Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1899-02-23
AMERICA,
The Land of the Free and Home
of the Brave.

The Land of the Free and Home
of the Brave.
9 The latter Is undoubtedly true, Mr..
8 Editor, as has been attested by our
], boys in blue of both the army and navy
q in the short but decisive war with
!. Spain. All honor to their patriotism,
t fidelity and courage.
: But there is courage of another kind,
9 that fear some of our statesmen lso
! called) have lost sight of-the courage
to do right, commonly called moral
q courage-and had they shown the
! same bravery, fidelity and heroism,
. that has been demonstrated by the
military of our land, a very different
D state of affairs would doubtless now
D exist.
+ i The home of the brave; yes
: The land of the free; aye, there's the
s'rub." l fear we will have to abandon
this cognomen.
Why. Mr.. Editor, only little more
Shan quarter of a century ago. the
bloodiest conflict that was ever waged,
, was fought to successful finish by
|, this government to abolish slavery
within its limits. Far back in the
years gone by laws We're enacted pro-
hibiting the African slave trade, and
only few short months sincc we de-
clared that the Cubans 'of right ought
to be free," and to maintain this dec
laration war was declared against a
power that had previously been per-
fectly friendly. And yet, what do we
see today? the Filipinos purchased of
their former masters, like cattle sold
in the market, at So per head.
Do you say it is for the purpose of
giving them freedom? Then why not
tell them 80, and in an official way?
To do so would save trouble and blood
shed. to say nothing of the vast expen-
ditures of money otherwise necessary,
Why did not the peace commission
put these people on the same footing
as the Cubans9 Are they not just as
much entitled to freedom?
All; fear there is some sinister mo-
tive behind the smiling face of Uncle
Sam.
| Why not be candid and frank with
these people? And why Is the whole |
transaction done in corner? If every
thing is honest and just, and right
eous, why such absolute secrecy? and
| why are OUR PEOPLE kept in doubt
and uncertainty; kept in the dark as
to the whole transaction? Are not the |
people the government and Mr.. Nc
| Kinley their servant? Is the master |
to be kept in ignorance of what his
servant doeth? Is he eating and drink
ing and abusing the underservants and |
holding high carnival? Does he as
sumo to dictate beyond the limits
vouchsafed to him?
Let him beware how he presumes,
for day of reckoning is not far dis
tant, when he will have to render an
account of his stewardship; when
crooked things must be made straight, |
and dark ways plain.
Mr.. Editor. it is not question of
constitutional right, for I have long
since learned that that instrument can
be construed to suit our purposes of
| whatever nature
But there are two questions in
volved that should be we'll looked to,
and neither of which we can afford to
pass lightly.
1st. The question Of honor to our
selves and justice to others;
i 2nd. The question of policy, both as
pertains to ourselves and Others.
j Upon this latter there may be..a wide
difference of opinion, and honestly 80.
!, But do not see how there can be an
honest difference upon the former.
DIR. Franklin wisely said, "be sure
you are right and then 20 ahead" and
: this government has reached crisis
q in its history when it should be very
e sure of it's ground. We should re
: member that the Filipinos were strug-
: Cling with might and main for their
4 freedom, before we became a factor in
: the struggle, and when we became
n their allies we left them under the i'm
d preston, by tacit consent, if not by
: open declaration, that we were assist
% ing them to obtain the same freedom
q that we enjoyed. Is it not right ther
It 1 ask, regardless Of any advantages w
If might otherwise gain, to follow thi
b. policy 20 the end
mi When the Americon colonies REBEL
10 ed against the mother country an
,e were struggling to free themselve
from what appeared to them gallin
to bondage, a friendly nation-France-
" came to their aid and became thei
w ally; when CORVALLIS surrendered a
to Yorktown and the long and desperat
~ struggle came to an end, suppos
of France had claimed the right to negt
tiate the terms of peace, and III so d.
es ing had induced England, whether b
ut threats or otherwise, to cede the coli
Ill MES to her, would they or not hay
a been justified in resisting by evel
ill means in their power so palapable
to breach of faith? Would they NJ
ra- have denounced such perfidy in tt
ur strongest and most bitter terms ar
ii resent it with more determination,
it, possible, than they mad shown towal
in the mother country.
ep- Shall we, Mr.. Editor, nation
she rs, ,OOO,O 900 of people; We, who claim
ion be ''the land of the free; be less ma
rty unanimous than our ally-France.
1g- However far astray the administr
on tion may have gone-and we do not e
to pect perfection-I do not believe th
DIN the free and liberty-loving people
The this grand and glorious country W