Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-03-07
TREACHERY IN OHIO.

The administration friends of Judge
Taft, who has just been appointed by
President Mckinley to the presidency
of the Philippines Commission, had
known what was going to happen they
would never have invited to the fare
we'll banquet to Judge Taft ex-Attor-
ney General Harmon, of President
Cleveland's cabinet. The gathering
was intended to be a little imperial
love-feast, but Mr.. Harmon with his
strong American views came in like
wet blanket and spoiled all the en-
thusiasm. Judge Harmon sat for a
while in silence and listened to praise
of the Mckinley Philippines policy.
Then he was called upon to speak and
he spoke quickly. eff you had met to
approve the general course of the Gov
eminent with respect to the Philip
pines," Judge Harmon said, Il should
not be here. For a hundred years
we contented ourselves with words of
sympathy for peoples struggling as we
once struggled for freedom and indie
pendence. Here for the first time an
opportunity came to help in such
struggle without breaking our settled
policy.
1--WE joined ranks with the native
patriots against the common enemy.
Whether anyone made or was author
lied to make promises to them is OF
no consequence. Our history and prin-
ciples are perpetual promise; and no
one will deny that when the Philip
pinos joined forces with us they be-
lieved, and we knew that they be-
lieved, success would mean the fulfill
ment of their hopes"
Judge Harmon put the proposition
so as directly to appeal to the con-
sciences of his imperialist audience.
He continued incisively:
1T soon turned out that instead of buy
ing off the King of Spain the government
bought him out and proposed to realize on
the investment. The government got abso-
lutely nothing by the treaty with Spain
except color of title to small part of the
territory, and consequent color of right to
make war on the inhabitants, without ac-
ton by Congress. Whatever it now holds
(save what it got by treaty with the Sultan
of Sulu) it has acquired by conquest from
them and not otherwise, and it is still en-
gagged in perfecting and extending such
conquest. We now hear the usual plea of
the doors of doubtful things-the deed is
done, it is too late to discuss it.
ut is never too late to retrace a misstep,
to right or undo a wrong. If the people
shall decide that no nation is good enough
to rule another nation without that other
nations consent; if they shall remember
what it cost us to cast out the heresy that
the great principles of liberty did not apply
to black men, and shall refuse to re-em-
brace it as to brown ones; If they shall
conclude That this country cannot long ex st
part vassal and part free, as they found it
could not part slave and part free, then
there will be no difficulty in doing what
we ought to have done in the beginning
leave the Fflipinos to manage their own
affairs and serve notice on the world that
they are under our protection"
Evidently deeply impressed by the
words of his associate at the Cincin-
natl bar, Judge Taft spoke rather
apologetically of his acceptance of the
appointment as head of the Philip
pines commission and explained:
THE commission is not organized. 1
speak, therefore, for myself alone. Like
Judge Harmon and unlike Chairman In
gals. am not now and never have been an
expansionist. l have always hoped that
the jurisdiction of our nation would not
extend beyond the territory between the
two oceans.
I'VE have not solved all the problems of
popular government so perfectly as to jus
tify our voluntarily seeking more difficult
ones abroad"
All Of which will make interesting
reading for Mr.. Mckinley.
Defender of Dewey.
81