Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-09-29

| provision, for some unexplained req
| son, was omitted. and the doctrine of
unmodified Imperialism was inserted.
Article 10 OF this unfortunate conven-
| tion provides that the civil rights and
political status of the native inhabit-
ants of the territories hereby ceded to
| the United States shall be determined
by the congress-
After this treaty was confirmed by
| the senate. that body passed resolu-
tion evidently designed TO. stand as its
construction of this extraordinary in
strument. In that resolution it Is de-
| clared that by the ratification of the
treaty of peace with Spain it is not in
( tended to Incorporate the inhabitants
of the Philippine islands into citizen
ship of the United States. nor is it in
tended to permanently annex said ISL
apds as an integral part of the terri
tory OF the United States
I'm the pres dents proclamations to
these peor'e nothing is offered them
this side Of the unconditional surren-
Ger. and heyond surrender. nothing is
promised hut that which the con-
quercF may consider Suitable to the
capacities and condition of the con-
quered.'
Decoy Proclamations.
The Schurman-Denby commission,
scattering proclamations of 'beneficent
assimilation as so many decoy ducks
to bring the game under the quick
firing guns Of Otis, when asked to
formulate in words that benevolent
government. of which American jour-
nails have so often spoken to their de-
luded readers. offered them governor
nominated by the president and con-
firmed by the senate, a legislative
council to be appointed by the gov
ernor, and an elective house of repre-
sentatiyes, over whose acts the gov
ernor should exercise an absolute and
unlimited veto.'
Therefore, the government, so far
offered to these people is not akin to
that constitutional rule to American
citizenship. 1t is not the government
OF the people, by the people and for the
people. 1t denies the theory of CO
equal states. 1t asserts the inequality
OF men and denies that governments
derive their just powers from the con-
sent of the governed
1t is pure and unadulterated i'm
perialism. 1t is not expansion. Ex-
pansion means equality of rights. Like
the marriage relation, it implies con-
sent imperialism means forcible sub
jugation to another's will. In the do
mestic relations of life imperialism is
slavery. In the domain of politics it
is tyranny. resistance to which, in the
vocabulary of freemen, is obedience to
God.
Imperialism is the government
which Rome gave to Sicily under Ver-
res, the same which India received un-
der Warren Hastings, and that which
George Ill gave to the thirteen Amer
lean colonies. 1t has its roots in the
pharlsaical pretension that we are bet
ter than others. 1t is the hypocritical
spirit that tortures martyrs at the
stake, not specially for our pleasure.
but for their salvation. 1t asserts for
ourselves superior intelligence, su-
perior capacities and superior virtues
over the rest of mankind. 1t sets up
guardianship over weaker nations and
proceeds to plunder their people while
pretending to teach them the lessons
of peaceful government. 1t seizes their
temporal possessions and gives In re-
turn abundant promises of happiness
beyond the grave.
This is sort of government which
Spain had long imposed upon the Phil
ippine people. Their rebellion against
it, you will agree with me, was a right
eous one; and if we intend to inf1ict
upon them a similar curse, the moral
character of the conflict is not
changed. 1t is still righteous for them
but disgraceful to US.
"The mere politician trembles before
the phantom of public opinion-opin-
ion too often created by his own cow
ardice. The statesman appeals to that
sole tribunal of an honest man-his
own conscience. The present war is
the work of the politician. The easy
public assents. The dema gogue fol-
lows the lines of least resistance The
timid float with the current The tur-
bulent bully flaunts his vulgar inso-
lence. The thoughtful are intimidated
army. and that is censored to suit the
corrupted taste.
"1n this downward progress of the
nation how cheerful and reassuring
a. tne WOrC: --.;Iiii.a al dewey Just |
uttered at Naples. Italy. They are the |
same words which he sent to the presi- |
dent in August, 1S9S-words which. if |
then needed, would have saved mil
lions of treasure to the people and |
saved from stain the national charac- |
ter. These words rise to the dignity |
1f craftsmanship, and place their au-
thor on a lofty pedestal by. the side of |
They are as follows: The Filipinos
ire capable of governing themselves;
they have all qualifications for it. It |
is question of time; but the only way |
to settle the insurrecticn and assure |
to the archipelago is to con-
cede elf-government to the inhabit-
ants. That would be solution of |
many questions and would satisfy all,
especially the Filipinos, who believe
themselves worthy of it and are so.
Y have never been in favor of vio-
ence toward the Filipinos. The ISL
lnds are at this moment blockaded by
/ fleet and war reigns in the interior.
This abnormal state of things should
ease. | should like to see autonomy
irst conceded conceded, and then an
leXation might be talked about This
S my opinion. | should like to see
'iolence at once put stop to. Accord
ng TO my view, the concession. of self
government ought to be the most just
md m.sst logical conclusion Yours
ruly,