The times., 1899-06-26


Alex. Kent, of the Peoples Church. yes
terday morning His thought. in part, was
as follows:
I'VE are nearing critical period in
human history. Eastern and Western civ
ilizations are coming in conflict. The
ideas which have shaped our Western civ
ilization and which hold in them the
potency of what it is to be, are essential
ly aggressive, and cannot be limited IN
their influence, to any geographical or
political diversions. They are meant for
humanity at large, and by the very force
of their nature they will find their way,
sooner or later to humanitys heart. Even
If they have to travel by means contrary
TO their nature-as messengers OF peace
may go forward on a powder cart-they
will make their goal. Nothing can block
their progress, though many things may
retard it.
Whatever the defects of our Western
civilization-and they are many and griev-
ous-the principles of justice, liberty.
equality. and universal brotherhood, which
lie at the heart OF ii, and give ii its life
and energy. are eternal. Professedly
modern civilization stands for all these
things. 1t affirms their sacredness in
every social compact and every step of
advance in the pathway of human progress,
is movement TO make conduct and char
acter square with this profession.
The vision Of universal righteousness
on earth-called in the Scriptures the
reign of God or kingdom of heaven-are
simply the vision of society dominated
and controlled by these principles; not as
embodied in some ruler or government
external to, but as reigning in the hearts
/,
expression of the individual and social
life
These principles have already rooted
themselves in our Western ciyiiizat on, as
they have notin the Eastern. Trey do rot
find consistent and uniform expression,
but wherever action is not determined by
individual pecuniary and social Interest
they reveal their power. They showed
their presence and influence in the sum
mons that called the nation to interfere in
behalf of Cuba. and even tie criticisms
which the Administration now has TO bear
from the people are prompted b. the fesr
that these principles are being disregaIde1.
So II is regard for justice. liberty, equal
ity, and brotherhood that is at the root of
the protest so earnestly made by many cf
cur best and most truly patriotic people
against the war for sovereignty in the
Philippines. While not able myself to
stand with those who have demanded the
withdrawal of our troops, have held from
the first that it was the bounden duty OF
the American Government 10 encourage
and aid the Filipinos to the establishment
OF self-rule. They should have been given
10 understand clearly in the very outset
that this was our supreme desire. / have
felt that the United States had no more
right TO deny them the opportunity to show
what they could do in this regard than
4 France would have had to deny such op-
portunity to our revolutionary fathers
when by her aid they defeated Great
Britain. If such opportunity had been
given, and they had shown themselves in
capable of self-rule. falling into anarchy
and fighting with each other, then the peo-
pie of our country and the world would
have been a unit in the support of any
measures necessary TO the establishment of
order and good government among them.
Had this course been pursued. there would
have been no ground for the charge that
we are traitors to our own theory of GOV
ernment, and are using the great power
of the Republic to crush out the desire for
liberty and independence.
But our Government did not take this
course, and it is useless now to discuss
what might have been. The only practical
| question now is one of present duty in the
| light of present conditions. Assuming that
! our Government made mistake in seek
( ing to establish its own sovereignty, in
| stead Of giving these people chance 10
! establish theirs, what is our duty as in
dividual citizens in view of the fact that
! the Government does not take this view of
| the matter. and that the great majority
of the people are presumably with the Gov
/ ernment?
is it TO join hands with Mr.. Atkinson and
! pft in alr oil
/ of the army. and to prevent others from
enlisting? Let US face this matter sqtiare-
! ly. II this Government is deliberately en-
gagged in efforts to subjugate a people
| struggling for freedom and self-rue lnerc-
ly that it may the better control and ex-
plot them for its own selfish ends, then
/ il would seem that loyalty TO humanity de-
mands disloyalty to our flag, or rather hos
( tility TO the war that flies this flag in
the interest of tyranny and oppression.
But, on the other hand If those who are
I responsible for the course pursued are
merely in sympathy with the efforts of
those people, and desire TO safeguard them
! against evils they are unprepared to meet
if they believe these people TO
be wholly incapable of self-gov-
ernment, and certain to plunge into
anarchy and chaos under any attempt at
self-ruie then one may well pause before
to dishearten the soldier already on the
field. or prevent men who are needed from
entering the ranks Certainly many oi
| the people who oppose the withdrawal OF
I our troops have as great horror of war
| not only for themselves but for Others
| also-as you and /, and as ardent a love oil
liberty and equal rights as any of US. They
! believe that American sovereignty in the
islands is an essential condition OF freedom
ana progress for the Filipinos. They may
be wrong; but they may be right. Nc
one of u.s. | think. knows that they are
not. If these Filipinos are really Incapa.
BILE of self-goyernment-as much so as
children-then we are under obligations
that we cannot escape or discharge by
withdrawing our forces. This argument o,
obligation is often, / grant you, only {
pious cover for selfish designs, but the use
which may be made of it does not affec
the validity Of the argument.
"Unquestionably exclusive ability to NEE
4 real need carries with it obligation. and
the extent of ability is the measure of OBJ.
legation. Might does not make right. bu
might does make duty, and obligation in
heres in the strong nation among nation.
as the strong man among men. The for
tunes OF war placed our nation in a posi-
ton where the burden OF this obligation Il
see that order and good government wert
established in the Philippines fell upon it
We cannot shift that burden, and it woulC
be cowardly to shirk it. To retain thi!
power as a nation we must use IL in tn
interest OF the people over whom 1t il
held. or whose laws and institutions 1t il
used to shape In the great conflict nov
beginning between these civilizations thi
is the part that America ought TO play"
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