Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-02-13
Canada and the PHILIPPINES.

Canada and the Philippines.
If representative Clark, of Missouri,
said all that he was credited with say
ing, last week, during his two hours
speech in the house, it looks like a
queer tumble of right and wrong A
special telegram from Washington ap-
peared in Chicago daily, attributing
to him certain remarks during that
speech as follows
''Mr. Clark, of Missouri, member of
the foreign affairs committee, spoke
against the Philippine policy of the adj
minisTation. MrgClark, in his charac-
teristic way, laid down the following
proposition:
"A man is not traitor because he is
opposed to doing those things which
jeopardize the life of the republic
AN American is not pessimist, be-
cause he is unwilling to see his country
adopt as a settled policy the political
principles of Alexander, Caesar and
Napoleon.
In the hands of political jobbers the
American flag, like the mantle of chart
ty, will be made to cover multitude of
sins.
Il think more-far mOre-of the liber-
ties of my children than of all the trade
of all the earth
i would like to leave them both rich
and free, but of the two / would rather
leave them free-free TO labor, free to
work ont their own destiny, free to SYM
pathize with and help all people strug-
Cling for liberty anywhere and every
where.
Il would not give the life of one
healthy, honest, moral, patriotic, ambi-
tious, courageous American white boy
in exchange for all the Filipinos who
now live or may live in the archipelago
this side OF the great resurrection day"
Noble sentiments these, and timely
expression of them if there ever was one.
Let us remember our children; and be-
stow upon them the same free govern
ment our fathers left to us. The politi-
cal principles of Alexander, Caesar and
Napoleon are not for us. American
boys are far too good to be slaughtered
in war of mere conquest, on the far
side of the Pacific ocean
1t will be noticed that the foregoing
remarks of Mr.. Clark were put in quo
tation marks Indicating the exact Ian
guage was given Then comes the fol
lowing statement from the same Wash
ingtou correspondent:
Mr.. Clark said that he WAS not OPP
posed to expansion He was today in
favor of taking every foot of the British
possession in North America. This ut
terance evoked democratic applause.
1t will be observed that this is not
put in quotation marks, indicating that
the correspondent only gives here his
own version of Mr. Clark's remarks.
Now we fully disbelieve the truth of this
part of the report 1t can not be that
anyone having the noble sentiments ex-
pressed in the quoted portion of Mr..
Clark's talk would be ''in favor of taking
every foot of the British possessions in
North America" or single foot there
of. Taking would ordinarily mean
conquering, acquiring possession by
force. When it comes 10 that, one man
may, from his stand point, think the
Philippine islands would be more val
liable conquest than Canada and an
other may think Canada the most valu-
able. 1t becomes onlya choice between
burglaries, discussion us to which
crime will pay the best.
Mr.. Clark probably said, if he said
anything about Canada that he would
be glad to see it annexed to the United
States. So would we, and we hope to
some day,-not out of hatred for Great
Britain, nor from love of mere expan-
sion, but because Canada must belong
to us before we can have a complete
country here. We shall never be COM
plete until our flag floats over both sides
of the st. Lawrence and of the great
lakes. The population of Canada is
much like our own. There would be
no assimilation problem. If the Cana
dams will come to us peacably and will
lingly, as they will no doubt by and by
when we learn to be more honest in the
administration of public affairs, have
less political jobbery, and relieve our
selves from the control of trusts and
monopolies, it will be the second birth
of the United States. But if they will
not come to us without war let them go
their ways, and Gods blessing go with
them.