Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-08-16

| periatSnf" Hflf.be injured most by the
military ,burdehs which, accompany it,
IN addition 10 the evils which he and
the farm;.r ishAre in ;;copmon, the labor
ings man will 4e the Arsf to suffersif ORR
entail subjects seek. wotk in the United
States; the first to suffer If American cap
ital leaves our shores to employ Oriental
labor in the Philippines to supply the
trade Of China and Japan; the Iirst to
suffer from the violence which the mil
tary spirit arouses, and the first to suffer
when the methods of imperialism are APP
| piled to our own government 1t is not
strange, therefore, that labor organiza-
tions have been quick to note the APP
proach of these dangers and prompt to
protest against both miitarism and i'm
peralism.
The religious argument varies in posi-
hveness from passive belief that provi-
| dence delivered the Filipinos into our
hands for their good and our glory, to
the exultation of the minister who said
that we ought to thrash the natives
| (Filipinos) until they understand who we
are" and that 'every bullet sent. every
cannon shot and every flag waved means
righteousness
We cannot approve of this doctrine in
one place unless we are willing to apply
it everywhere. If there is poison in the
blood CT the hand it will ultima tely reach
the heart. Love. not force, was the
weapon of the Nazarene; sacrifice for
others, rot the exploitation of them, was
his method of reaching the human heart.
A missionary recently told me that the
Stars and Stripes once saved HIS life
| because HIS assailant recognized our flag
as flag that had no blood upon it.
The argument. made by some, that it
was unfortunate for the nation that II
had anything to do with the Philippine
islands, but that the naval victory at
Manila made the permanent acquisition
of these islands necessary, is also UNI
sound. The victory at Santiago did not
compel us to hold Cuba The shedding
of American blood in the Philippine ISL
ands does not make it imperative that
we should retain possession forever;
American blood was shed at San Juan
hill and Ell Caney, and yet the president
has promised the Cubans independence.
The fact that the American flag floats
over Manila does not compel US to ex-
ercise perpetual sovereignty over the ISL
ands: the flag waves over Havana to-day,
but the president has promised to haul
it down when the flag Of the Cuban re-
public is ready to rise in its place. Better
a thousand times that our flag in the
Orient give way to a flag representing
the idea of self-government than that
the flag of this republic should become
the flag of an empire.
There is an easy, honest honorable So
luton of the Philippine question. 1t is
set forth in l..e Democratic platform and
it is submitted with confidence to the
American people. This plan I unreserv-
edly indorse.
If elected, I shall convene congress in
extraordinary session as soon as | am in
augurated and recommend an immediate
| declaration of the nations purpose-frst,
to establish a stable form OF government
in the Philippine islands, just as we are
now establishing a stable form of govern
ment in the Island of Cuba; second, to
give indepe rdcnce to the Filipinos, just as
we have promised to give ndepe .llence
to the Cubans third, to protect the Fill
pinos from outside interference while
IeIluo0 10 so!Qnd5I oul peloelcId aAsp
eM Sc lsnl 'Nullsop .!5rl mo YIoM E7ql
and South America. ard are, by the Mon
roe doctrine, pledged to protect Cuba.
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of the
Committee. I can never fully discharge
the debt of gratitude which 1 owe to my
countrymen for the honors which they
have SO generously bestowed upon me;
but, sirs, whether it be my lot to occupy
the high Office for which The convention
has named me. or to spend the remainder
of my days in private life, it shall be my
constant ambition and my controlling
purpose to aid in realizing the high ideals
of those whose wisdom and courage and
sacrifices brought this republic into ex-
istence.
l can conceive Of a national destiny
surpa ssing the glories of the present and
the pasta destiny which meets the re-
sponsibilities of to-day and measures up
to the possibilities of the future. Be-
hold a republic resting securely upon the
foundation stones quarried by Revolu-
tionary patriots from the mountain Of
eternal truth-a republic applying in prac-
tice and proclaiming to the world the
self-evident propositions that all men
are created equal; that they are endowed
with inalienable rights; that govern
ments are instituted among men to Sc
cure thsss rights; that governments
derive their just powers from the con-
sent of the governed. Behold republic
in which civil and religious liberty stimu-
late al to earnest endeavor and in which
the law restraints every hand u2lifted
| for a neighbours injury-a republic in
which every citizen is a sovereign, but in
which no one cares to wear crown.
Behold a republic standing erect while
empires all around are bowed beneath
the weight of their own armaments-a
republic whose flag is loved while other
flags are only feared. Behold republic
increasing in population in wealth. in
strength and in influence, solving the
problems of civilization and fastening
the coming of an universal brotherhood
"a republic which shakes thrones and
dissolves aristocracies by its silent eN-
ample, and give light and inspiration
to those who sit in darkness. Behold
republic gradually but surely becoming
the supreme moral factor in the world So
| progress and the accepted arbiter of the
| worlds disputes-a republic whose his
tory, like the path of the just. lis as
the shining light that shineth more and
more into the perfect day."
MIR. STEVENSON SPEAKS.