people third party in the genial round OF
pleasure over the affair is not known This fact Is
known, however that fighting a people who aspire
tc liberty have been driven back from ground that
VIC held when we fighting Spain.
We can subject the Fiipinos. An army OF two
hundred thousand will do it, but when we throw
them we must hold them down. Warlike and
unwilling subj ects hard to manage, to force good
government upon them is difficult 1t can be done
only by standing army garrisOnng every town, for
when military vigilance is released who want to
be free take advantage Of the ailers absence But
Great Britain says doing it right, and have
only to keep killing until all the braves are dead
and good government OF the surviving towards will
he easv