The Topeka state journal., 1899-09-25

Spain. It is not in Europe, but in Asia,
where we are to find relief.
Five or six hundred millions of peo-
pie in China are just now being intro
duced to our civilization. In the near
future they will make heavy demands
on the rest of the world. Russia,
striving for their share of this trade
and we owe it to the shops and farmers
of this country to secure our fair share
also. To neglect our opportunities
Considerations of this character
must not be overlooked when we con-
slider the acquisition of the Philippines.
The wisdom of that acquisition will be
every other case of annexation of ter
ritOry. 1t is true these islands are far
distant from US but they are nearby
the great markets we must enter. 1t is
true that we paid Spain $4,000 600 on
account of them when we might have
taken them by force, but that was only
to reimburse her for money actually
expended for the Improvement OF har-
bOrs and construction of public build
ings and other improvements which it
would have been ungenerOus, to say the
least, for US to have deprived her of
in her hour of helpless humiliation.
1t is true that these islands are in
ha affiliated by heterogeneous pOpula-
ttOn, speaking many different lang
uageS and possessing varying degrees
of capacity and possibility for civilized
government, and that all, good and bad,
are, according. to the terms of the
treaty, to pass under our jurisdiction:
but it is not true that by their mere
annexation they are to become citizens
of the United States, participating in
our government and competing with
our labor.
"On the contrary. it Is expressly provid-
ed in the treaty that the civil and politi-
termfned by congress- and this provision
of the treaty is as much the supreme law
Of the United States as though it were set
constitution il is expressly provided. not
law Of the land, but that the constitution
and the law enacted in pursuance of the
be made, not under the constitution but
under the authority of the United States
In other words, a. treaty with foreign
power is. as to all matters with which it
equal dignity with the constitution, made
so by the constitution itself. The whole
subject. is therefore. entrusted to the
American congress to be dealt with as it
may see fit and the congress can be safe
protect American interests both at home
and abroad And not only can congress,
me dlrec5 representatives OF the people.
be trusted to do justice to ourselves but
also to the Filipinos-
An unhappy war IS now in progress
i IS costing US many lives and many mil
lions, but President Mckinley has an
nOunced LaaI ne mas no purpose IN pros
ecuung It except to restore order and
IN que Jlrne- OF Such civil government as
the congress may provide. When con-
gress cOnVenes all can be heard. and
nave no doubt tnat wise and Just results
viii be reached. In the meantime. so long
q the war continues. there can be put
two sides to it and only one is the Amer
lean side. Where our flag and soldiers
are. there must stand the whole Ameri-
can people.
When the end of the strife comes if
not sooner it will be made manifest that
our purposes are altogether benefcent.
We do not want to oppress anybody or
deprive anybody of self government who
is capable of it. On the contrary. to the
fullest extent consistent with the main
tenance Of law and order and the dis
as rapidly as possible. the Tagalos. the
VicOlls. the Visayas: the Moros the Ne
gritos and ali the other people and tribes
Of that archipelago viii be advanced in
the enjoyment of freedom. liberty indie
pendence and self government under the
protection of the American fiag.''