The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-11-01
The Paramount Issue.

acquired territory in the Orient. The
president has juttified his policy on the
ground of duty, claiming that in con-
| sequence of our war with Spain, we
have assumed obligations and respon-
sibilities, which in justice to ourselves
and to the Fillpinos we cannot now
| disregard, and which are best fulfilled
only by persning our present course
This the democrats deny, and claim
| that our war In the Philippines is pure
ly one of conquest In commenting
upon this Mr.. Schurg has in a recent
speech ventured this criticism, that II
there is any duty or obligation resting
upon us regarding these people we owe
similar one to the citizens of Cuba,
and that our attitude toward the one
we should sustin in reference to the
| other. Let us then consider whether
or not we have assumed moral bur
| dens and liabilities, both in regard to
| this island of the west, and the archl-
pelago Of the east, and If so whether or
not we may safely treat both alike
The atrocities of Spain In the new
world at the closing hours of the nine
| tenth century will not be forgotten by
| the American people; nor will 1t be for
| gotten that the sympathy of the peo-
pie of this republic was so aroused in
| behalf Of the people Of Cuba, that long
| before the waters of the southern har-
| Dor closed over the shattered wreck of
| our battleship, the question of interfer
| ence had been debated in public and
private throughout the nation and
American blood had already been shed
| 1T,
that the rule of Spain tended toward
Tetrogression rather than advance
ment this country thought it not UNI
likely that the people of Cuba, con-
sidering the shocking example that had
been set before them for long over
century. might not be altogether ca
pable of self-government, and so it
will be remembered that this govern
ment, not only felt 1t its duty to COM
pei Spain to relnquish her authority
in Cuba, but to guarantee to this is
land a permanent and stable form of
government. Could we have done
less than this? Could we assume the
one burden without having the other
cast upon us? Could we after having
destroyed the existing government in
the cause of humanity, consistently
leave people whom Spanish oppres-
sion had reduced to hopeless want and
ignorance to work out their uncertain
destiny alone and unaided? Let us
turn our eyes to the east. Could we
have done less in the Orient? Could
we consistently rescue these people
from Spanish misrule without guaran-
teeing to them a permanent aand stable
fnt ~ To, ~ .lc
were we to lberate two nations guar
anteeing protection to the one and not
10 the other? Obviously not, recog-
milton of duty to the one implied cor
responding obligation to the other.
The next question that suggests itself
is the one of expediency. Can we safe
ly follow the same line of conduct in
relation to the Philippines that we can
in regard to Cuba. Cuba. we must re-
member, Is a nation of the west and
comes under the protection of the
time-honored Monroe doctrine, which
stands rs a solid rock upon which she
may safely rest. Is It safe or wise for
us to carry that doctrine into the Or-
ent where the great powers of the
earth are struggling in their lust for
empire. A rule of oppression Is one
productive of the most baneful evils,
and one that long leaves the mark Of
its iron hand upon its crippled victims
The supposition that a people sur
rounded by influences fostered by the
spirit and traditions of the middle
ages are prepared to take their stand
among the nations of the earth, and to
meet the demands of civilization, is
one in which we ought to Indulge with
extreme caution. 1t is urged that they
have been able to establish civil gov
eminent. So has Spain, so has China |
and so has that mockery of a republic |
in the West Indies, but God save the |
Philippines from becomingua sharer in !
the tragic destiny of such as these If |
we assume that they are capable Of |
government, then the anti-impe- |
rialists must concede that our proper |
course is to leave them to themselves, !
for if we have no right to govern |
them, neither have we any right to re- |
strict or interfere with them. What |
good then to guarantee to them per-
manent and stable form of govern
assume that we ought to establish a |
over them, let us ask upon
which ground they rest this claim? If I
the answer is not because they are in
capable of self-government not be-
cause we have overthrown the govern
ment that for over three centuries has
held them in it's grasp, but merely that |
duty Of protection which the strong |
ever owe to the weak; supposing then
that some of the great powers cast |
their longing eyes upon these islands,
as well they may when they consider