The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-09

even the argument that this earth be-
longs to those who desire to cultivate II
and have the physical power to acquire II
cannot be invoked TO Justify the appropria-
tion OF the Philippine ISLANDS by the Unit
ed States.
IL the islands were uninhabitsd Ameri-
can citizens would not be willing to 20
there and till the soil. The white race will
not live so near the equator. Other ma
tions have tried to colonize in the same
latitude. The Netherlands have controlled
Java for 800 years. and yet today there are
less than sc. 600 people of European birth
scattered among % 000, 600 natives. After
century and a half OF English domination
in India, less than one-twentieth OF l per
cent of the people of India are OF English
birth. and 1t requires an army OF 10000
British soldiers to take care of the tax
collectors. Spain has asserted title to the
Philippine Islands for three centuries, and
yet, when our feet entered Manila Bay,
there were less than 10000 Spaniards re-
siding in the Philippines.
A Colonial policy means that we shall
send to the Philippines few traders, a
few taskmasters. and a few officeholiers,
and an army large enough to support the
authority Of small fraction of the people
while they rule the natives.
"H we have an imperial policy We must
have large standing army as its natural
which will Justify the forcible annexation
of the Philippine Islands will justify the
seizure Of other islands and the domination
of other people, and with wars of conquest
we can expect a certain. il not rapid.
growth Of our military establishment That
large permanent increase in our Regular
Army is intended by the Republican lead
ers is not mere matter Of conjecture, bur
a matter Of fact
"In his message Of December 5, 1898, the
President asked for authority to increase
the standing army to 1G6, 600 In 1896 the
army contained about $4,000 men. Within
two years the President asked for four
times that many, and Republican House
of Representatives complied with the re-
quest after the Spanish treaty had been
signed and no country was at war with
the United States. If such an army Is de-
manded when an imperial policy is con-
templated but not openly avowed, what
may be expected IL the people encourage
the Republican party by endorsing its poll
cy at the polls?
Large Standing Army N Menace.
"a large standing army is not only a
pecuniary burden to the people. and, il ac-
companied by compulsory service. con-
stant source Of irritation. but 1t is ever
menace to a republican form Of govern
ment. The army Is the personifcation OF
force, and militarism will inevitably change
the ideals Of the people and turn the
thoughts of our young men from the arts
of peace to the science Of war The gov
ernment which relies for its defence upon
its citizens is more likely to be Just than
one which has at call a large body OF pro-
fessional soldiers. small standing army
and a well-equipped and well-disciplined
State militia are sufficient in ordinary
times, and in emergency the nation should
in the future, as in the past. place its de-
pendence upon the volunteers who come
from all occupations at their countrys
call and return to productive labor when
their services are no longer required-men
who fight when the country needs fighters
and work when the country needs workers.
THE Republican platform assumes that
the Philippine Islands will be retained un-
der American sovereignty, and We have
right to demand of the Republican leaders
a discussion Of the future status Of the
Filipino. Is he to be citizen or a sub
ject, Are we to bring into the body poli-
tic eight or ten million Asiatics, so differ
ent from us in race and history that ANAL
gamation is impossible? Are they to share
with US In making the laws and shaping
the destiny of this nation? No Republican
of prominence has been bold enough to ad
vocate such a proposition. The McEnery
ately after the ratification of the Treaty,
expressly negatives this idea
THE Democratic platform describes the
situation when it says that the Filipinos
cannot be citizens without endangering our
civilization. Who will dispute it? And
what is the alternative? II the Filipino
is not to be a citizen. shall We make him a
subject? On that question the Democratic
platform speaks with emphasis. 1t de-
o1a hat ba ho -,rI-
ject without endangering our form of gov
ernment. republic can have no subjects.
A subject is possible only in a government
resting upon force; he is unknown in a
government deriving its Just powers from
the consent of the governed The Repub-
lican platform says that the largest meas
ure Of self government consistent with
their welfare and our duties shall be Sc
cured to them (the Filipinos) by law This
is a strange doctrine for a government
which owes its very existence to the men
who offered their lives as protest against
government without consent and taxation
without representation.
"In what respect does the position Of
the Republican party differ from the po-
sition taken by the English Government in
1875? Did not the English Government
promise a good government to the colo
nists? What king ever promised a bad
government to his people?
'.Did not the English Government prom
ise that the colonists should have the larg-
est measure of self-government consistent
with their welfare and English duties?
Did not the Spanish Government promise
to give to the Cubans the largest measure
of self-government consistent with their
welfare and Spanish duties? The whole
difference between a monarchy and a re-
public may be summed up in one sentence.
''In a monarchy the king gives to the
people what he believes TO be a good gov
ernment: In a republic the people secure
for themselves what they believe to be a
good government. The Republican party
has accepted the European idea and plant
ed itself upon the ground taken by George
III and by every ruler who distrusts the
capacity of the people for government
or denies them voice in their own affairs
specious Republican Promises.
THE Republican platform promises that
some measure of self-government is to be
given to the Filipinos by law; but, even
this pledge is not fulfilled. Nearly sixteen
months elapsed after the ratification OF the
treaty before the adjournment OF Congress
last June and yet no law was passed oeal-
ing with the Philippine situation. The will
of the President has been the only law in
the Philippine Islands wherever the Amer
lean authority extends.
why does the Republican party hesitate
to Iegislate upon the Philippine question
Because a law would disclose the radical
departure from history and precedent CON-
templated by those who control the Repub-
lican party. The storm Of protest which
greeted the Porto Rican bill was an indi-
cation of what may be expected when the
American people are brought face to face
with legislation upon this subject. II the
Porto Ricans. who welcomed annexation,
are to be denied the guarantees of our