The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-05

being pursued of enforcing respect for
our authority and our flag in the Phil
ippine islands is causing a division of
sentiment among some of our people l
nave the greatest respect for those who
honestly believe that the safety of our
republic is being endangered by the
policy which the logic of events has
forced upon us, although personally l
belleVe their fears are groundless.
Inc arguments against expansion are
based mainly upon that clause in the
declaration of independence to which
you have just listened, which says that
all governments derive their just pow
ers from the consent of the governed.
But it should be remembered that this
clause was meant for civilized peoples
and not for savages. We have never
ourselves observed it in our dealings
with Our own Indians. who were tho
original possessors of this continent.
The literal enforcement of that dec
laration would place an impossible
barrier across the pathway of civiliza-
ton and progress.
Jefferson an Expansionist.
Thomas Jefferson was the greatest ex-
pansionist that this nation has ever
Produced. He it was who purchased
from Napoleon the territory of Louisi-
ana out of which Is sovereign states
of this union have since been carved,
including our own state of Montana.
With that purchase was included a
large population of French. Spanish,
negroes, Indians and half-breeds, whom
Jefferson at once proceeded to govern
without ever asking their consent or
consulting them in any way.
In 1918, as direct result of the dar-
ing acts of Andrew Jackson, Spain ced-
ed Florida to the rt.ted States, to-
not consulted and their consent was
not asked.
In 1S4S. having conquered Mexico. we
took from her the territory out of
which the states of Colorado, Utah,
Nevada and California, and the terri
tories of Arizona and New Mexico have
been carved Here again we took a
large population and governed them
without asking their consent.
So it appears that in many times we
have governed people without asking
their consent, but in every case we
have given them a better government
than they had ever known, and there
are meme whose condition has not been
vastly improved by coming under the
protection of our laws and our flag.
Reason and Common Sense.
The truth is that this clause of the
declaration of independence must be
construed in the light of reason and
common sense, and with due regard
for the conditions existing and the cir
cumstances surrounding each case.
Two years ago six and half millions
American citizens cast their ballots for
that distinguished man, William j.
Bryan, for president of the United
States, but more than seven millions
other American citizens voted for that
other distinguished man. William Nc
Kinley, who was elected. So that near
ly one-half of this country are, in a
sense, being governed by an admins
tration and by policies to which they
did not give their consent.
So also with the question of terri
torial expansion. Jefferson was revil-
ed and condemned for the Louisiana
purchase. He was charged with hav-
ing violated the constitution and with
endangering the existence of the re.
public.
In 1871. when it was proposed to ad-
NIT Louisiana as state, Josiah Quln-
cy of Massachusetts arose in the SEN
ate and threatened that if Louisiana
was admitted Massachusetts might &c
out of the union. This was one of the
first secession speeches made in con
gress. Louisiana was admitted, but
Massachusetts did not secede.
In 1918 the anti-expansionist oppos