The Republican., 1900-09-13

hen we could not establish stable gov
srnment for them or make ours protecto.
rate without the like consent, and neither
the majority of the people nor a minority
of the people have invited us to assume
it, We could not maintain protectorate
even with the consent of the governed
without giving provocation for conflicts
and possibly costly wars. Our rights In
the Philippines are now free from outside
interference and will continue so in our
present relation. They would not be thus
free in any other relation. We will not
give up our own to guarantee another
sovereignty.
Our title is good. Our peace commits.
sioners believed they were receiving a
good title when they concluded the treaty.
The executive believed it was a good title
when he submitted it to the senate of the
United States for it's ratification. The
senate believed 1t was a good title when
they gave it their constitutional assent,
and the congress seems not to have doubt
ed its completeness when they appropri-
ated $20,00O,000 provided by the treaty.
II any who favored it's ratification be.
I lieved it gave us bad title, they were
not sincere. Our title is practically iden-
tical with that under which we hold our
! territory acquired since the beginning OF
the government and under which we have
exercised full sovereignty and establish
ed government for the inhabitants.
1t is worthy of note that no one out
side Of the United States disputes the
fullness and integrity of the cessioh.
What, then, is the real issue IN this sub
ject? Whether it is paramount to any
other or not it is whether we shall be
responsible for the government OF the
! Philippines with the sovereignty and
authority which enables us to guide them
TO regulated liberty, law, safety and
progress OK whether we shall be RESPONSE
BILE for the forcible and arbitrary gov
ernment on our part and with only the
embarrassment of protectorate which
draws us into their troubles without the
power Of preventing them.
Must Accept Obligations.
There were those who two years ago
were rushing us ON to war with Spain
who are unwilling now to accept its clear
consequence, as there are those among
us who advocated the ratification of the
treaty Of peace, but now protest against
it's obligations. Nations which go to
| war must be prepared to accept its re-
sulIdut ODliRdllUuS anu Wucu luey make
! treaties must keep them.
! Those who profess to distrust the lib
eral and honorable purposes OF the ad-
ministration in its treatment Of the Phil.
! ippines are not justified Imperialism
has no place in its creed or conduct.
Freedom is @ rock upon which the Re-
publican party was built and now rests.
Liberty is the great Republican doctrine
. rx-hs sah fIo ko 4
for which a million lives were offered
and billions Of dollars expended to make
it lawful legacy of all without the con-
/ sent Of master or slave. There is a strain
of ill concealed hypocrisy in the anxiety
to extend the constitutional guarantees to
, the people of the Philippines while their
notification is openly advocated at home.
. Our opponents may distrust themselves,
but they have no right to discredit the
good faith and patriotism of the ma
! jority of the people who are opposing
| them. They may fear the worst form
of imperialism with the helpless Fill
pinos in their hands, but II they do 1t Is
because they have parted with the spirit
and faith of the fathers and have lost
/ the virility Of the founders of the party
which they profess to represent.
to assert its devotion to the Declaration
of Independence. That immortal instru-
ment of the fathers remained unexecut-
ed until the people under the lead of the
Republican party in the awful clash of
battle turned its promises into fulfill
ment. 1t wrote into the constitution
the amendments guaranteeing political
equality to American citizenship, and II
has never broken them or counseled 9TH
ers in breaking them. 1t will not be
guided in its conduct by one set of prin-
ciples at home and another set in the
new territory belonging to tho United
States.
II our opponents would only practice
! as well as preach the doctrines of Abra-
ham Lincoln, there would be no fear for
the safety of our institutions at homo
or their rightful influence in any terri
tory over which our flag floats.
Empire has been expelled from Porto
Rico and the Philippines by American
freemen. The flag Of the republic now
! floats over these Islands as an emblem
Of rightful sovereignty. Will the repub-
/ lie stay and dispense to their inhabitants
the blessings Of liberty, education and
free institutions or steal away, leaving
: them to anarchy or imperialism?
The American question is between duty
and desertion. The American verdict
will be for duty and against desertion.
for the republic against both anarchy and
/ imperialism.
The country has been fully advised Of
the purposes Of the United States 10
China, and they will be faithfully ad-
hered to. as already defined.
! The nation is filled with gratitude that
! the little band, among them many of our
/ own blood. who for two months have
been subjected to privations and peril by
! the attacks Of pitiless hordes at the Chi
nese capital. exhibiting supreme courage
| in the face Of despair. have been enabled
by Gods favor to greet their rescuers
and find shelter under their own flag.
The people not alone of this land. but
of all lands. have watched and prayed
through the terrible stress and protracted
| agony Of the helpless sufferers in Peking,
and while at times the dark tidings SEEM
to make all hope vain the rescuers
er faltered in the heroic fulfillment Of
. II noble task.
| We are grateful to our own soldiers
and sailors and marines and to all the
brave men who though assembled under