Evening star., 1900-10-19
To Be Added to Free Trade, Free
Coinage and Free Riot
IN COALITI0NISF WAFCHWORDS
Misconstruing and MisappIying
Declaration Of independence.
ARMED REVOLT
L..

dence, with its invitation Of the republic to
reputation, was itself repudiated so thor
oughly in the east in 1896 that its reaffir-
nation at Kansas City is distinctly labeled
Good only in the silver-producing states
| and for the use and benefit of silver repub-
licansr'
Though the difference of opinion between
the parties on the money question is the
only genuine technical issue of the cam
paign, since it is the only one in which
definite positive allegation is made on one
side and on the other side just as definite
ly and positively denied; though the issue
is pronounced immediate by the Kansas
City platform; though it was reaffirmed at
Kansas City in a conspicuous and impress
sve manner after protracted deliberation
and full consideration of the opposing ar
guments; and though Bryan treated it as
the real paramount issue by making 1t an
Indispensable condition of his acceptance
of the presidential nomination-in spite OF
all these evidences of the existence, vital
Importance and immediate urgency of the
free coinage issue, Bryanism now boldly
attempts to impose upon the credulous and
mpressionable east a hypnotic suggestion
of the issues non-existence.
For the ears of the gold democrats and
the people of the Union, who live this side
of the Mississippi, another declaration OF
independence is sounded, that which de-
nounces and deties so-called imperialism,
and with quotations from our historic IN
strument justifies and incites to armed re-
sistance rebellious Filipinos.
New Declaration of Independence.
ANY government not based upon the con-
sent of the governed is a tyranny, ana 10
people a government VI
force is to substitute the methods Oh I'M
perialsm for those of republic
So says the Kansas City platform.
III it is right for the United states 10
hold the Philippine Islands permanently
it must expect the subject races to
resist it to the extent OF their ABILITY.
The Filipinos do not need any encourage
ment from Americans now living. Ouf
whole history has been an encouragement
not only to the Filipinos, but to all who are
denied voice in their own government
So says Bryans Indianapolis speech.
And consequently the words in which Pat
rick Henry, jefferson and Washington JUS
titled their own revolution rightfuily serve
to encourage to armed resistance against
the United States the Filipinos; and not
only the Filipinos, but such persons as the
Alaskans, the people of the District of Co
lumb!a and the southern negroes who are
denied either under the forms OF law
or Dy force ana IrduQ d NOCe III tHti
own government. There can be sucn
thing as reasonable rebellion against the
republic in any part of the territory OF OF
belonging to the United States, for govern
ment derives it's just powers from the con-
sent of the governed, and armed resistance
of any portion of the governed demon
strates concIusively the non-existence OF
that absolutely necessary consent
Let eyamfDa the document fealtV
which under the Bryanite construction of 1t,
leads to such conclusions. Through this
declaration the American colonists an
nounced to the world the severance of the
tie which bound them to Great Britain; they
recognized that a decent respect to the
opinions Of mankind required a statement
of the causes of this act; and they submit
ted to the judgment of candid world
long list of grievances against Great
Britain. demonstrating that the British gov
ernment had become destructive of life, lib
erty and the pursuit of happiness, and was
therefore rightfully rejected by the colon
lists.
Incidentally the declaration speaks of the
establishment of governments deriving
their just powers from the consent of the
governed But this is not the keynote OF
the declaration. If this phrase meant what
the Kansas City platform construes 1T to
mean, namely, that all government without
tne consent OF the governed is tyranny and
to be rightfully overturned, the rest of the
declaration Is surplusage. 1t would have
sufficed to lay down this proposition ana
tfen to say that the American colonists with
hold their consent. The opinion of man.
kind and the judgment of a candid world
upon specified tyrannical acts become i'm
material.
The declaration also holds as a self-evi-
dent truth that all men are created equal
What Thomas Jefferson, Shareholder meant
by af1rmlng that all men created equal
Will continue to be the subject of puzZ, ed
discussion as long as the republic endures
II 1t be truth at all 1t is obviously not
self-evident truth, since it requires in
genious definition. qualification and ex-
planatory constituting before it assumes
shape which permits 1t to be accepted as
bearing any evidences of truth whatsoever
To most minds the self-evident truth would
be that men are created unequal-physf-
caily and intellectually, and, through her
edttary influences, even morally: UNEQUAL IN
the degree of self-government enjoyed I'M
equal in the conditions and opportunities Of
their environment
If the gist of the declaration had been in
fact the affirmation that all men are ere
ated equal and that governments derive
their just powers from the consent of the
governed, and that as a consequence any
government from which the consent of the
governed is Withdrawn becomes tyranny
and can be rightfully overturned the decla-
ration would obviously uphold the unuuali-
fled right OF secession and rebellion.
A Declaration of Disintegration.
1t is fatal for a nation to give such un-
limited continuing force and universal ap-
plicauon to the Declaration of Independ-
ence. which preceded its formation as to
rob 1T, when established, of all certain au-
thority over the persons subject to its juris-
diction, and to render 1t impotent to exact
loyal obedience from any of it's nominal
citizens until it Is proved that they consent
or continue to consent to be governed. The
jurisdiction OF government cannot be
thus varying, shifting. constantly altering
In area and scope to correspond to the
whimsical variations in the views 0. indi-
viduals.
When a people are in armed revolt
against some government which they find
oppressive and unbearable the inspiring
Declaration of Independence is their justi-
fication to the world, their shield and buck
ler against the tyrant When the revolt
succeeds and another nation develops upon
this foundation the people enter upon new
relations with one another and with the
world. expressed in Constitution, laws and
treaties. The principles and obligations
declared in these instruments take the
precedence Of the Declaration of Independ-
ence In the stage of national orpo pi1 t;o,