The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-10-13
BROWN MEN OF LuzoN.
An Able Plea In Their Behalf by Hon.
Mo0rfield Storey.

The great Boston lawyer, Hon. Moor
field Storey, has contributed to the
Chicago Record an article on the Phil
ippine question, a portion of which
appeared in last weeks issue of the
Irish Standard. The other part is as
follows:
On Jan. 1, 1898, the United States
had been for more than b century the
one nation in the world which stood
for the right of man to govern him
self. 1t was founded OH the declara.
ton of independence, which pro.
claimedss self-evident truths that gov.
ernments derive their just powers from
the consent of the governed and that
"all men are created equal" These
words were not restricted to men of
any race or color. "Let it be remem-
bered," said the continental congress
at the end of the revolution, chat it
has ever been the pride and boast of
America that the rights for which she
contended were the rights of human
nature" Year after year these propo-
sitions had been reaflirmed by every
statesman and every party until they
had become the gospel of America
our country's message to mankind.
On Jan. 1. 1898, the government of
the United States was in the hands of
the republican party, which from it's
birth had ever promised to support
these principles, which in 1892 had de-
clared "that the republican party has
always been the champion Of the op-
pressed, and recognized the dignity of
manhood irrespective of faith color,
Or nationality" and in 1896 it said,
1--WE watch with deep and abiding in
terest the heroic battle of the Cuban
patriots against cruelty and oppres-
sion,and our best hopes go out for the
full success of their determined con-
test for liberty"
The president himself had said in
1890:
Human rights and constitutional
privileges must not be forgotten in the
race for wealth and commercial SUI
premacy. The government by the peo-
pie must be by the people and not by a
few of the people. 1t must rest upon
the free consent of the governed and of
all the governed. Power, it must be
remembered, which is secured by op-
preston or usurpation by any form
of injustice, is soon dethroned. We
have no right in law or morals to usurp
that which belongs to another, whether
1T Is property or power.'
Again in his message to congress on
April IS, $685. he had said, Il speak
not of forcible annexation, for that,
under our code of morals, would be
criminal aggression"
The country, the party in power, the
president personally, were all solemn
" pledged, If not to aid men struggling
for freedom, at least not to intervene
against them. The brown men of Asia
and the black men of Africa were en-
titled to the rights of manhood not less
than the Anglo-Saxon white man I'M
der their professions Of faith, which
regarded neither "color' nor nation
atty" Thus stood the United States
before the world.
On the other hand, Spain had
owned Cuba. Porto Rico and the Phil
ippine islands long before the United
States had come into existence. Her
title was as clear as England's title to
Jamaica or Bermuda. Under no prin.
ciple Of international law could her
right to sovereignty be doubted. In
lCuba and in the Philippines her abuse