New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-08
var once more AID bring death to hundreds OF
natves and to scores OF American soldiers
STRAIGHTFORWARD POLICY

The policy we offer. on the other hand. is simple
and straightforward. We believe in the frank ac-
eepianee of existing facts and in dealing with them
as they are and not on theory of what they
Philippine Islands are ours to-day and that we are
responsible for them before the world. The next
with its chief in hiding and no semblance of gov
t,shuhg ana brlgandage. Our immediate duty,
thsrefore is TO suppress this disorder put an end
what are doing That is all we are called upon
70 do in order to meet the demands of the living
legislative act, except to make such provision that
there may be delay in re-establishing civil gov
eminent when the ends.
] hope and believe that shall retain the
We shall and should re-esta blsh civil government
beginning with the towns and villages where the
We should give them honest administration and
prompt ana efheient courts; w should see 10 ~
that there Is entire protection 10 persons ana prop
erty in order TO encourage the development of the
capital Al men should be projected in the free ex-
ercise Of their religion, and the doors thrown open
which belongs 10 the people. and OF which they
have been ro bed IN the past should be returned TO
iaaEgurate and carry forward in the most earnest
lar education. Finally while we bring prosperity
70 the islands by developing their resources,
stow upon them seif-government and home rule.
Be and VIII be pursued omaE W fhe Phrnes eah
VII require time patience; honesty and ability
and reasonable.
I shall not argue our title to the islands by the
has ever questioned ii. / believe in the
Philippnes as righteously as we are there right
islands. to leave them now. would be a wrong
highest degree contrary TO sound morals AS to
expedency. I should regard their loss a caam-
ity TO our trade and commerce and to ali bust
ness interests so great that man can measure it,
THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED"
II has been stated over and over again that we
have done great wrong in taking these islands
according to American principles all just govern
fair phrase and trippngly upon the tongue.
but have observed a great lack Of definite mean
isnnarY e mean ~ nv word dr
hras What do we mean we nv be Consent Of fbe
Tn6epe5dc Sat did e pan bT b o.
phrase? Some persons say that he meant the con.
sllt % al O % ~ LIZ ne mean
meant the consent of some of the governed Senti-
Jererson's language the facts appear TO be with
the latter. But neither all nor some" are in
Jefferson's famous Nor is there any indi-
cation Of how the consent is TO be obtained or ex-
pressed although the present especial guardians OF
the Declaration seem to assume that ii must be by
a vote.
in order TO interpret his language Alright let
what kind of q government he was himself engaged
IN setting up for there alone can we act light as to
the announcement Of the existence Of new revolu-
whose DID # r H Waa ii upon s4 that Of all
the people of the colonies duly expressed? Most
suredly not In the first place must throw out
all negroes and persons of African descent. who
formed about one-quarter of the population. and
who were not consulted at all as to the proposed
change Of government. So Immediately
insert the word white in Jefferson's sentence. Let
us go step further Were women included in the
nitted by Voice or vote TO EXPRESS an opnisn on
This moIenteus question They must. therefore be
erned whom Jafferson had in mind O Dig o the revoI
tionary government rest the OF all the
white males in the colonies? Most assuredly not.
There was the usual age Limitation which shut out
all male persons under twenty-one and manhood
sGtfTage as We understand it. did not exist IL
lied. generally by property qualifications. some
becomes necessary TO Jefferson's phrase if we are
going to make it fit the government which he was
facts the Sentence then would read somehng ike
this; Just government must rest upon the consent
according to the laws OF the colonies
MUCH MODIFIED PHRASE.
This is ali. The white male population of vot-
upon the question Of the revolution in some States
the Loyalists were in a majority; in others the
two parties appear to have been pretty evenly bal
minority if not half. Of the people whom the Con-
s a to & P4Geed BID govern SIX fee utterly edp
sent? Not at all We crowded the revolutionary
bsyonej. and when the revolution was over they
had 10 accept the government thus forced upon
Therefore if we test Jeersons phrase by the facts
ng 9p hmsc WE IND tb ne as nat S e
least meet the fantastic extensions which 1t has
But it is not necessary to stretch Jefrerson's
phrase embodying general principle in which
al believe on the Procrustean bed of facts AS the
Frenchman said, No generalization is completely
revolutionary manifesto and deal with it as il it
was one Of the labored and chselled clauses of the
constitution shows a sad confusion of thought.
supposed for that it was possible
sent of all the governed. No such government has
ever existed or ever can exist, and yet the Gov,
States OF the Union rest to-day firmly and abso
lutely upon The consent Of the governed Take my
Of the State is in round numbers. 100000 The
total number of registered for the State cleo
ton of 1899 was 4so4S3- The other 100000 inhabi
tants OF Massachusetts men, women and children
had neither the right nor the power in any way to
express their consent 10 the government Of the
state. The people who had the right TO rule this
State little less than one-hfth of the popu-
lation. and of those people 29 900 only exercised the
privilege last November. OF the two million and a
half people resident in Massachusetts, less than
three hundred thousand have expressed their
sent to the government which to-day rules
them. Yet the governmental Of Massachusetts rests
on the consent OF the governed If any government
number Of voters who vote, but from the fact that
the entire population acquesce in the form of gov
norsty Of the people rule the State.
NOT BY VOTES ALONE.
not 10 be determined by votes alone their
dissent by the riot Instruction disorder OF a
fraction OF the population. The plebiscites which
represent the consent of the people of France and
yet they were large and nearly unanimous; while,
last general election supplies In its result which
ali men accept the firm founda ton upon which the
Government Of the United States to-day rests with
the OF all the governed. From this IL fol-
lows that the consent OF the governed is a phrase
which represents a great and just principle, but
which in practice must have its existence deter
mined by actual facts and condi IONS and is not
TO be ascertaned merely by voting or in any other
But this is not all. We must go step further