The Indianapolis journal., 1899-02-16
conclusion the tremendous sylIogism OF
which their work was the premesis.
THE REPUBLICS TASK.

conclusion the tremendous sylIogism Of
which their work was the premesis.
THE REPUBLICS TASK.
God did not make the American people
the mightiest human force Of all time SIM
ply to feed and die. He did not give our
race the brain of organization and heart of
domination to no purpose and no end. No.
He has given US a task equal to our tall
ents. He has appointed for US a destiny
equal to our endowments. He has made us
the lords Of civilization that we may ad-
minister civilization. Such administration
is needed in Cuba Such administration is
needed IN the Philippines. And Cuba and
the Philippines are in our hands.
If II be said that at home tasks a s large
as our strength await us-that politics are
20 be purified, want relieved, municipal gov
eminent perfected, the relations OF capital
and labor better adjusted, l answer: Has
England'S discharge of her duty to the
world corrupted her politics? Are not her
cities like Birmingham the municipal mod
els upon which we build our reforms? Is
her labor question more perplexed than
ours? Considering the newness Of our
country is it bad ours? And is not
the like true of Holland-even of Germany?
And what Of England2 England's i'm
mortal glory is not Angincourt or Waterloo.
It is not her merchandise or commerce. 1t
is Australia, New Zealand and Africa re-
claimed IT is India redeemed. It is Egypt,
life. Engiands imperishable renown is in
English science thrOttnng the plague in
Calcutta, English law administering order
IN Bombay, English energy planning an in
dustrial civilization from Cairo to the cape,
and English discipline creating soldiers,
men, and finally citizens, perhaps. even out
of the fellaheen OF the dead land of the
Pharaohs. And yet the liberties Of English
men were never so secure as now. And that
which is England's undying fame has also
been her infinite profit, so sure is duty
golden in the end.
And what Of America? With the twen-
ueth century the real task and true life
Of the Republic begins. And we are pre-
pared. We have learned restraint from a
hundred years Of self-control. We are in
structed by the experience of others. We
are advised and inspired by present ex-
ample And our work awaits US.
Inc uondiaaht notes IN american history
nave thus far been self-government and in
ternal Improvement. But these were not
ends: they were means. They were modes
American life henceforth will be admins
tration and world Improvement. 1t is the
arduous but splendid mission Of our race
1T is ours to govern in the name of civilized
liberty. Tt Is ours to administer order and
law in the name Of human progress. 1t is
ours to chasten that we may be kind. Tt is
ours to cleanse that we may save 1t is
ours to build that free Institutions may
finally enter and abide. 1t Is ours to bear
the torch Of Christianity where midnight
has reigned for a thousand years. 1t is ours
to reinforce that thin rod line which con-
stttutes the outpostS of civilization all
''If it be said that this is vague talk Of an
indefinite future we answer that 1t Is the
specific programme Of the present hour
civil government IS to be perfected in Porto
Rico. The future Of Cuba is to be worked
out by the wisdom of events. Ultimately
annexation is as certain as that island s ex-
istence Even If Cubans are capable of self
government, every interest points to union
We and they may biunder forward and
timidly try devices of doubt. But. in the
end, Jefferson's desire will be fulfilled and
Cuba viii be part Of the great Republic
But, whatever befalls. definite and inn
mediate work awaits us Harbors are to be
dredged, sanitation established, highways
built, railroads constructed, postal service
organized, common schools opened, all by or
under the government of the American Re-
public.
PHILIPPINES ARE OURS.
''The Philippines are ours forever. Let
faint hearts anoint their fears with the
thought that some day American adminis-
tration and American duty there may end.
But they never will end. England's occu-
patton of Egypt was to be temporary; but
events. which are the commands Of God,
are making it permanent. And now God has
given us this Pacific empire for civilization
The first office of administration is order.
Order must be established throughout the
archipelago. The spoiled child Aguinaldo,
may not stay the march Of civilization. Re-
bellion against the authority of the flag
must be crushed without delay, for hesi-
for the turbulent children know not what
they do. And then civilization must be or
ganized,, administered and maintained.
Law and justice must rule where savagery,
tyranny and caprice have rioted. The peo-
PIE must be taught the art of orderly and
continuous industry. A hundred wilder
nesses are to be subdued Unpenetrated re-
gions must be explored. Unviolated valleys
must be TILED UnmaStered forests must
be felled. Unriven mountains must be torn
asunCer and their riches of gold and iron
and ores Of price must be delivered to the
world we a'e to 90 IN the IPhl5IppdlnefS IIld f
New Zealand or the CAPE or else work out
new methods and new results OF our own
nohler than any the world has seen. All
this is not indefinite; ii is the very speci-
s'The fraiI of faith declare that those peo-
pies are not fitted for citizenship. 1t Is not
proposed to make them citizens. Those
who see disaster in every forward step OF
the Republic prophesy that Philippine labor
will overrun our country and starve our
workingmen. But the Javanese have not so
overrun Holland. New Zealand's Malays,
Australians bushmen, Africa'S KaffirS, ZuluS
and Hottentots and India's millions of sur
plus labor have not so overrun England
Whips Of scorpions could not lash the Fill
pinos to this land of fervid enterprise, sleep
less industry and rigid order.
Those who measure duty by dollars cry
out at the expense. When did America
ever count the cost of righteousness? And
besides, this Republic must have a mighty
navy in any event. And new markets Sc
cured, new enterprises opened, new re-
the tropics acquired and the vitalization of
all our Industries which will follow will pay
back a thousandfold all the government
spends in discharging the highest duty to
which the Republic can be called.
AS TO UNCONSTITUTIONALITY.
''Those who mutter words and call it wis
dom deny the constitutional power Of the
Republic to govern Porto Rico, Cuba, the
Philippines, for If we have the power in
Porto Rico we have the power in the Phil
ippines. The Constitution is not interpreted
by degrees of latitude or longitude. 1t is
hoary objection There have always been
those who have proclaimed the unconstitu-
tionality of progress. The first to deny the
power Of the Republics government were
those who opposed the adoption of the Con-
etitution itself and they and their sue
Cessors have denied its vitality and intelli-
gence TO this day. They denied the Re-
public's government the power to create a
national bank; to make internal improve
ments; to issue greeenbacks; to make gold
the standard of value; to preserve property
and life in States where reasonable Gov
ernoFs refused TO call for aid. Let them
read Hamilton and understand the mean
ing of implied powers. Let them read Mar
shall and learn that the Constitution is a
peoples ordinance of national life capable
Let them learn the golden rule of constitu-
tonal Interpretation; the Constitution was
made for the American people: not the
American people for the Constitution. Let
them study the history, purposes and in
stinctS of our race and then read again the