The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-09-18

not nghtins for land but for liberty, and
the Bacon resolution told the Filipinos
the same ching. but the Republican party
would not have the Bacon resolution.
The vote Of . Republican vice president
defeated the Bacon resolution, and from
that day to this the Republican party
has not passed q resolution declaring the
nations policy. The McEnery resolution
did not declare the nations policy. II
declared what the nation would not do
but II did not declare what the nation
would do. The McEnery resolution, sup
ported by the Republicans, declared that
the Philippine Islands should never be
an integral part Of the United States, and
that resolution left the settlement OF the
question to the future action Of con-
gress; and the nearest approach that the
Republican party has mad, to declaring.
itself on the Philippine question is to be
found in the spooner resolution. The
Spooner resolution was not adopted by
the senate; II was not voted upon; but It
was the only resolution that seemed to
receive any support among the Republi-
cans But 1t was too definite and they
didn't try to pass II. Do you know what
that Spooner resolution was? It was like
this: Il declared that whenever the war
was over, the president should establish
government and maintain II until con-
gress made some legislative provision for
the matter.
spooner's Ambiguous Plan. &C
Well. now. that is not very definite, but
II you want to see how definite It is, Just
let me put In few explanatory words,
and with those explanatory words, It
would read like this: when the war is over
I'VE don't know when Il will be-the presi-
dent Is to do somethlng-we don't know
what--and keep on doing tive don't
know how long-until congress does some-
thing-nobody can guess what. Great
applause and cheering).
Republicans, that Is the nearest ap-
proach that you have made to q definite
policy. II you have no title to the Phil
ippine Islands, II you have no title to
the sovereignty OF the Filipino. II you are
going to keep them under the control Of
the United States, why does not your
party outline Its policy and ask the judg-
ment Of the American people? Great
applause).
We have a policy. It has been advo-
Gated for year and a half. It is so
plain that everybody understands It. That
policy Is set forth in the Democratic plat
form. 1t Is that we shall at once de-
clare the nations purpose-not after a
while, but now. (Great applause and
cheering).
The Democratic Policy.
And what shall that purpose be? First
to establish a stable government in the
Philippine Islands in the place of the gov
ernment we overthrow Just as we are es-
tablishing a stable government in Cuba
in place Of the one we overthrew. Then
what? That we shall give independence
to the Filipinos as soon as the government
Is established just as we have promised
to give independence to the Cubans as soon
as their government Is established, and,
third, that we shall protect them from
outside interference while they work out
their destiny, just as we promised to pro-
tect Cuba while she works out her destiny.
(Great applause and long continued cheer
ing).
Despotic Rule Of Porto Rico.
That is plan, and that is a certain.
positive plan, which Is presented to you
as against the uncertainty of the Repub-
lican plan. But while the Republican
party has not declared through any off,
cial or through any one authorized to
speak what 1t is going to do in the Philip
pine Islands. we do not have to wait for
a declaration. We know by what II has
done in Porto Rico what 1t intends to do
In the Philippine Islands. Republicans,
you say Imperialism Is thing used mere
ly to frighten the people. The president
says that nobody wants Imperialism. We
are not talking Of the future but of the
present We point you to the Porto Rlcan
bill, thing that is, and we charge that
the Porto Rican bill cannot exist except
upon an imperialistic theory Of govern
ment. Great applause) We are not
looking for the future but for the pres
ent. (Applause) What does that bill
assert? 1t asserts that a president, elect
ed by the people of this county, holding
oflce under the constitution. Is not bound
by the constitution. 1t 10 built upon the
theory that a congress, created by the
constitution, is not restrained by that
constitution when a bill deals with the
people Of Porto Rico. My friends, II that
is true of the people of Porto Rico, 1t
may be true of any number Of people any.
where. ] challenge you to find In all the
history Of the world power exercised by
tyrant or despot more arbitrary than the
power asserted by the Porto Rican bill.
(Great applause.)
Go beyond your constitution, and what
are you restrictions? The people of this
country are not willing to risk their lib
erty in the hands of president and con-
gress elected by themselves and yet you
want the Porto Ricans to risk their lib
critics In the hands of president and
congress elected by somebody else.
We demand the guarantees of the con-
stitution for our protection against peo-
pie whom you elect and yet you are not
willing to give to the Porto Ricans the
guarantee of a constitution to protect
them against oficials whom they do not
elect. My friends, II we can impose
fifteen per cent. duty on goods going from
this country into Porto Rico and coming
from Porto Rico, why we can impose
. duty Of fifty per cent. or 100 per cent.
Taxation without Representation.
Republicans. what was 1t that our revo-
lutionary fathers fought against? It was
against taxation without representation.
(Applause.) 1t was the foundation of a
war. The most glorious war that the
world had known up to that time. Our