The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-07

yet decided what to do with the Philippine
islands. He spoke. in part, as follows:
HAS SEEN INFURIATED kline.
1.-The sentiment of the people upon any
great question must be measured during the
days Of deliberation and not during the
hours of excitement. good man will
sometimes be engaged in fight. but it is
not reasonable to expect judicial opinion
from him until he has had time to wash the
blood off his face. have seen a herd of
mild-eyed, gentle kline transformed into in
furiated beasts by the sight and scent of
blood, and ] have seen the same animals
quiet and peaceful again in a few hours.
We have much of the animal in us still, in
spite of our civilizing processes. 1t is not
unnatural that our people should be more
sangunary Immediately after battle than
they were before, but it is only question
of time when reflection will restore the
conditions which existed before this Nation
became engaged in the war with Spain
When men are excited, they talk about
what they can do; when they calm,
they talk about what they ought to do. If
the President rightly interpreted the feel
ings of the people when they were intox-
icated by military triumph, we shall ap
peal from Philip drunk to Philip sober.
''The forcihe annexation of the Philip
pine islands would violate principle OF
American public laws deeply imbedded in
the American mind that until a year ago
70 public man would have suggested it. 1t
is DIFFICULT to overestimate the influence
which such a change IN our national policy
would produce on the character of our peo-
Pile Our opponents ask, is our Nation not
great enough to do what England, Germany
and Holland are doing? They inquire. can
we not govern colonies as we'll they?
Whether we can govern colonies as well as
| other countries can is not material; the real
| question is whether we can, in one hemi-
! sphere. develop the theory that govern
ments derive just power from the consent
| of the governed, and at the same time in
| augurate support and defend in the other
| hemisphere a government which derives it's
! authority entirely from superior force. And,
| if these two ideas of government cannot
! live together, which one shall we choose?
! To defend forcible annexation on the ground
| that we are carrying out a religious duty is
worse than absurd.
| A. MIXED-UP PARABLE.
! "The Bible teaches us that it is more
blessed to give than receive, while the colo
NAL policy is based on the doctrine that it
is more blessed to take than to leave l am
afraid that the imperialists have confused
who mixed up the parable of the Good
Samaritan with the parable of the sower
| and in attempting to repeat the former
| said: "A man went from Jerusalem to Jer-
| icho. and as he went he fell among thorns
| and the thorns sprang up and choked him.
1--WE entered the Spanish war as peace
| makers Imperialists have an indistinct rec
| objection that a blessing has been promised
| to the peacemakers and also to the meek,
| hut their desire for more territory has per-
| verted their memories so that, as they re-
call the former it reads blessed are the
! peacemakers, for they shall inherit the
earth.
! Annexation cannot be defended upon the
| ground that we shall find pecuniary proht
| in the policy. The advantage which may
come to a few individuals who hold the
offices or who secure valuable franchises
cannot properly be weighed against the
money expended in governing the Philip
pines, because the money expended will be
paid by those who pay the taxes We are
not vet in position to determine whether the
| peopIe of the United States, as a whole, will
| bring back from the Philippines as much as
they send there. There Is an old saying that
| 1t is not profitable to buy lawsuit. Our
nation may learn by experience that 1t is
not wise 20 purchase the right to conquer
a. people. Spain, under compulsion, gives us
a quit claim to the Philippines in return
| for $40 600 900, but she does not agree to war
rant and defend our title as against the
| Philippines. To buy land is one thing; to
buy people is another. Land is inanimate
| and makes no resistance to a transfer OF
| title; the people are animate and sometimes
desire a voice in their own affairs. But
whether measured by dollars and cents the
| Ol,fI
profitable or expensive, it will certainly
prove embarrassing to those who still hold
to the doctrines which underlie republic.
A HIT AT HANNA.
military rule is antagonistic to our
| theory of government. The arguments which
| are used to defend it in the Philippines may
he used to excuse it to the United States.
! Under military rule much must be left to
| the discretion of the military governor and
| this can only be justified upon the theory
! that the governor knows more than the peo-
pie whom he governed, is better acquainted
with their needs than they are themselves,
is entirely in sympathy with them and is
thoroughly honest and unselfsh in his desire
to do them good. Such a combination of
| wisdom, integrity and love is difficult to
find and the Republican party will enter
upon hard task when it starts out to Sc
lect suitable military governors IoT our re-
mote possessions. Even if the party has alb
solute confidence in its great political man.
ager, Senator Hanna, it must remember
that the people of Ohio have compelled him
to serve them in the United States and that
inferior men must be intrusted with the dis
tribution of justice and benevolence among
the Nations dark-skinned subjects in the
Pacific.
IF we enter upon a colonial policy we
must expect to hear the command silence
issuing with increasing emphasis from the
imperaists. When the discussion of the
fundamental principles is attempted in the
United States, if a member of Congress at
tempts to criticise any injustice perpetrated
by government official against a helpless
people, he will be warned to keep silent lest
his criticism encourages resistance to Amer
lean authority in the Orient If an orator on
the Fourth of July dares to speak of in
alienable rights or refers with commentator
to the manner in which our forefathers re-
sisted taxation without representation, he
will be warned to keep silent lest the utter
ances excite rebellion among distant sub
iects. If we adopt a colonial policy and pur
sue the course which excited the revolution
of 1776 we must muffle the tones of the old
liberty bell and commune in whispers when
we praise the patriotism of our forefathers.
I'VE cannot afford to destroy the Declara-