The Irish standard., 1900-10-06
A BOSTON FRESHMAN
Delivers Notable Address at a DEM
ooratic Meeting.

Delivers Notable Address at Dem
ooratic Meeting.
Gen. P. A. Collins, of Boston, eS
consul to England, recently delivers
a telling speech before the Democrat
State convention at Trenton, N. J.
and said in part:
Whether the war waged agains
Spain was right or wrong, wise o
foolish, admits of no debate today
Both parties may be equally respon
sible for it, for at the time the impuls,
to drive the Spanish from the islan(
was so hot that neither party could
Withstand the pressure. But it will b.
remembered, and forever, that the wal
was declared and waged solely fol
the purpose of making Cuba free
Had any of the other objects since &C
complished or attempted been dis
closed Congress would never have au
thorized the attack.
If 1t had ben proposed then that we
should seize Puerto Rico. deprive its
people of their Spanish market and
deny them ours on equal terms, and
refuse them the smallest voice in their
own political concerns, not dollar
would be voted for that purpose. 1t
Is true that their case will 20 to the
Supreme Court, and probably be ul-
timately decided in their favor, but
meantime they suffer the injury, while
the gang that dictated the Porto Ri
can policy, and changed the Presl-
dents mind from ''plain duty" to the
opposite, reap where they never have
sown.
If it had been Il part of the program
that we should take the Philippine Is
lands, with or without cash payment.
with or without the consent of the in
habitants, adopt them us states, OF
rule them as subjects, the proposal
would have been instantly rejected. 1t
would have ben regarded as scheme
of foolish political charlatan. But If
beyond that it had been proposed that
we should expel the Spaniards, bly,
the tyrant's title, turn tyrant ourselves,
proceed to make war upon the people
and keep killing them for two years,
solely because they desired their own
liberty, do you think the response of
the American people would be any
thing but execration?
But the commercial men in the Pres.
idential syndicate glamor people with
the idea that the possession of the
Philippines is vast commercial ad-
vantage to us as a trading nation. 1t
may be to some individuals or groups
and doubtless is, but for our whole
people the loss commercially is dis.
tinct and startling.
The whole export trade of the Phil
ippines in the normal year 1897 was
less than $20,O0O,OOO. If by some sor,
Of magic all the goods thus exported
cost nothing to produce, cost nothing
to market, and We're the property OF
the Government to dispose of, the EN-,
tire market price would pay but IL
per cent of the cost Of carrying or
the war and governing the islands, and
not more than 20 per cent Of govern
ing the islands on a peace basis. Al
it is. the commercial profit on the ex.
port trade cuts no figure at all, and
we simply tax ourselves for stupid
and criminal folly.
trade may be largely increased. Ii
may fairly be doubted. for the articles
of commerce produced are few; but,
If it be true, the ratio of cost to rev.
enue would change so little that the
commercial proposition must be re-
jected as absurd.
The imports to the islands were less
than S10,OOO,OOO in value-all that the
whole world were able to sell them.
all that the 1O.OOO.OOO inhabitants re-
quired. Does any man demonstrate
that the amount can be sensibly in
creased The wants of the natives Of
the tropics are few, and cannot be ar
tifically forced. If they do increase.
the capacity to meet them will speed
lily develop among the Quick-witted na-
tives themselves.
Trade takes care of itself. and takes
care of itself best when enforced and
4. unfettered by flag or government Of
any kind. The flag has it's place. 1t
belongs on every inch Of this free land,
it belongs on every ship with an Amer
lean registry, on every American navy
vesstA' wherever it may go, over every
American embassy, legation and con-
sulate the world over, and it belongs
nowhere else as an emblem of author
ity. "But who will haul it down?"
Anybody who pleases and can, wher-
ever it has been set up in foolish zeal.
in mistaken judgment, by fraud or by
force having no moral basis. We have
hauled it down in better days, and
we hope to haul it down again wher-
ever it floats as the standard of "crim-
inal aggression" as the symbol of op.
preston.
AS question of wise politics, it ID
of small consequence how the Supreme
Court may decide our conduct in the
Philippines If ever case arises; it ID
q matter of no consequence at all when