The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-07-26
BRYAN on THE PHILIPPINES.
From His Speech nj the Chicago Audi
torium Meeting Last Week,

forum Meeting Last Week.
When we come to the Philippine que
ton again. they say, "lNhat can the Al
minstration doS' There were two
months between the signing OF the treaty
ana the breaking out of hostlitics, two
months lacking six days, and when We
asked them what they were going 10 do
they said they hadn't had time TO decide
what to do. Why. there are but two
sources of government. sorce and con
sent Monarchies are founded on force
republics on consent Our Declaration of
Independence declares that governments
derive their just powers from the consent
of the governed. Is that doctrine true
or is il false? If it is true, how long
ought il to take us to decide what 10 do
in the Philippines!
We recognized the truth of that de
claraton when we went to war with
Spain. We said the people of Cuba are
and of right ought to be free. Why
Because they lived near us? No. Because
they are part Spanish? No. They were
and of right ought to he free because
they wanted to he free, and govern
ments come up from the people. zap
plauseD If they We're and of right ought
to be free who can draw Il line between
them and the people of the Philippines:
Where is the philosophy that entities
one to liberty and another to vasSalagc:
You say you don't know what to do
Applause.l If YOU find Il pockct-book
and on it the name of the owner, do
YOU have to count the money i'll the
pocket book before you know what to do
with the pocket-b book: tApplauSc.)
If the doctrine set forth in the Declar
alton of Independence is sound. then we
cannot rightfully acquire title by con
quest If the doctrine set forth in the
Declaration of Independence is sound. we
cannot rightfuHy purchase S.00O.OoO OF
people at 81 II piece from an alien mon
arch whose rebclious subjects we our
selves armed to fight against their mon
arch. There is principle involved, and
when the principle is once understood,
it's application is not difficult. and if the
people of the Philippine islands are and
of right ought to be free, then this ma
ton should, without one moments delay,
announce to those people that we are
there as friends ard not as enemies. to
establish government which shall be
their government and not our govern
ment when it is established.
Not only ought we to do that now
we ought to have done it in the begin
ming: and if the promise to Cuba had
been made to the Filipnos not one drop
of blood would have been shed in the
Philippine islands. tATpausc.) And we
would be sending school teachers to Ma
Mia to teach Them instead of soldiers
TO tell them that the Declaration was Il
lie. (Applausc.) The Filpinos came in
to our hands by accident Of war, coming
into our hands. they must he dealt with
according to American principles and not
according to European principles TAP
pla1lse)
They say that if We were to give those
people their independence. other ma
tions of Europe would laugh ut us. Are
we afraid to be laughed at? Why. more
than 100 years ago. when there were
but three millions of people in this coun
fry. our forcfathers dared to give to the
world declaration at which the people
Of the old world laughed. hut for which
our people fought. (Applausc.) When
the trainers of the Declaration of indie
pcndence wrote among the sclf-evident
truths that all men are created equal,
endowed with inalicnablc rights: that
governments are instituted among men to
secure these rights deriving their just
powers from the consent OF the govern
ed. the people Of the old world laughed.
But they didn't laugh long. (AppIause.
Because our fOrcfathers maintained their
declaration, ard for more than Il century
this republic has been the most potent
factor in all the world in influencing the
destiny Of the human race. CApplauscD
Shall we be ashamed to admit now that
we believe in the Declaration of indie
uIpncpt | rpnn1t that ~ Inal
with these people according to American
principles. They desire their indcpend-
cnce. Let us say to them. as we said to
Cuba, stand up. be free. and then to all
the world say. hands off, and let every
republic live. (Applause.)
They tell me that we don't know what
to do; All we have to do is to read
onr nations history. to watch the nation
as it .tsavcled the pathway leading from
the little name of ight to the lofty
name of right, and then YOU can tell what
this nation must do if it is true to its
past.
Did our liberty bell ring in vain?
Is the Declaration a lie?
Must we turn to the old world again
With the pcnitcnt prodiGars cry?
| ask The question of YOU: Did our lib-
| crty bell ring in vain? Why, history tells
| us that when the Declaration was about
| to be signed the people gathered in the
| streets and waited for the signal ind
| finally. when those Immortal naIaes were
| fixed to that immortal doc lmcnr thokOld
| liberty bell rang ont and the ptDple
| caught up the sound and chccre YAM
! cheercd again. And from that ~ 10