The Portland daily press., 1899-02-23

american power ~ conSFiS's
The treaty OF peace has been ratified on
i this side Of the Atlantic. and undoubt.d-
IL will receive, willingly or unwiilingiy,
the sanction Of the Cortes this very week.
Our people honestly dinefsu o. 70 i ,a
EnyornbIe progress has been made In
Cuba and Porto Rico toward permanent
pesce. lust government and liberty ana
happiness to long oppressed peoples. thus
far American citizens were practically
Recurriug to the question: What shall
we do with the philippines and the FIJI.
pinosY-we hnd divergent thought and
theories. In this discussion let us keep
in mind that as between Cuba and the
Philippines different conditions faced US.
/ The protocol agreed upon by the lately
warning nations treated differently the re.
lations Of this nation TO the Cubans and
FiIipinos. The treaty is not the same in
effect as touching those widely separated
peoples.
In the declaration Of war upon Spain
our purposes were definitely stated. NO
word, no thought even. looking to our %.
cupation OF the Islands OF the orient. The
Filipinos, subjected to centuries of
spanish tyranny and oppression had not
solicited American aid or sympathy. No
protest 10 Spain In their behalf was ever
| uttered by this nation. In the vigorous
prosecution Of the war, our heroic Dewey
found himself and his mntchless he't n
the waters OF Manila bay. and In the linz
of duty q large Spanish feet was de
stroyed. A large contingent OF our army
was sent thitherwnrd for his protection.
| They took possession OF somebody land.
BY what authority or rightf For con-
quests Our governmen had pnsitivey
disclaimed any Intent TO suoJugats any
| people or seize any territory. Have We
forgotten that disclaimer have We
| ignored that disclaimer Have We Kept
| the faith? Haze we clear conscienocsY
Have We wrought justics to the Fifpinos
| who sought delivsrsnce from the gross III
justice Of Spanish rulef Have we carrie,
| liberty TO this oppressed: Have We diuus
civilization to those eastern isilndsrsr
Have we carried gospel to the beathenf
| assuming, however, that our army ana
navy acting under orders from this le-
public, are in rightful occupation the
| Philippines, It yet behooyes us 10 Iook
we'll to our future course.
| No American statesman or citizen
would for q moment ask that these unfor-
tunate, long suffering Inhabitants should
| he returned to spanish power amt oppres-
| zion. No, never. But, the mission OF
| A merlcans should be one Of peace and OF
liberty, Illuminated by the sun OF
Righteousness. Nothing more, Heaven
forbid that those ignorant and oppressed
psopls shall send back to this western re-
public the words of Madame Roland: so
Liberty, Liberty, how many crimes are
committed In thy name. May the JOY
of victory never change to regret over our
dishonor. Sometimes ths battle cry IL.
"Our country, right or wrong such
cry may answer when nation IL acting
on the defensive, though this Is q slogan
Of doubted truth. In an offensive war,
snch action would not have justification
Our country, ~ right, is n sentiment far
/ NJ - nd IlpfQnd
the fiagi Most assuredly, when that nag
is uplift In the cause of liberty, right and
Justice Never otherwise Let us beware
that the eternal principles OF which the
| United States banner u an emblem be
not forgotten or over powered by ambition.
vain glory or other unworthy motive.
But say some apologies, let US civilize
these heather. Civilization indeed
whence this obligationP And how shall
1t DO accomplished by bullets or the
Bible? Have we a surplus Of civilizing
power? Have we no work ut home on
this liner should this government
establish a temporary form OF government
IN that distinct territory or colony Tor
whist 1t may he ca.led). and in Its admin.
istration establish post offices for the pub
lilo convenience, will the black post
masters and their families be secure In
the enjoyment of life and liberty. or
will any be shoty
Are Americans citizens on this hem.s-
phere, living under the stars and Stripes
In full possession of their lawful rights
guaranteed by the declaration OF rights
under our COL stitutionY Statesmen, diplo-
mats, citizens of a free republic. pause
amid all the peans Of victory, even under
the halo of the flag. and weigh well the
duty before us touching our foreign rela-
tions.
The heedful and weighty words of our
Washington In his farewell address" 30
! full Of prophetic import, are worthy our
attention even though century old.
Listen; Europe has "a set of primary In
terests, which to US have none. or very
| remote relation. Hence she must BIO en-
gagged In frequent controversies, the
causes of which are essentially foreign TO
our concerns: Hence, therefore, it must
be unwise In us to implicate ourselves
by artificial ties In the ordinary vicissi-
| tude Of her politics. Our detached and
distinct situation invites and enables us
! to pursue different course. II we re-
main one people, under an eueient go'-
, eminent, the period Is not far OH when
! we may defy national injury rom ex-
. terual annoyance; when we may take
such an att ude AS Will cause the neu-
|. trality we may at any time resolve upon
! to DO scrupulously respected; when beili-
gerent nations, under the impossibiiity
OF making acquisitions upon us, VIII not
lightly hazard the giving us provocation
when We may choose peace or war as our
interest. guided by justice. shall counsel.
Why foreao the advantages OF so peculiar
a situation Why quit our own to stand
upon foreign grounds Why, by inter
We wing our nestiny with that of any
part OF Europe sntangle our peace and
prosperity iu the tolls of European am
bition, rivalship,:. interest, humor OF
capricel 1t Is our true policy to steer
clear Of permanent alliances with any
portion of the foreign world; SO far. l
, learn, rs We are now ut liberty TO do it,
Surely the American people OF this day
under existing conditions may well -ead
} and heed his sincere advice and emulate
! his example thus paying to his memory
the best possible tribute. The Philippine
islands have been ceded to US by Spain,
} and this government IL to pay the sum oil
80, 900, 600 what is the consideration OF
this aymsntf quit claim deed Of their
title and their rig hts? What are they
The title Of usurpers or conquerors; the
J right to subjugats and tyrannize. No true
} American will for moment contend that
It'd.