The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-10-28

bids us to turn that war to any purpose
OF conquest whatever, while others ap-
pear to think that our promise with re-
gard to Cuba is the only limitation on
our right to use our success for terri
torial aggrandizement.
1T is quite true also that Dcwey's
victory in Manila and the subsequent
capture Of the town introduced new
feature i'll the problem which greatly
aggravated the difficulties OF its solu-
ton. Had the United States with
drawn from the islands al the concu-
sion OF hostil,ies, leaving the natives
and the Spanish to decide the question
OF sovereignty between them, we would
have been entirely within our rights as
a civilized power, and We would have
taken the easiest pathway to domestic
tranquility. On the other hand, it is
said that having accepted the aid OF the
Filipinos i'll our operations against Ma
Mia. there would have been all clement
oi pertidy in abandoning them to their
own resources after Spain had granted
our own demands.
Since the conclusion OF the treaty OF
peace no one OF recognized authority
has declared the policy oi our govern
mcnt on the question. Indeed, in the
absence OF congress, there is no power
20 declare it. We are not opposing any
policy, but protesting against the abb
scnce OF Il policy The sentiments ex-
pressed by the president are your senti-
ments and mine, in the abstract, yet we
are shocked by the bullets and bayonets
which accompany them in the concrete
The president says our flag stands in
the Philippines for the same principles
OF government that it typihcs here. Ii
that be so. we are alone with him. The
flag stands here for seli-governmcnt.
Does it stand for seli-govcrnment
there? Is it proposed to make these
islands territories Of the United States,
the inhabitants citizens, with citizens
right to go freely from one part OF the
Union to another? If so. an entirely
different question is presented on
which entirely new lines OF division
would arise. On that question this
conference would divide against itself,
and / am quite sure that the presidents
present supporters would be rent in
twain.
cit is said that Aguinaldo is savage
l do not know whether he is a savage
or not, but I do know that certain docu-
ments emanating from his government
Of which he is the reputcd author, indi-
cate not merely civilization, but a high
| degree Of intellectual culture And |
say, moreover, that whatever he may be
| it does not lie in the mouth OF this ma
ton to impeach his civilization or his
capacity to make war II he be say
age, then we have made alliance with a
savage to war on a Christian people,
and our own position as a civilized
power is impeached. Ii was by our act
that he was landed at Manila.
| While we protest against the forciblc
seizure OF territory as violation Of the
Declaration OF independence we are told
that Jefferson himself violated it. This
statement is not true, but if it were it
would not answer the objection Louis
lana was purchased as IN act oi ncces-
sity, and the law OF sclf-prcscrvation
lustities every measure. Our Missis-
sippi commerce had been so hampercd
by the vexatious restrictions imposed by
the authorities OF New Orleans, that it
had been proposed in the senate to seize
the island forcibly. Jefferson under
took to secure it pcaccably, and in the
course OF his negotiations he found it
necessary to take the whole territory OF
Louisiana. This turned out to be OF in
calculablc benefit, and it is benefit
which can be enjoyed without the
slightest taint Of injustice at its source.
III there were no other objections to
this policy OF conquest, it would be
enough to say that it Involved the cx-
lstence OF a standing army. Barbarsn
places mems hands at each others
throats in Observation-Disclosures en-
ploys them on the bosom OF the earth
in production.
The soldier, whether in barracks or
in the camp, 10 withdrawn from the
|
fields OF industry. His own hands add
nothing to the product OF the country.
His pay and his sustcnance must there
fore be drawn from the product Of
others. The laborer is the sole pro-
ducer On him must fall the whole
cost of military establishment, and
thus standing army imposes upon
each laborer the burden OF supporting
two men-fimself and a soldier.
1--WE are here this evening to protest
against an attempt to replace the an
cient American policy Of peace and
morality by policy OF imperialism, in
volving the existence OF a standing
army to menace liberty and opprcss
labor, because we want this country to
remain the land where the whole prod
uct OF the soil is distributed among the
toilers who create it, where the patriotic
workman who produces is more hon.
ored than the paid fighting man who
Il