The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-09


| to force our government upon them without
their consent? Before our duty can De
ascertained. and when their rights are once
| determined, IL is as much our duty 10 re-
| spect those rights as 1t was the duty OF
| Spain To respect the rights or the people OF
| Cuba, or the duty of England TO respect
| the rights of the American colonists. Klshis
never conflict; duties never clash. Can IL
| be our duty To kill those who, following
| the example of our forefathers, love ho-
| erty well enough TO fight for IL? Some poet
| has described the terror which overcame
| soldier who. ia the midst OF battle. discov-
cred that he had slain his brother. Ii Is
| written, 'All We are brethren. Let us nope
| for the coming of the day when human
| life-which when once destroyed cannot be
restored-will be so sacred that IL will never
be taken, except when necessary 10 punish
| a crime already committed, or 10 prevent
crime about TO be committed.
| THE HIGHEST OBLIGATION
| If it is said that we have assumed before
! the world obligations which make IL neces-
/ sary for US TO permanently maintain
| government in the Philippine islands. re-
| ply, first, that the highest obligation of
| this Nation is to be true to itself. No OBJ
| legation TO any particular nation or to all
| nations combined can require the abandon
| ment of our theory OF government and the
| substitution Of doctrines against which our
| whole national life has been a protest.
| And, second, that our obligations 10 the
| er than any obligation which we can owe
| to foreigners who have temporary resi-
| dence in the Philippines or desire to trade
| there.
1t is argued by some that the Filipinos
| are incapable of seif-government and that
therefore we owe it to the world to take
! control Of them. Admiral Dewey in an OFF,
clal report to the Navy Department de-
| clared the Filipinos more capable of self
| government than the CubanS and said that
| he based his opinion upon knowledge of
both races. But L will not rest the case
upon the relative advancement of the Fill
| pinos. Henry Clay in defending the rights
| of the people OF South America to self-gov-
| eminent said:
ut is the doctrine of thrones that man is
| TOO ignorant 10 govern himself Their
| partisans assert his incapacity in reference
to all nations; If they cannot command
universal assent to the proposition, it is
| then remanded TO particular nations; and
| our pride and our presumption too often
| make converts of us. 1 contend that il is
| to arraign the disposition of Providence
| himself to suppose that he has created
| beings incapable Of governing themselves.
| and to be trampled on by kings. Self-gov
eminent Is the natural government OF
| man."
Clay was right. There are degrees of
| proficiency in the art of self-government,
but it is reflection upon the Creator to
say that He denied TO any people the capa-
| city or seif-government. once admit that
some people are capable of self-govern-
ment, and that others are not, and that
the capable people have a right to seize
upon and govern the incapable, and you
make force-brute force-the only founda-
ton of government and invite the reign of
the despot. / am not willing to believe that
an all-wise and an ALLOWING God created
the Filipinos, and then left them thousands
of years helpless until the islands attracted
the attention of the European nations.
| GOVERNMENT OF COLONIES.
Republicans ask: shall we haul down
the flag that floats over our dead in the
Philippines" The same question might
|
foated over Chapultepec and waved over
the dead who fell there; but the tourist
who visits the City of Mexico finds there
a national cemetery owned by the United
States and cared for by an American citi-
zen. Our flag still floats over our dead, but
when the treaty with Mexico was signed.
American authority withdrew to the Rio
Grande, and 1 venture the opinion that
during the last fifty years the people of
Mexico have made more progress under
the stimulus of independence and self
government than they would have made
under carpet-bag government held in
place by bayonets. The United States and
Mexico, friendly republics, are each
stronger and happier than they would have
| been had the former been cursed and the
latter crushed by an imperialistic policy
| disguised as benevolent assimilation"
| Can not govern colones?" we arc
asked. The question is not what We can do,
but what we ought TO. do. This Nation can
|
accept responsibility for what il does. II
the Constitution stands in the way the peo-
pie can amend the Constitution. repeat,
the Nation can do whatever 1t desires to do,
| but IL cannot avoid the natural and legiti-
| mate results of it's own conduct. The young
man upon reaching his majority can do
| what he pleases. He can disregard the
| teachings of his parents; he can trample
, upon ali that he has been taught to con-
| slider sacred he can disobey the laws of the
State, the laws OF society and the laws oil
Cod. He can stamp failure upon his life and
| make his very existence a curse TO his fell
lowmen and he can bring his father and
mother in sorrow 10 the grave; but he
} cannot annul the sentence. 1.-The wages OF
sin is death" And with this Nation
H. is of age. and 1t can do what 1t pleasesi
! II can spurn the traditions of the rast; II
can repudiate the principles upon which the
, Nation rests; it can employ force instead
| of reason; il can substitute might for right
it can conquer weaker people; 1t can ex-
plot their lands, appropriate their prop
I erty and kill their people. but cannot re-
, peal the moral law or escape the punish
ment decreed for the violation of human
rights.
would We tread in the paths of tyranny
Nor reckon the tyrant's cost?
Who taketh another's liberty
His freedom is also lost.
= Would we win as the strong have ever won
Make ready to pay the debt,
| For the God who reigned over Babylon
e Is the God who Is reigning yet"
, EDUCATION WILL NOT HELP.
Some argue that American rule in the
t ! Philippine islands will result in the better
: education of the Filipinos. Be not deceived
: | If we expect to maintain a colonial policy
. | we shall not find it TO our advantage tC
educate the people. The educated Filipinos
| are now in revolt against us. and the most
e ignorant ones have made the least resist
g ance to our domination. If we are to gov.
! | ern them without their consent and give
them no voice in determining the take:
4 which they must pay we dare not educate
them, lest they learn TO read the Declare
7 ton of Independence and the Constitution
e | of the United States and mock us for ouI
inconsistency.
The principal arguments, however, ad
vanced by those who enter upon defens
Y | OF imperialism are:
First-That We must improve the presen
0 | opportunity to become a world power an,
: | enter into International politics.
Second-That our commercial interests il
Y the Philippine islands and in the Orien
e make 1T necessary for US to hold tn
;. islands permanently.
Third-That the spread of the Christian
9 | religion will be facilitated by colonia
y | policy.
Foursh-That there is no honorable re
e treat from the position which the Nation
J has taken.
The first argument is addressed TO tn
: | Nations pride and the second to the Ma
e tion's pocketbook The third is intende'
A