Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1899-09-08

AN INFAMOUS TREATY.

AN INFAMOUS TREATY.
Under the protecting folds of the
American flag the slave trade will
flourish in Sulu. The sanctity Of home
and family is violated; the wife is sold
from her husband, the child from it's
mothers arms. The lash of the slave
driver falls on the quivering back Of
covering human chattels in Sulu; falls
with the sanction of President McKin-
ley, under the permission granted in,
the treaty negotiated by General Bates,
his military representative. The slaves
one recourse, on soil shadowed by the
stars and stripes, is to purchase his
freedom at the market price.
Polygamy and concubinage is the law
Of the land in Sulu-a law. ratified, per-
mitted and indorsed by President Nc
Kinley's administration through the
treaty with the sultan. The sacred
names of wife and mother are stripped
Of every ennobling quality and made
synonymous for shame with the knowl
edge and consent of the government at
Washington in the islands over which
the debauched sultan of Sulu admin
listers American law, and is paid there
for $500 a month by the grace of Will
liam Mckinley.
The American people through their.
authorized representatives, have weak
ly and shamelessly compromised with
dishonor. Vice and lechery, wrong
doing and crime are legalized that the
American flag might wave undisturbed
over the harem Of the sultan and the
slave pens of his plantations.
What now will high-minded Chris.
tian men and women think, who in
dorsed forcible annexation that Chris
tianity and civilization might follow in
the wake of the hag?' What will
ministers of the gospel Of 'peace on
earth, good will to men" say to this all
conclusive proof that the present ad-
ministration makes war not to civilize,
not to Christianize, but simply and
solely to possess? What will American
citizens who are proud of their heritage
Of lofty ideas and principles of freedom
and equality say to this shameful
abandonment of the teachings for
which the blood of American manhood
has flowed in rivers to the sea? What
possible excuse can be offer,d for the
consummation Of this liaison with Mos
lem morals and pirates ethics. This is
not question that win admit of any
talk of "expediency." No possible
theory of ''expediency" can explain the
necessity of virtue embracing vice, Of
the incorporation of q foul and deadly
cancer into healthy political organ
ism. If slavery is wrong in America it
is wrong in Sulu. If it was not to be
permitted beneath the Stars and bars.
neither may it be TO: tered under the
stars and stripes. There is no Geogra-
ply in right and wrong. The ethics Of
God are eternal and all embracing. To
do or permit evil under the specious
plea that good may follow is the Grim.
inal sophism of al the ages. From it
has sprung the wars and prosecutions,
the crimes and follles that have dark
ened the history of church and state
AS surely az from good comes good so
from evil comes evil.
Americans are confronted with
fact A treaty has been concluded
with the sultan of Sulu by the presi-
dents military representative. That
treaty recognizes the institution of
slavery in the territory over which this
sultan was ruler. As the price of his
allegiance it legalizes that institution,
and permits it to exist on American
territory and under the American flag.
This is the fact. It must be explained
to the American people, or they will
explain it for themselves. But from
Washington no explanation is forth
coming; rather has concealment been
attempted. 1t is sovereign duty of
citizenship to explore this matter. In
a republic responsibility rests finally on
the citizen; be is the source of power
and the seat of authority.
The World. Herald invites discussion
of this question. 1t is not a question
of politics only, but Of morality, of re-
ligion. 1t is a question demanding the
attention Of ministers in their CAPACITY
az teachers of the gospel of Jesus
Christ, and of men and women every
where. In the house of its friends the
Christian religion is attacked; in the
temple OF the faith the doctrine Of
freedom is assailed will be the
action Of the American people. Omaha
World Herald?
Notice to Farmers.
All farmers who are to have thresh-