The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-10-06
M'LEANPS OPENING SPEECH.


ercise Of its exclusive power in such
an emergency, and II he can then act
in It's stead without challenge or re-
buke from the people at the next cleo
tion for congressman, then there is no
limit to executive power, and our lib
critics are as truly at the mercy of pre-
tended executive prerogative as were
those of our English ancestors before
the execution of Charles the First.
The treaty cession Of the Philippines
by Spain to the United States does not
conclude the question Of future sover-
eighty. 1t places the determination of
the civil and political status of the in
habitants of those islands exclusively
in congress.
We are in favor Of legitimate ex-
pansion but opposed to an imperial
istic policy, We object to the methods
that have prevailed, the character Of the
settlement chosen to make the Phil
ippines a part Of our country. We be-
lieve that a rational friendly course
could have made the Filipinos our
friends, and that even at this time
fairness and justice would bring peace.
Diplomacy, that arm of all civilized
governments, has not been tried. The
military secrecy OF the administration
has led the nation to believe that be-
England was in need Of an ally in the
orient, and had made us play as an
instrument for her interests. II the
people Of the United States want the
Philippines and want a place in the
councils and doings Of the east II can
be had by honorable and open dealing
We condemn the methods and doubt
the wisdom of the Hanna Mckinley
policy. (Applause)
In acquiring the Philippines does
the administration mean, when we
have them, to deny them the rights
that our people have? If so. then we
istic, colonial possessions. II, on the
other hand, the administration intends
TO let them have the same rights that
our people have, then we bring into
competition with our laboring classes
men who would be willing to receive
as compensation for their labor, no
matter what branch of industry, an
amount that would mean ruin to the
labOring classes Of our country. The
administration must elect between
these two propositions. We either go
as conquerors, denying the rights to
the FilIpinOs that our people enjoy:
or we give them the benefits of all that
our people have, which brings them
in competition with those we must
proteCt-the masses.
The people of Ohio are to vote In
November as to how that power shall
be exercised
1t was the boast Of the Republicans
Of Lincoln's day that our soldiers in
the civil war died to make men free.
1t is the shame of the Republicans to-
day that Lincoln's present successor
would have our soldiers in the Philip
pines die TO make men slaves. They
tell us that we own the Filipinos to
do with them as we please because
we bought the legal title to them from
Spain, The day that one man can own
another man or set of men, a great
body Of men. whatever their color,
condition or situation. has passed.
mankind the world over must be free.
All Should Cooperate.
The Democrats of Ohio invite the
cooperation of ali Republicans who
want freedom for all men. They alb
hor the policy which would stife the
aspirations Of ten million people to
govern themselves. They believe that
all men are born equal, and endowed
by their Creator with certain inalien-
able rights, among which are life, lib
erty and the pursuit of happiness"
They do not believe that Spain could
sell these GOd-given rights in the
Philippines to President Mckinley or
to anybody else for 100000 900 or any
other sum (Aplause.)
This is not in conflict with the
precedents in any of our territorial
acquisitions. The people of the Lou
isiana territory, of Florida, of Califor-
MIA ana adjacent territories of Alaska,
Hawaii and Porto Rico came willingly
under our flag.
The population of the Philiuniues Ia
three times as dense as our own, and
uhey are coutending for their natural
right of elf-government They resist
invasion and subjugation by strangers
II our right to govern them was as
clear as was British authority in the
American colonies, and II they had re-
sorted to revolution, their cause would
still be the same as that OF our fathers
of 1776, which Burke and Pitt and Fox
thought it not unpatriotic in English.
men to uphold in parliament.
We read in some Of the press, we
hear from the mouths of some men
that the flag must never be pulled
down" How that thrills every true
American how it quickens his heart
BEATS No, never pull down the flag,
The only man today who has the
power to do so is this country's chiei
eXecutive-the president He, and NJ
alone, can do that. He can make 4
| play part that the men of 1776, thu
men of 1912, the men Of 1S46-48, thu
men of 1860-65 never meant and never
permitted it to play--the part of tht
oppressor, the symbol Of tyranny, o
power by numbers. They kept it aloft
unfurled to every breeze as the flal
| that battled for the right, for thu
weak, for freedom, humanity civiliza
tion. Freemen's cry should ever be
Never pull down the fiag!" (Grea
applause)
When those who come after us
when history is written. would tha
the whole story could be told In tn
beautiful battle hymn OF the republic
I'm the beauty of the lilies Christ wa
born across the sea.
With a glory in His bosom that trans
figures you and me.
AS He died to make men holy, let u
die to make men free,
While God is marching on"
ALL-DEVOURING TRUSTS.
| Manana fn fha Uhnla DanDI