Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-08-15

' ! I I
JENNINGS BRYAN.
people? If not, how did we secure title
10 them! Were they thrown in with the
land! Will the Republicans say that in
animate earth has value and when that
earth is nodded by the Divine Hand and
stamped with the likeness of the Creator
III becomes n fixture and passes with the
sou! II governments derive their just
powers from the consent of the governed,
" IS impossible to secure title to people,
either by force or by purchase. We could
eStlngulsh Spain's title by treaty, but il
we hold title we must hold it by some
hlethod consistent with our ideas of gov
g 9illt When we made allies of the
Ellipinos and armed them to fight against
SPAN, we disputed Spain's title. If we
p,ly Spuln' $ title we are not innocent .pur-
chasers But even if we had not dis
puted SPANS title, she could transfer no
greater title than she had, and her title
was based on force alone. We cannot de-
fend such title, but, as Spain gave us
a quit claim deed, we can honorably turn
sion. po''es
Our Duty in the Philippines.
Some say that it is our duty to hold
the Philippine Islands. But duty is not
an argument; it is conclusion. To as
certain what our duty is, in any emer-
gency, We must apply wel-settied and
generally accepted principles. 1t is our
duty to avoid stealing, no matter whether
inc thing to be stolen is of great or lit
tie value. 1t is our duty to avoid killing
human being, no matter where the hui
man being lives or to what race or class
ne belongs: Everyone recognizes the OBJ
iisatlon imposed upon individuals
m 10 observe H.. both the human and
Inc I,of Anvil, ont, as some deny
may may not be out of place to quote the opin.
ichs OF others. Jefferson, than whom there
is no k n,gher II political authority said:
mo. su i,s,, OF put one code of morality for
men, whether acting singly or collectively"
~, nrailkiin whose learning, wisdom and viz
lue are a part of the priceless legacy be.
4asathed TO US from the Revolutionary
days. expressed the same idea In even
stronger language when he said:
Justice Is as strictly due between neigh
VT nntiohs as between neighbor citizens.
"a; a ni'gnw,asinan Is as much a robber when
ne plumbers In n gang us when singly: and
lhe nation that makes an unjust war is only
great gang"
Men may dare to do In crowds what they
would not dare to do rs individuals, but the
h moral ah charaeter OF an act Is not determined
ny the number of those who join la 1t,
Force can defend right, but force has
never yet created right. If 1t was true.
as declared In the resolutions of Intervention,
that the Cubans .are- and of right ought to
be free and independent" Oanguare taken
from the Declaration of independence. j il is
equally true that the Filpinos are and Of
right ought to be free and Independent"
Who Will draw IL line between the natural
rights of the Cubans and the FI!ipinos? Who
VIII say that the former has n right to lin.
erty ana that the latter has no rights which
Ven, we are bound to respect! And, If the FIJI
ipinos are and Of right ought to be free
and Independent" what right have we to
force our government upon them without
their consent? Before our duty can be as
and when their rights are once determined,
1t ~ as much our duty to respect those rights
as 1t was the duty of Spain to respect the
rights ri OF the people Of Cuba, or the duty of
lean colonists. Rights never conflict; duties
never clash. Can it be our duty To usurp
political rights which belong to others? Can
Il be ON dut!. TO XIII those who. following
well enough to fight for it?
II is argued by some that the Fiipinos
are incapable of selfgSvernment, and that
therefore we owe 1t 10 the world to take
control of them. Admiral Dewey, In an on
cial report to the navy department, declared
the Fiiipinos more capable of self-goycrn.
ment than the Cubans, ana said that he
based his opinion upon II knowledge of both
races. But will not rest the case upon the
relative advancement of the Fiip!nos Hen.
ry Clay, in defending the rights of the peo.
pie of South America to se!f-gcvernmcnt.
said:
1T Is the doctrine OF thrones that man Is
too ignorant to govern himself Their mar.
tisans assert his lncapacity in reference TO
all nations; II they cannot command uniyer-
sal assent to the proposition, 1t Is then re-
manded to particular nations; and our pride
ana our presumption too often make con.
verts of us. contend that it is to arragn
the disposition of Providence Himself, 10
suppose that lie has created beings ncapa-
bic OF governing themselves, ana to be tram
pied on by kings. enlightenment is the
natural government of man."
Clay was right. There are degrees of pro.
iiciency i'll the art of self government, but
It Is a reflection upon the Creator to say tlslt
he denied to any people the capacity Of self
government. Once admit that SOME people
are capable of self-government and that 9th.
ers are net, and that the capable people
have y right to seize upon and govern the
incapable, and you make force-brute force
the only foundation of government and in
Yite the reign of the despot.
Chapnltcpec a Precedent.
Republicans ask: shall we haul down
Ihillpp.nes?" The same question might
have been asked when the American flag
tioatcd over Chapultepec and waved over
the dead who fell there; but the tourist
who visits the City of Mexico lnds there a
national cemetery owned by the United
States and cared for by an American citi-
zen Our flag still floats over our dead. but
when the treaty WIKI Mexico was signed,
Grande, and venture the opinion that dur
Ing the last fifty years the people of Mex
leo have made more progress under the
stimulus of independence and self-govern-
carpet-bassing government held In place by
bayonets. The United States and Mexico,
friendly republics, are each stronger and
happier than they would have been had the
former been cursed and the latter crushed
by an imperialistlc policy, disguised as ''be-
neyolent assimilation"
Can we not govern colon.es?" we are ask
ed. The question is not what we can do, but
what we ought to do. This nation can do
whatever 1t desires to do but Ii must ac-
cept responsibility for what 1t does. IL the
Constitution stands in the way, the people
can amend the Constitution. / repeat, the
nation can do whatever 1t desires TO do. hut
1t cannot avoid the natural and legitimate
results of Its own conduct. The young man
upon reaching his majority can do what he
pleases. He can disregard the teachings of
his parents; he can tramplc upon all that
he has been taught TO consider sacred: he
can hlsobey the laws of the State the laws
of society and the laws Of God. He can
stamp failure upon his NE aud make his
very existence n curse to his fellow men,
aud he can hiring his father and mother in
sorrow to the crave; but he cannot nnnul
The sentence. 1.-The wages Of sin is death
And 50 with this nation, /, is of age. and /.
en- do what it plenses; It can sprrn The ira.
ditions of the past; 1t can repudiate the
principles upon which the nation rests; II
can employ force instead OF reason: 1t car
substitute might for right: It can conquer
weakerpeop.e; Ii can explicit their lands. APP
propr!ate thp,r property anil kill their neo.
pie: bnt It paHno, repeal he ,no"ai law OF
escape the punishment decrscd for the VIC.
iition OF iui,;tn rlsits.
Sol,le atg.ie that tmer. an rilr In the
Philippine Islands VII result In the better
education OF the lsiipia1s. Ee uot deceived
II we expect Ia main ain celYn'al policy,