The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-08-11

dressed, in conversation at this inter
view, to Mr.. Colfax, who was at this
time preparing for journey overland
to the Pacific coast Said he: Mr..
Colfax, I want you to take message
from me to the miners whom you visit.
I have very large ideas of the mineral
wealth OF Our nation. believe it prac-
tically inexhaustble. 1t abounds all
over the western country, from the
Rocky mountains to the Pacific, and its
development has scarcely commenced
During the war, when we were
adding couple of millions O
dollars every day to our ma
tional debt, I did not care about en-
couraging the increase in the volume of
our precious metals. We had the coun-
try to save first. But now that the re-
bellion is overthrown and we know
pretty nearly the amount OF our ma
tional debt, the more gold and silver
we mine, we make the payment Of that
debt so much easier. Now said he,
speaking with more emphasis, 4 am
going to encourage that in every pos
sible way. We shall have hundreds Of
thousands OF disbanded soldiers, and
many have feared that their return
home in such great numbers might par
alyze industry by furnishing suddenly a
greater supply OF labor than there would
be demand for. l am going to try to
attract them to the hidden wealth OF
Our mountain ranges, where there is
room enough for all. immigration,
which even the war has not stopped,
will land upon our shores hundreds OF
thousands more per year from over
crowded Europe. l intend to point
them to the gold and silver that wait
for them in theWest Tell the miners
for me that shall promote their inter-
ests to the utmost of my ability; because
their prosperity is the prosperity OF the
nation; and said he, his eye kindling
with enthusiasm, we shall prove in
very few years that we are indeed the
treasury OF the world"
The Republicans are now endeavoring
to lessen the volume OF money avail
able for the payment of debt by limit
ing the payment to gold alone.
One of the main arguments advanced
in behalf OF the forcible annexation Of
the Philippine Islands is that we owe it
to the Filipinos to take them under Our
protecting wings, tax them without
representation and govern them with
out their consent, on the theory that
they arc not capable Of self-governmcnt.
In one of his speeches just prior to
the war Lincoln said "These argu-
ments that are made, that the inferior
races are to be treated with as much al
lowance as they are capable Of enjoying;
that as much is to be done for them as
their condition will allow-what are
these arguments? They are the argu-
ments that kings have made for enslav-
ing the people in all ages of the world.
You will find that all the arguments in
favor of kingcraft were of this class;
they always bestrode the necls of the
people-not that they wanted to do it,
but because the people were better off
for being ridden"
The Republicans who contend now
that any criticism of the administra-
ton policy is unpatriotic and calcu-
lated to help the Filipinos have either
forgotten, or never read, the speech
made by Lincoln i'll the denunciation of
President Polk in the midst OF the Mex
lean war.
Those Republicans who would crush
the aspirations of the Filipinos for self
government should read Lincoln's
speech Of 1858. in which he said:
"Wlat constitutes the bulwarSs OF our
liberty and independence? 1t is not
Our frowning battlements, our bristling
sea coasts, our army and our navy.
These are not our reliance against tyr
amy. All OF thcpe may be turned
against us without making It's weaker
for the struggle. Our reliance is in the
spirit Of liberty which God has planted
in us. Our defense is in the spirit
which prizes liberty as the heritage OF
all men in all lands, everywhere. De-
stroy this spirit, and you have planted
the seeds OF despotism at your own
DOORS"
Thirty-fvc years ago the republicans
4 ~,
black man under the American flag;
now some OF the Republicans assert tina
this nation can rightfully purchase
brown people from an alien monarch at
two dollars apiece, and then put them
to death if they object to the bargain.
MIIH IMnEnIAY MI INN