Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-08-17
OLYMPIA, WASIINGTON FRIDAY EVENING" AUG. H. 1900

far reaching issue which they have dc
liberately brought into the arena of
politics. When the President, sup
ported by practically unanimous
vote of the House and Senate, entered
upon war with Spain for the purpose
OF aiding the struggling patriots OF
Cuba, the country, without regard to
party, applauded. Although the DEM
Ocrats recognized that the administers
tion would necessarily gain political
advantage from the conduct of a war
which, in the very nature of the case,
must soon end in complete victory,
they WED with Republicans in the
support which they gave to the Presi-
dent. When the war was over and
the Republican leaders began to sug-
gest the propriety of a colonial policy,
opposition at once manifested itself.
When the President finally laid before
the Senate treaty which recognized
the independence of Cuba but provid-
ed for the cession of the Philippine
island to the United States, the men
ace of Imperialism became so apparent
that many preferred to reject the
treaty and risk the ills that might fol.
| low rather than take the chance OF
correcting the errors of the treaty by
the Independent action of this country.
FAvoRs THE TREATY OF PARIS.
| was among the number of those
who believed it better to ratify the
treaty and end the war, release the
expenditures and then give to the
Filipinos the independence which
might be forced from Spain by a new
treaty.
In view OF the criticism which my
action aroused in some quarters, take
this occasion to re-state the reasons
given at that time. l thought it safer
to trust the American people to give
independence to the Filipinos than to
trust the accomplishment of that pur-
pose to diplomacy with an unfriendly
nation. Lincoln embodied an argu-
ment in the question, when he asked.
"Can aliens make treaties easier than
friends can make LAVISH / believe
that we are now in better position
to wage a successful contest against
imperialism than we would have been
had the treaty been rejected. With
the treaty ratified a clean cut issue is
presented between a government by
the consent and government by force
and imperialists must bear the res pom
sibility for all that happens until the
question is settled. If the treaty had
been rejected, the opponents of imper.
ialism would have been held RESPONSE
bic for any international complications
which might have arisen before the
ratification of another treaty. But
whatever differences of opinion may
have existed as to the best method OF
opposing the colonial policy, there
was never any difference as to the
great Importance of the question and
there is no difference now as to the
course to be pursued.
OUR DUTY IN THE PHILIPPINES.
The title of Spain being extin-
guished We were at liberty to deal with
the Filipinos according to American
principles. The Bacon resolution in
troduced a month before hOstilities
broke out at Manila promised inde-
pendence to the Filipinos on the same
terms that it was promised to the Gu.
bans. 1 supported this resolution and
believe that its adoption prior to the
breaking out of hostilities would have
prevented bloodshed and that its adop-
ton at any subsequent time would
have ended hostilities.
If the treaty had been rejected, con-
siderable time would have necessarily
elapsed before new treaty could have
been agreed upon ard ratified, and dur
ing that time the question would have
been agitating the public mind. If
the Bacon resolution had been adopted
by the Senate and carried out by the
President either at the time of the rat
ification of the treaty or at any time
afterwards, it would have taken the
question of imperialism out of politics
and left the American people free to
deal with their domestic problems.
But the resolution was defeated by the
vote OF the Republican Vice President,
and from that time to this Republi-
can Congress has refused to take any
action whatever in the matter.
When hostilities broke out ut Ma
Mia, Republican speakers and Repub-
lican editors at once sought to lay the
blame upon those who had delayed
the ratification of the treaty and, dur
ing the progress OF the war, the same
Republicans have accused the oppon.
ents of imperialism of giving encour-
agement to the Filipinos. This is q
cowardly evasion OF responsibility.
SUBJECT RACES MUST PROTEST.
If it is right for the United States to
hold the Philippine islands perma-
nently and initiate the European en-
pires in the government of the colo
nles, the Republican party ought to
state its position and defend it, but it
must expect the subject races to pro-
test against such a policy, and to re-
sist to the extent Of their ability. The
Filipinos do not need any encourage
ment from Americans now living.
Our whole history has been an encour.
agement not only to the Filipinos, but
| to all who are denied voice in their
own government. If the Republicans
are prepared to censure all who have
used language calculated to make Fill
ipinos hate foreign domination, let
them condemn the speech of Patrick
Henry. When he uttered that pas
sionate appeal "Give ME liberty or
give me death" he expressed senti-
ment which still echoes in the hearts
of men. Let them censure Jefferson
of all statesmen Of history, none have
used words so offensive to those who
would hold their fellows in political
bondage. Let them censure Washing
ton, who declared that the colonies
must choose between liberty and slav-
cry. Or, if the statute OF limitations
has run against the sins of Henry and
Jefferson and Washington, let them
censure Lincoln, whose Gettysburg
speech will be quoted in defense OF
popular government when the politi-
cal advocates of force and conquest
are forgotten.
Someone has said that truth once