The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-17


that the American people are estopped from rec.
ognizng the fact.
In order that we may get right notions on
these fundamental matters and relieve the per.
| pleXitv Of any one who feels that there il any
thing in the attitude Of the administration, how
ever necessary it may from the standpoint
Of conditions which is inconsistent with the
highest principles Ct Justice let us reason a
| little on the question of self.government.
Among the inherent rights which men possess
is the right TO life, liberty and the pursuit cf
happiness, and far as these rights are CON
| cerncd all men are created equal.
But while the enjoyment Of these rights makes
| a man under any government self-governng
man and a free man, it makes him only in
so far as his freedom does not interfere with or
infringe upon similar rights to other men. Lin
erty to the individual is not inconsistent with
the control over him of the government under
which he lives, and while government fixes the
limits which the man can govern himself it also
fNes limit beyond which he cannot &c because
he then infringes on the rights Of others and the
rule Of the greatest good to the greatest number
is trsnsgressed.
Now. when under this government Of the
United States or any government individual
shows even within the limits Of the free action
which the law allows, that he is unfit to be en-.
trusted with the individual right Of self.govern-
ment for the reason that he infringes upon or er.
dangers the lives and liberty Of others. then the
government nterferes with his individual self
government and put him under restraint without
his corsent.
Among those thus held under restraint in this
country the American Indians
Individual Rights.
Now, my friends, government represents only
| oil ~ ind ;c In h
which each individual is protected in his right
to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, be.
cause IT imposes lust such restraints upon IN.
diHiduals who menace those rights.
That which is most important in all human
governments is the protection of these rights oi
the individual. and the great dcsideratum in
government for any people is that form which
will bring the greatest good to the greatest
number by rs'Iring 10 the individual his lnalien
able rights.
The protection of these rights is the flnda
mental thing: and the form Of government which
| best protects them is be sclf.government with
| peoples who are capable Of selfgovernment, and
| best protects them is by self.government with
! peoples who are incapable Of self government
There is no right OF sell .govenment--so called
| in the Fiipinos unless that form OF govern.
mcnt can be established which will insure Ia
| the individual there reasonable protection "a
| the inalicnable rights secured by government tc
the individual here
Whenever a so.called solf.Covcrnmcnt cannot
insure these rights to its citizens it has no more
| right to freedom from restraint in the com.
munity Of nations than any individual. incapable
OF proper self'control. has in the community in
| which he lives.
And so, among nations among other com
| munities, there are certain ones who need re-
| straint. Thus II is that in the community Of
| nations Turkey is restrained. There is no suc,
~
| government 10 freedom from interference from
| other governments unless that government SC
protects the rights of its individual citizens that
the plain principles of humanity are not violated
| II was in recognition OF this principle that our
| government rightfuly fought the war with Spain
| II Spain had been a selfgoverning republic, in
| stead OF a monarchy, when she outraged every
| principle of humanity in Cuba, the war of in
| reference would have been waged by the United
States for humanity's sake just the same.
Responsibility Ours.
| II the Fiipinos are incapable Of self.govern
| ment, it matters not what their government be
called, the fact remains that when the United
| States leaves some other nation or nations will
| take up their government. And the United
| States has no right to interfere with that nation
or nations unless she is willing 10 again step il
and restore order, and guarantee 10 the resident,
of the islands, including resident foreigners, life
/
and savage massacre, OF which they have already
| been once in deadly peril.
| The Democrats in this campaign ignore the
| question as to what will happen to the rights
| Of the majority Of the individual Filipinos 4
they allowed a so.caled self-government, for tn,
discussion Of what they call the right OF tn,
Filipino race, or other races, to sef-government
| We maintain that the proposition that the Fill
| pino races should have self-government becomes
| fundamentally important only when It is de
| monstrated that the so-called self.government
| will protect the inhabitants Of the islands il
| their individual and alienable rights to life
liberty and the pursuit of happiness, It is we'll
| in the midst Of the assertions Of our opponent,
that we are opposing the principles Of freedom
| in advocating the control Of the United Statei
over the Filipino, to remember the following
| truths
| First-That freedom is something OF primary
| importance. first TO the individual
| Second--'That no matter by what name we may
call government it is not free government
| unless il is able to protect its individual mem
| bers in their inalienable rights
| Third-That II the United States is not con
yinced that upon its Withdrawal a so-called self
| government OF the Filipinos can secure to IN,
| inhabitants OF the islands, including its foreign
| eTs, their rights to life, liberty and pursuit o
| happiness, when by retaining sovereignty il car
| do 50, then the United States strikes a blow a
| the freedom OF 100000 people and let's then
| pass into the control or some foreign monarchy
| or what is infinitely worse, into the hands o
a half savage and cruel oligarchy, probably head
| ed by the briber and assassin, Aguinaldo.
Bryan's Plan.