The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-20
CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED.
What 1t Involves in the Case of the
Philippine Islands.
le Edltor Of tae Indlanapolls journal:

To the Editor Of the indianapolis Journal:
One CT the marvellous contentious of those
opposed to the establishment of free and
liberal government in the Philippine islands
by the United States is that of asserting
the right of the natives there in maintain
ing barbarism and fragrant disregard of
civilized forms and the practices of inhu-
mainly. Stripped of the fulsome verbiage,
that is exactly the contention for the ap-
plication of consent of the governed when
demanded for these barbarous Asiatics. The
consent of the governed" is 4 very pre-
cious natural right of the people who OBJ
serve the rule of respecting the rights of
all men, but let it be remembered that
all governments derive thir just powers
from the consent of the governed not
power to disregard all natural rights and
the principles regarded as just in civilized
government. 1t would be Il rev feature in
the most liberal government of the word
to put up the plea that by gust powers"
is meant the most fragrant disregard Of the
principles of common humanity practiced
by the Filipinos. Herbert Spencer defines
liberty thus: Perfect liberty o. each, lin
tied only by the rights and liberty of 9TH
ers." No one has the t%einerity 10 claim
that the Filipinos individually or collective
ly make any pretension to a conception Of
such a rule. Therefore, a people wholly
without a conception of the most primary
elements in civilized government has no
right whatever to make appeal for the prin-
ciple of the consent of the governed, for
they know nothing about Just power" and
have not attained to the dignity of such a
claim. That those who do have apprehen-
sion of such a principle among men and
in governments should claim for these peo-
pie such a right seems ineXpliacble on my
line of rational reasoning. 1t is like the
demand of the chief who has put at defiance
the law, and when restrained claims that
he is deprived of his liberty. The rule of
all divine and human law for the centuries
past lies along the same lines. The evolu-
ton from barbarism to civilization first
had its impulse in the thunders of the law.
Under both codes there were many offenSes
reckoned capital, and for which the taking
of life was a penalty. Men have been in
school developing the moral sense from long
before the days of the ''citieS of refuge, -
down through periods of human law which
prescribe death for more than l51 offenses,
all Of which seemed essential In developing
the civilization which now names death for
one offense only. This country for more
than one hundred years had almost every
practical phase of this matter before 1t in
the Indian question. The public press
teemed with it, and the country year after
year patiently and willingly taxed itself
with millions of dollars to carry out the
form. philosophy and spirit of government,
which it is now proposed TO apply to the
like barDarouS t1lplnoS. IneSe StlckIers TOT
the consent of the governed" regardless
of lust powers in all these years never
protested except to involve loss Of human
life in the brief changes OF policy toward
the Indians, and to ctuse the Quick return
to the thunders Of mlsketry and cannon,
and they must now see how such policy has
at last resulted in raising up colonies of
these people to a moral apprehension of the
condition precedent to the enjoyment of the
rights and liberties of the consent of the
! governed 1t required years to accomplish
this. but the territory Of the United states
is great in comparison with that of the
Philippine islands, and, moreover, our army
and navy are now equipped with incom-
parable arms of death and destruction.
Dewey did not sail away when he destroyed
the Spanish feet, and the responsibility to
humanity and to civilization is upon us,
and we have to take a hand in the better
ment of the conditions of the world which
other nations have done in the past and
are now doing among other barbarous peo-
pies of the earth. The one desire is that
we may do it less selfshly, and finally to
see a new nation 0isenthralled and raised
to a condition of capability for apprehend-
ing what is involved in the real idea OF a
government having the moral sense to en-
10y the form of one founded upon the con
sent of the governed What words could
more fifty or more beautifully in spirit set
forth the aspirations of every true Amert-
can heart than the following from the re-
cent address of President Mckinley at Bos-
ton? JOHN Is. GUNNER