Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1900-08-11
William j. Bryan's Indianapolis Speech.

ance to our domination. lf we are to gov
ern them without their consent and give
them no voice In determinin the taxes
which they must pay. we dare not educate
them. lest they learn to read the Declaration
OF Independence and the Constitution OF the
United states and mock us for our incon-
The principal arguments. however. ad.
vanced by those who enter upon defense
OF Imperialism are: A.
opportunity to become world power and
enter Into international politics.
SecOnd-That our commercial interests In
the Philippine Islands and In the Orient
make II necessary for us to hold the islands
Third-That the spread Of the Christian
religion will be facilitated by colonial pol.
Fourth-That there Is no honorable retreat
from the position which the nation has
The first argument is addressed to the
tons pocketbOok. The third Is Intended for
the church member and the fourth for the
It is a sufficient answer to the first argu.
ment TO say that for more than century
this nation has been world power. For ten
decades u has been the most potent infiu.
ence In the world; Not only has Il been g
world power, but II has done more to AFFECT
the politics Of the human race than all the
other nations OF the world combined. The
growth Of the principle Of self.gOyernment,
cver. shadowins political fact Of The nine.
teenth century. II has made this nation
conspicuous among the nations and given II
q place In history such as no other nation
has ever enjoyed.
The Commercial Argument.
The permanent chairman Of the last Re.
publican national convention presented the
pecuniary argument In all Its badness, when
he said: I'VE make no hypOcritlcal pre-.
tense Of being Interested In the philippines
solely on account Of others. While we re.
trust. we regard the welfare Of the Xmeri.
can people hrst. We see our duty to our.
selves as well as to others: We believe In
trade expansion. BY every legitimate means
within the province Of government and con.
stitution. we mean to stimulate the expan.
sion OF our trade and open new markets."
This 10 the commercial argument. 1t IL
y wased for pecuniary advantage, and that
It Is profitable TO purchase trade by force
and Violence. The Democratic party Ii 10
favor OF the expansion Of trade. II would
peaceful means; but It Ii not willing to
make merchandise Of human blood. But a
| war OF conquest is as unwise rs II II un.
righteous. A harbor and coaling station IN
and military necessity, and such a conccs.
sion could have been secured at any time
without didiculty.
| fective with certain classes, In not likely
to be used 40 often or presented with so
much emphasis rs the religious argument.
what h.: been termed the
only II would be sufficient answer to say
that q majority Of the Fillpinos are now
members OF one branch Of the Christian
church; but the principle Involved In one
Of much wider application and challenges
| serious consideration.
The religious argument varies In positive.
e the pfFi pno Ss sto aa hands, fos
their good and our glory. to the exultation 81
the minister who said that we ought "a
thrash the natives tfillpinOs) until they un
let sent, every cannon shot and every has
| waved means righteousness"
We cannot approve OF this doctrine In one
place unless we are willing to apply U
| everywhere. Love, not force, was thu
weapon OF the Naxarcne; sacrifice for others
not the exploitation. Of them, was His meth
cd OF reaching the human heart Let It b,
known that our missionaries are scekinl
souls instead Of sovereignty; let II be known
that instead of being the advance guard Of
cOnquerlng armies. they are going forth q
assp AND % 70 S ina h issr S%' w S
the preparation OF the gospel OF peace, wear
Ing the breastplate OF Righteousness, ant
carrying the sword Of the Spirit: let It III
known that they are the citizens Of a natiol
which respects the rights Of the citizens o
other nations as carefully as Il protects thu
rights OF Its own citizens, and the welcome
given to our missionaries will be more cor
dial than the welcome extended TO the mis-
si0narles Of any other nation.
The argument, made by some, that II WA
unfortunate for the nation that II had any
that the naval victory ut Manila made tn
permanent acquisition Of those Islands neccs
sary, IL also Insound. We won naval vic
tory at Santiago. but that did not compel "
blood In the Philippine Islands does no
make II Imperative that we should retail
possession forever; American blood was She
President has promised on I the caS"ns ~ inae
pendence. The fact that the American na
noats over Manila does not compel us
exercise perpetual sovereignty over the 10
but the President has promised to haul
down when the dag Of the Cuban republic
ready to rise In Its place, Better a thousan
s a a y IN. ns e Sr o ss
, ment than that the dag OF this republi
should become the nag OF an empire.
, Solution OF the Question.
There Is an easy. honest. honorable. sol,
Z ton OF the Philippine question. 1t H. %
I forth In the Democratic platform and II
: submitted with confidence to the America
II elected. / shall convene Congress In e,
q | traordinary session as soon as ! am inaui
urated, and recommend an Immediate dccla
r alton OF the nation's purpose; hrst, to estal
. ippine Islands. Just as we are now establish
}. Ing a stable form Of government In the Is
' and Of Cuba; second. to give Independence
fapmS nus. ss the e eays pro%hs9
!. protect the FilipinOs from outside interfe
!. ence while they work out their destiny, Jul
n MS We have protested the republics OF Cel
1 trail and South America; and are. by u
' Monroe doctrine, pledged to protect Cub!
An European prOfectOrate often results
. the exploitation Of the ward by the guar
= Ian. An American protcctorate gives to III
= nation protected the advantage OF OF
. strength, without making 1t the victim {
:, our greed.
$ Mr., Chairman and Gentlemen Of the Con
{ mittee: J can never FULLY discharge u
/" trymcn for the hOnOrs which they have
u u generously bestowed upon me; hut, sir
4 whether It be my lot to occupy the hia
. office for which the convention has name
:, private life, II shall be my constant ami
; realizing the high ideals OF those whose wi
= dom and courage and sacrifices brought tn
:. republic Into existence.
y I can conceive OF a national destiny su
y passing the glories OF the present and Il
y pasta destiny which meets the respon'
! the possibilities of the future. Behold
!, republic. resting securely upon the found
- tiOn stones quarried by revolutionary pa
" riots from the mountain oi eternal truth
y republic applying In practice and proclaiI
!, Ing to the world the selfeyident prOpoi
~ tion THAT all men are created equal; tn
= they are endowed with inalienable right
q that governments are instituted Among m.
to secure these rights; that governments
y rive their just powers from the consent
the governed" Behold a republic In Will,
y civil and religious liberty stimulate all
70 restraints every hand uplifted for Il neig
4. boris injury--a republic In which every ci
d zen Is a sovereign but in which no one car