The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-01-28

self-constituted dictator and to the quick
no such hesitation as we should feel In
crushing them into subsection by harsh
and repressive methods. 1t Is for US to
decide the destiny of the Philippines, not
without assistance. I believe that we
shall have the wisdom. the self-restraint
and the ability to restore peace and order
in those islands, and give to their people
an opportunity for self-government and
for freedom under the protecting shield
Of the United States until the time shall
come when they h be able to stand
alone. and II they do not themselves de-
sire to remain under our protection. This
is a great: and a noble task. l believe
pable of fulfilling II, n l should not have
that profound faith which l now cherish
in American civilization and American
manhood IL / did not think so.
BELIEVE NOW AS THEN.
During the campaign of last autumn /
said in my speeches to the people Of my
state that l could never assent to hand
ed no subject races and no vassal states:
but that we had, by the fortunes of war.
assumed a great responsibility in the
Philippines: that We ought to meet 1t.
and that We ought to give those people
an opportunity for freedom, for peace.
and for self-government; that we ought
to protect them from the rapacity of
whom we had freed. From those views I
have not swerved, and believed then az
l do now, that they met with the approx
people of Massachusetts,. 1 believe those
results can be and will be obtained.
THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE.
Take now the other alternative. Sup
the clause relating to the Philippines.
That will hand the stands back to Spain.
and | can not conceive that any American
would be willing to do that. Suppose
We eject the treaty what fOI1nWao LOT
us look at it practically. We continue
the state of war, and every sensible man
In the country. every business interest
desires the re-establishment of peace in
law as well as in fact. At the same time
we repudiate the president and his action
before the whole world, and the %repudia-
this. to my mind. is the humiliation of the
United States in the eyes of the civilized
mankind. and brands us as a people in
capable of great affairs or of taking rank
of the great world powers.
WE CAN NOT DO 1T.
The president can not be sent back
across the Atlantic in the person of his
commissioners. hat in hand. to say to
Spain with bated breath: Il am here in
obedience to the mandate of a minority
that We have been too victorious. and
that you have yielded us too mcch, and
that | am very sorry that l took the Phil
lippines from you" l do not think that
A's hAAN a III "oulu W. tld
or that any American would wish him to.
Still less do l think that any American
would withdraw Gen. Otis aud his SOL
dierS and recall Admiral Dewey from the
scene of his great victory, leaving it to
be said of US that we had deserted our
post without an effort to repair the ruin
we have made. or to save the people We
have freed. When the treaty fails it
could be torn in pieces, but whether it Is
thrown aside or not, still we are in a
state of war. and the subjects of Spain,
among whom arc nnnhpra6 fn-dny- tho
Filipinos. would be the public enemies of
the United States by all the laws of
pa.iGns; There With the4 The would CHnrt be the
war with Spain. armed with the war
power, which he can use unchecked as
the commander-in-chief of the army and
sition of the Philippine islands to con-
gresS and to the ways and practices of
peace. Its rejection leaves them in the
sole power OF the president, subject to
the usage and practices of war alone.
SPECTERS OF WRONG-DOING.
Nobody loves better than l the ideals
set forth in the declaration of indie
p%endence, but my ideals do not stop there.
L have beheld with Amusement the spec
tiers of wronS-doing which have been con-
jured up here and charged as possible to
the American people; ! have been aston
ished to hear outside this chamber men
who for three years watched unmoved
the torture of Cuba. pleading with fervid
eloquence for the Filipinos. just rescued
ny Us lIoiH Spain. against the pOSSlDle
cruelty. which Americans might infict
upon them. Mr.. president. all this is so
inconceivable to me that ] can not COM
prehend it. | can look at this question in
only one way. A great responsibility has
come to us. If we are unfit for 1t and
unequal to 1t, then we should shirk 1t and
fly from it. But | believe that we are
both fit and capable. and that. therefore,
we should meet II and take II up.
FAITH IN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
If | did not have faith in the American
people and this government | would do
best to prevent the ratification of the
treaty. and | can see no other ground of
opposition. But as | have a profound faith
in both. / want to TAX those islands from
Spain In the only way in which it can be
done, by the ratification of the treaty.
and then leave II to the ~president-wise,
humane. patriotic-to the American con-
gress and to the American people, who
have never failed in any great duty or
feared to face any great responsibility, to
deal with them in that spirit of justice,
humanity and liberty which has made Us
all that We are to-day, and can ever hope
to be.
Mr.. Clay. of Georgia. one of the
democratic senator's who expects to
vote for the ratification of the treaty
of peace, then addressed the senate on
the general question of territorial ex-
pansion. He made it very clear that
nothing should be allowed to stand in
the way of prompt ratification of the