The sun., 1899-02-12
The Philippines and the Declaration.


Mr.. ALLEN Of Nebraska has introduced
into the Senate resolution reciting that
the Senate reatfirms" the Declaration OF
Independence and declares that its doc
trines and principles are Of universal appi-
cation. Mr.. ALLEN and the rest of the anti
expansionists seem to assume that the Dec
laratlon was written for their special bene-
fit. Likewise the Constitution.
The important part OF the Declaration Is
not its theories, which smack in some re-
spect of the doctrinaire political philosophy
OF the eighteenth century, but its facts
The Constitution did not carry out the the
ory OF equality propounded in the Declara-
tion However men were created, millions
OF them did not enjoy political equality or
even liberty under the Constitution until
the civil war. although not waged for that
purpose, brought about the emancipation
Of the slaves and the Constitution was
amended to suit the new conditions.
Those conditions have vanished in part.
Political equality is again denied to me-
groes in many parts OF the South. All
through the earlier years OF the Govern
ment and into our own times political
equality was denied to considerable num-
ber of citizens Property qualifications pre-
vailed in many States. Educational uali-
icatons were imposed. The United States
Government made virtually autocratlo
government for its territory Of Orleans.
Somewhere in the country always political
equality has been denied to certain parts Of
the population. The Indians are governed
without their consent. The Chinese Exclu-
sion act forblds Chinese to come here to
enjoy life. liberty and happiness, and those
that were here before the passing OF the act
do not have the political rights OF Americans
who are in the full enjoyment Of the same,
as several millions Of Americans are not.
The resident Chinaman, the Indian and the
negro in the South are in substantially the
same condition Of deprivation OF political
equality. The immigration laws of recent
years are not founded upon any genial
theory Of the abstract rights of man. 1t
may be added that protection itself, which
has worked SO successfully in the United
States. has not increased the happiness of
our commercial rivals
In short, the country acts as reasonable
country should, for its own advantage and
not for the propagation Of principles which
have never been really applied here and are
not likely to be applied anywhere else. In
the Southern States the more intelligent
and powerful race protects itself, provides
for its own security at the expense OF and
with no especial regard for the rights Of the
weaker race. 1t may be unfortunate that
this should be so, but so it is and no amount
of Declarations OF Independence or declara-
tions by the Senate can amend human ma
ture or revise the constitution OF man.
The Declaration Of independence is dear
to all Americans as a document Of their his
tory. The essential declaration In 1t was
the declaration of the independence OF the
United Colonies
Now the assertion, SO much quoted by Tho
about governments ode
irving their just power from the consent OF
the governed, means nothing more or less
than the right Of revolution, 1.-THE Right OF
the People to alter or to abolish any form
of government which Is destructive OF
these ends, l. G., such "inalienable rights"
as " Life Liberty and the Pursuit OF Hap
piness." This right Of the people will not
be denied. 1t is right that has always ex-
listed. Any people can revolt, and the only
question is as TO theirpower to succeed, not
only in establishing, but in maintaining
their government as the Americans did.
When Spain ratifies the treaty and her
sovereignty over the Philippines passes to
the United States Mr. HoAR's Mestizo SIMON
BOLIVAR will be a rebel against the United
States. II Mr.. HoAR and Mr.. JONES and |
the rest Of the contractionist brethren