The Irish standard., 1899-08-12
we abolished slavery Our treatment of
the Filipino is despotic.

we abolished slavery our treatment of
the Filipino is despotic.
Since conquest and expansion are un-
doubtedly the milk in the cocoanut,
there is nothing for us to do but to
discuss that policy squarely and frankly:
1t should be opposed on two grounds.
First, it is bad policy in the forum OF
politics; and, second, it is wrong in the
forum of morals. First, let us briefly
consider the matter from the side OF
political principles.
There are several possibilities open
to us: (a) If we have bought and now
own the Philippines it is open to us to
give them away. 1t would be a proud
thing to have paid $4,000. 900 to be able
to make a nation free. The statesman
who would associate his name with that
act would go down into history to i'm
pershable renown with great liberty
making presidents like Washington and
Lincoln
"(b) On the other hand, if our policy
Ono matter how disguiscdD is conquest
and expansion, then there are two alter
natives before us in the Philippines:
First, the annexation OF these islands as
an integral part OF the United States, by
which the natives become citizens like
ourselves, with statehood in the future;
or, second, the open adoption OF the
lmpcrialistic policy of colonies, by which
the Filipnos become our Subjects un-
der an American governor, such as was
reported to be the terms last offered by
our officials"
Discussing the annexation, which, he
admitted, it is the inevitable policy if in
dependence is denied, he pointed out the
dangers and difficulties OF trying to as
simulate the Malay race and converting
them into American citizens. He next
criticised the administration for starting
in the imperiaistic campaign without
convening congress in extra session to
the end that a policy might be defined
regarding the new possessions Contin-
uing, he said: "Thcn, why in the name
OF wisdom and statecraft, do we refuse
any and all terms 10 the Filipinos except
unconditional surrender? In that re-
sides the head and front OF all the Of
tending to the American sense OF right
and fair play, and our sympathy to a
race fighting for its liberty. We must
infer from repeated acts that Our gov
ernment has no intention whatever oI
giving the Filipinos their independence
| challenge anyone 10 mention a word
or an act which even squints at such /;
policy Then let us not mincc words
Conquest is what We purposc in tho
Philippines. We arc out for additional
territory and trade on no higher plane
OF morals than the wolf after food in the
shccplold
These acts take for granted the whole
question at issue. IT is imperialism pure
and simple. 1t is being acted on day by
day. Arc we babies that we can be put
of with soothing dcccptions when ouI
eyes and ears cannot deceive us? Here
is great and awful responsibility as
sumcd by the executive. Without call
ing congress together the essential Gle
mcnt OF imperialism is assumed when
we send troops TO put down another race
which is struggling for liberty What
was it but genuine love for liberty which
led many OF our people first to sympa-
thizc and then to fight for the Cubans
against Spain? Why are we stultifyng
ourselves by eating our words and cx-
actly reversing our policy in the Philip
pincs?'
The speaker maintained that it was
tricky and unfair to plunge the nation
into policy OF expansion except after a
full and fair discussion in national
campaign; that if expansion was desired
then every argument in favor OF taking
the Philippines applied with equal force
to taking Mexico and Canada, although
the taking Of the latter might mean wal
with England, which would probably
prevent Canadian acquisition. He sale
that the expansion policy was an cx.
preston OF the spols system, as il
provides a district so far away, as is
Alaska, that civil service does not apply
and therefore place hunters can be pro-
vidcd for. In continuing along this line
he said:
"In plain English, we are in the Phil
ippines on the highwayman's plea that
might makes right II it is wrong to
subduc them with 10000 men it is quite
as wrong to do it with 100000 men,
The position OF those who admit that
tic war is unjustifablc is strangely H.
logical. Moreover, it is directly con-
trary to the very principle on which the
party i'll power was established In 1854
the Ostcnd manifesto OF our ministers
| buchanan, Mason and Soulc) in Eu-
rope advised that Cuba be bought;
ii the price was refused then
take it by force. Whcrcupon
the republican national platform in
1856 resolved, That the highwayman' S
plea that might makes right" embodied
in the Ostcnd circular, was in every re-
spcct unworthy OF American diplomacy