The Forrest City times., 1899-10-27

democratic government that only the con- gress has the power to declare war. What does this signify? That a declaration of war, the initiation of an armed conflict between this nation and some other power the most solemn and responsible act na- ton can perform, involving as it does the lives and fortunes of an uncounted number of human beings-shall not be a the dis eretion of the executive branch of the gov- ernment. but shall depend upon the author ity Of the legislative representatives of the people-in other words, that as much as the machinery of government may make such thing possible. the deliberate will of the people constitutionally expressed shall determine the awful question Of peace or war.
 Brought on by the President.
 Those are. therefore. by no means wrong who call this the presidents war And war so brought about and so conducted the American people are asked to approve and encourage simply because we are in it'- that is. because the president of his own motion has got us into it. Have you con- sidered what this means? Every man of public experience knows how powerful and seductive precedent is as an argument in the Interpretation of laws and of constitu- tional practices. When thing, no matter how questionable, has once been done by the government and approved. or even ac- quiesced in, by the people, that act will surely be used as a justification of it's being done again. In nothing is the authority of precedent more dangerous than in defend- ing usurpations of governmental power.
 'I am not here as a partisan, but as an American citizen anxious for the future of the republic. And l cannot too earnestly admonish the American people. if they value the fundamental principles of their government and their own security and that of their children, for a moment to throw aside all partisan bias and soberly to consider what kind of a precedent they would set If they consented to- and by con- senting approved, the presidents manage ment of the Philippine business merely be- cause we are in it. We cannot expect all our future presidents to be models of public virtue and wisdom George Washington was. Imagine now in the presidential off, flee man well meaning, but maybe, short sighted and pliable and under the influence of so-called friends who are greedy and reckless spectators. and who would not seruple to push him into warlike complica- tons in order to get great opportunities for pront, or a man of that inordinate ambi- ton which intoxicates the mind and be- logs the conscience; or a man of extreme partisan spirit, who honestly believes the victory Of his party to be necessary for the salvation of the universe. and may think that foreign broil would serve the chances Of his party; or man of an uncomfortable eombativeness of temperament which might run away with his sense of responsi-
 
 the presidential chair is by no means un- likely with our loose way of selecting can- didates for the presidency. Imagine, then, a future president belonging to either os these classes to have before him the prece- dent of Mir. McKinleys management of the Philippine business sanctioned by the ap- proval or only the acquiescence of the peo- pie, and to feel himself permitted-nay, even encouraged-to say to himself that, as this precedent shows, he may plunge the country into warike conflicts of his own motion, without asking leave Of congress, with only some legal technicalities to cover his usurpation, or, even without such and that he may, by machinery of deception called a war censorship keep the people in the dark about what is going on, and that into however bad a mess he may have got the country he may count upon the people, a soon as drop of blood has been shed, to uphold the usurpation and to cry down everybody who opposes it IS a 'trai- tor and all this because we are in itl' Can you conceive a more baneful precedent more prolific source of danger to the peace and security of the country? Can any sane man deny that it will be all the more prolific of evil if in this way we drift into foreign policy full of temptation for dan gerous adventure?
 Let Them Walk Alone.
 Those who talk so much about fitting a people for selfgovernment' often forget
 
 government by being kept in the leading strings of a foreign power. You learn to walk by doing your own crawling and stumbling Self-government Is learned only by exercising it upon ones own re- sponsibility Of course there will be mis- takes and troubles and disorders. We have had and now have these, too-at the begin ming our persecution of the tories, our founderings before the constitution was formed, our Shay's rebellion, our whisky war and various failures and disturbances among them a civil war that cost us a loss of life and treasure horrible to think Of, and the murder of two presidents. But who will say that on account of these things some foreign power should have kept the American people in leading strings to teach them to govern themselves? If the Philippine islanders do as well as the Mexcans. who have worked their way. since We left them alone after our war of 1S47, through many disorders, to an orderly government, who will have a right to find fault with the result? You may take it as a general rule that he who wants to reign over others is solemnly convinced that they are quite unable to govern themselves.
 Now, what objection is there to the poll icy dictated by our fundamental principles and our good faith? l hear the angry cry: What? Surrender to Aguinaldo? Will not the world ridicule and despise us for such confession of our incompetency to deal with so feeble a foe? What will oe- come of our prestige?' No, we shall not surrender to Aguinaido. In giving up a criminal aggression we shall surrender only 10 our own sense of right and justice, to our own understanding of our own true interests and to the vital principles of our own republic Nobody will laugh at us whose good opinion We have reason to cher ish. There will, of course. be an outcry of disappointment in England. But from whom will it come? From such men as James Bryce or John Morley. or any one of those true friends of this republic who un- derstand and admire and wish to perpetu- ate and spread the fundamenta prin- ciples of it's vitality? No. not from them But the outcry will come from those in England who long to see us entangled in complications apt to make the American republic dependent upon British aid and thus subservient to British interests.
 The true friends Of this republic in Eng land and. indeed, all over the world. who are now grieving to see us go astray, will rejoice, and their hearts will be uplifted with new confidence in our honesty in our wisdom and in the virtue of democratic in stitutions when they behold the American people throwing aside all the puerilities of false pride and returning to the path Of fhatp rrtfa Arat