Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-03-20

proceeded to establish a paper money
trust which gives to the people a larg-
er chance Of injury and to the banks
a. larger opportunity for profit than
any other trust in existence"
He said that the Republican party
was powerless to interfere with the
trusts because the leading Republicans
were connected with the trusts and
the party had to rely upon trust con-
tributions to carry on the coming
campaign. He presented and defend
ed the remedy which he suggested at
the antitrust meeting in Chicago, last
fall, and which he has frequently dis
cussed since that time. Taking up
the Philippine question he referred
first to the Puerto Rico bill and said:
"The desire to impose duties on
goods coming from Puerto Rico COM
PEELED the Republican party to dis
close it's imperialistic tendencies.
This bill has aroused a storm of pro-
test from Republicans in public and in
private life. But why should any Re-
publican be surprised? Imperialism
means that the people brought under
the flag are not to
Share i'm the Guarantees
of the constitution. 1t is amazing that
Republicans have contemplated the
permanent acquisition of the Philip
pine islands without stopping to con-
slider the future status of the Filipinos.
Are the Filipinos to be citizens? Are
they to be allowed to come to the
United States with their oriental meth
DDS of living to compete with Ameri-
can labor? What good does it do to
exclude a few Chinese and then bring
in by force eight millions of Filipinos?
Are the F%ilipinos to expect to partici-
pate in our elections? Is a presiden-
tial contest to be determined by the
returns from the Philippine islands?
Are the questions which concern our
own people to be decided some day by
the senators and representatives in
Congress from the Philippine islands?
And if the Filipinos are not to be cit
liens are we going to change our con-
stitution so as to hold them in a per-
petual state of vassalage? Can we
expect anything but their hatred so
long as we rule them through carpet
bag governors? The Republicans have
studiously avoided a discussion of the
Philippine question. They have op-
posed the consideration of that ques-
ton by the cry that nothing could be
done until the insurrection was put
down. The Puerto Rico tariff bill,
however, gives us some idea of the
treatment which the Filipinos may ex-
pect and Prof. Schurman, n of the
Presidents commissioners, says that
this bill will arouse suspicion in the
mind of the Filipino as to his future
condition. He states his fears in the
following language:
I'm the very moment when we need
to inspire confidence in the minds OF
the conquered Filipinos, shall we
commit an act which will confirm their
distrust of us, quicken their suspic-
ions and breed new and perhaps inc
radical antipathies? God Forbid"
Mr.. Bryan continued:
"The only settlement of the Philip
pine question consistent with Ameri-
can interests and American principles
is the settlement proposed by the
Democrats in the Senate before the
war broke out in the Philippine Is
lands, namely: A declaration
of the Nations Purpose.
to give the Filipinos independence as
soon as a stable government is estab-
lished. When that declaration is made
hostilities will cease and it will be
easy to establish a stable government.
To independence should be added pro-
tectfon from outside interference. Not
a protectorate such as European coun-
tries exercise for the spoilation of the
protected but protection such as this
nation has exercised over the repub-
lies of Central and South America. 1t
will be sufficient for the United States
to nou that any molestation of
the Philippines will be considered al
u%nfriendly act. If our nation will
stand erect and exert it's great infiu-
ence in behalf of peace and justice and
liberty no nation will dare to touch
the Philippine Islands just as no ma
ton has dared to disturb the republics
which lie south of u.s."
Mr.. Bryan devoted some time to the