Evening journal., 1899-09-30
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
ROBIN HOODS AMERIcANIsM.
nc The EdItor Of the EvenIng Journal.

Tc the Editor Of the Evening Journal.
Sir: In glancing over the Whining
ton Daily Republican of the 2lst in
stant, noticed very beautiful piece
of poetry by one Robin Hood, which
touched very strongly on the Philip
pine question, and takes in the late
unpleasantness in this country in 1861
65. The verses are arranged with
great care, each word nicely fitting a
certain niche. and, altogether II is very
beautiful to contemplate from the
standpoint of poetical genius, but will
It hold water? Some OF our most beau
tiful specimens Of plant life. while
pleasing to the eye, are laden with
most deadly poison. Not only is this
true Of plant life, but It Is true OF ex-
pressed thought Though often beau
tiful to the glance, the essence Is pol
soned by prejudices. The first claim OF
Robin Hood is that the old copperhead
yell of 1S61-65 is being revived; and
that the same men who then applauded
Jefferson Davis are now critlcising the
administration policy in the Philip
pines. desire to ask the author how
he is going to make the comparison
fit and why the grand old party which
In lS6l-65 declared that slavery should
not longer exist in the United States
should now wage a war of extermina-
ton against a people who, a few
months ago, hailed us as their deliver
ers? But after we, in conjunction with
their own efforts, had crushed the
power of Spanish tyranny. we procured
quit claim for those islands from
Spain, for the consideration OF 100000
600. They refused to become tributary
to our government; they still demand
their rights as free men.
Why should we, a civilized people,
looked upon by the world as Christian
America, if you please, send trained
soldiers, with Christian Bibles In their
knapsacks, along with bullets-the BIZ
bic for consolation, the bullets
TO take the lives of a people fight
ing for a principle which the God who
made that Bible implanted in every
human heart. Does the Bible contain
between its scored lids, from Genesis to
revelations, one single sentence which
conveys the idea that the Gospel OF a
higher civilization consists in crush
ing the love Of liberty from the human
heart? We have only to turn to the
early history of our own country, when
oppressed by the iron heel OF Great
Britain, torn and bleeding, we hailed
with JOY the succor which France gave
us through the efforts OF her noble son,
Lafayette Suppose that after, through
our combined efforts, having broken
the power of Great Britain, she should
sell to France this vast territory. in
cluding the states as they then were
and that having paid for her goods,
upon our refusal to become tributary to
the French Government, France had
turned upon us the force Of her army
and navy? Would not our future have
been as bright as that which confronts
the Filipino to-day? All, but you say
that the Filipino is not capable of self
government. How do you know that?
Was not the same said of this country? ?
But she stands to-day a monument to
the undying truth that a government
intrusted in the hands of its own peo-
pie is the secret of a great govern
ment We did not reach our present
status in one or five years. We laid
the foundation broad enough for the
great structure which We have to-day
So with the Filipino His government
may be crude at first, but with the ex-
perience of years It will broaden and
deepen, until. who is prepared to say
he may not have a government equal
to our own? For we must remember
that ancient history and Holy Writ
both teach us that God takes the weak
things OF earth to confound the mighty.
Robin Hood goes so far as TO say that
the press that raises its protest against
this iniquity should be suppressed by
national power, and that every individ-
ual who criticises the government
should be branded as a traitor. 1 would
like to ask him II this government is
not a a government of the people, for
the people and by the people? Where
every law-abiding citizen has a right
to raise his voice in solemn protest
when he sees his country's flag, the en-
blem of that freedom for which our IA
theirs fought, borne by order Of the
chief executive at the head of con.
quering host, bringing death or sla.
very to a people whose only crime is
that they are fighting for the same
principle for which Old Glory stands.
Shame upon such doctrine. Shame upor
an administration that would dare tC
sully the fair pages of its country's
n4nNll1 VIII lnt hANDu VI us UMIl ILtt'
lmen,in its efforts to trample down thai
liberty from our fellowman. Better q
thousand times that our flag should be
taken home from the Philippine Is.
lands than that this warfare against
the cause of liberty should be Longer
continued We may crush the Fill
pino for a time, but the day Of reckon
ing will surely come We have only
to look at the history Of Spain anC
other European countries to find the
goal to which Imperialism leads. Is It
then, not high time that the voice of {
wronged people should be raised il
protest against this outrage on the fail
name Of America? Already i'm our diff
ferent state conventions We hear the
warning Of an angry people who vii
take advantage of the first opportunity
to rebuke the party that has disgraceC
the name of Washington, jefferson
Jackson, Lincoln and Grant. and II
1900 the money changers will be driver
. from our legislative halls; and, abovl
all, in their place we will place at tn
head Of the government a Thomas JET