Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1900-08-17
TIE ARGUMENT or onL,cAr,ox
Also the Contention That FIlIpinos Couno,
Govern Themselves

N1
Govern Themselves.
II it is said that we have assumed
before the world obligations which
make it necessary for us to norma.
nently maintain n government i'm tbo
Fmlipplne islands. L reply. first, that
the highest obligation of this nation
is to be true to itself. No Obligation 10
any particular nation. or 10 all nofione
combined. can require the abandon
ment OF our theory Of government and
the substitution Of doctrines arainet
which our whole national life has been
4 protest. And, second. that our obli.
cations 20 the FilipinoS who inbabit
the islands are greater than anv ohIi-
CATION which we can owe to FOREIGNERS
Who nave temporary residence i'm the
philippines or desire to trade tEcro
1t is argued hy some that the Fill
plnoS are incapable OF self-govcrnment
and that therefore we owe II to tho
world TO take control Of them. Ad-
miral Dewey, i'm IN official rpDort 10
the navy department. declared the Fiji
pinos moro capable of self-yoyernmont
than fheC CubanS. and said that he based
his opinion upon 4 knowledge of botb
races But | VIII not rest the case unon
the relative advancement OF the T,ili.
pinos- Henry Clay. i'm defending tbo
rights of the people OF South America
TO self-Sovernmcnt. said: at is tho
doctrine OF thrones that man is too TO-
norant 10 govern himself" 81
contend that IL is TO arraign tho dispo-
sition Of Providence Himself to e,n-
pose that lie has created beings incs.
pable Of governing themselves. and 10
be tramplcd on by kings Self-rovorn-
ment is the natural government os
men" Va
Clay was right. opco "A |
nit that some people are cnDohln 90 |
sclf-govcrnment and that others ora
not, and that the capable peoplo bovo
right TO seize upon and govern Tho
incapable, and YOU make force-brute
iorce-the only foundation Of govern |
ment ana invite the reign OF the despot |
Kepuollcans ask: shall we haul
down the flag that floats over our do,d
In the Philipplncsy' The Same onos.
tion might have bccn asked whom tbo
American flag iloated over ChanuIto-
pee ana waved over the dead who reIl
there; but the tourist who visits tba
City OF Mexico finds there n potionaI
cemetery owned by the United Stotos
and cared for by an American citl1o,,
Our flag still floats over our dead In,
when the treaty with Mexico v,SS
signed American authority withdrew
80 80 o rrahuc. Can
we not govern coloniesT" we are oslni
The question is not what we cam 40
out what we ought to do. This nation
can DO whatever II desires 20 do. but n
must accept responsibility for what il
docs. III the constitution stands I'm the
way, the people can amend the consti-
tutlon. L repeat, the nation can do
WhateVer IL desires to do, but it can
not avoid the natural and legitimate
results OF its own conduct.
IL Is OF age, and 1t can do what IL
pieaSeS; II can spurn the traditions of
tne past; 1t can repudiate the prlnci-
pies upon which the nation rests; II
can employ force instead OF reason;
IL can substitute might OF right; il can
conquer weaker people; Ii can eNploit
their lands, appropriate their propertv
ana XII their people; but it cannot r,-
peal the moral law or escape the nun
ishment decreed for the Violation of
human rights.
would we tread IN the paths of Nv.
ranny,
Nor reckon the tyrants costp
w no taketh another's liberty
His freedom is also lost.
Wouiu we win as the strong have ever
Won
Make ready TO pay the debt,
NOr lue Sou who reigned over Babylon
Is the God who is reigning yet"
some argue that American rule in
tne fhiilppine islands will result in the
petter education or the EilipinoS. lie
not deceived. II we expecr TO main-
tam = colonial policy, we shall not find
II 10 our advantage to educate tie peo-
pie. The educated Filipinos are now
III revolt against us, and the most ig-
norant ones have made the least re-
sistance TO our domination. If we are
TO govern them without their consent
and give them no voice In determining
the taxes which they must nay, we
dare not educate them. lest they learn
to read the Declaration of Independ-
eaee and the constitution of the United
states ani mock US for our inconsist-
encV