Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-08-09

ponents of Imperialism would have been
hcld responsible for any international
complications which might have arisen
before the ratification OF another treaty
But whatever differences OF opinion may
have existed as to the best method OF OPP
posing the colonial policy. there never was
any difference as to the great Importance
OF the question and there is no difference
now as to the course to be pursued.
Promises go the FiIipinos.
The title of Spain being extingulshed.
we, were at liberty to deal with the Fill
pinos according TO American principles.
The Bacon resolution. introduced a month
before hostllities broke out at Manila,
promised independence to the Filipinos on
the same terms that 1t was promised to
the Cubans I supported this resolution
and believe that It's adoption prior TO the
breaking out of hostilties would have
prevented bloodshed, and that its adop-
| tion at any subsequent time would have
ended hostilties.
| If the treaty had been rejected. consid-
cradle time would have necessarily
elapsed before n new treaty could have
been agreed upon and ratified. and during
that time tho question would have been
agitatlng the public mind. If' the Bacon
resolution had been adopted by the senate
I and carried out by the president either
at the time of the ratification Of the
treaty or at any time afterwards, il would
/ out of politics and left the American peo-
/ pie free to deal with their domestic prob
lens. But the resolution was defeated by
the vote of the republican vice president,
and from that time to this a republican
congress has refused to take any action
/ whatever in the matter.
CowardIy Accusstions.
! When hostllities broke out at Manila,
republican speakers and republican edit
Yl,t 1pt In tu fNsnta
those who had delayea the ratification of
| the treaty and. during the progress OF
the war, the same republicans have ac-
cused the opponents of imperialism of CIV
ing encouragement to the Filipinos. This
. is cowardly evasion of responsibility.
If II is right for the United States to
hold the Philippine islands permanently
and initiate European empires in the gov
ernment of colonies, the republican party
ought to state its position and defend IT,
but 1t must expect the subject races to
protest against such policy and to resist
20 the extent of their ability. The fillpinos
do not need any encouragement from Amer
leans now living. Our whole history has
been an encouragement, rot only to the
F'ilipinos but TO all who are denied voice
In their own government. II the republic
ans are prepared TO censure oil who have
used language calculated to make the
Filipinos hate foreign domination let them
condemn the speech of Patrick Henry.
| w men ne uttered tnat dppedl'
give me liberty or give me DEATH he
expressed sentiment which still echoes
In the hearts of men. Let them censure
Jefferson; of all the statesmen of history,
none have used words so offensive to those
who would hold their fellows in political
bondage. Let them censure Washington,
who declared that the colonists must
choose between liberty and slavery. Or,
If the statute of limitations has run against
the sins OF Henry and Jefferson and WASH
ington, let them censure Lincoln, whose
Gettysburg speech will be quoted In de-
fense of popular government when the
present advocates of force and conquest
are forgotten. a
Some one has said that truth once
spoken can never be recalled. 1t is true.
1t goes on and on. and no one can set a
limit to its ever widening influence. But
If it were possible to obliterate every word
written or spoken in defense of the prin-
ciples set forth in the declaration of In
dependence, war of conquest would srill
leave its legacy of perpetual hatred, for
it was God Himself who placed In every
human heart the love of liberty. He never
made race of people so low in the scale
of civilization or intelligence that 1t would
welcome foreign master.
Lincoln said that the safety of this nation
was not in its fleets, its armies or It's forts
but in the spirit which prizes liberty and
the heritage of all men, In all lands, every
where; and he warned his countrymen that
they could not destroy this spirit without
: planting the seeds of despotism at theiI
\ own doors.
Those who would have this nation en-.
y ter upon career of empire must consider
not only the effect of Imperialism on the
F'ilipinos, but they must also calculate Its
effect upon our own nation. We cannot
repudiate the principle. Of self-govern'
ment in the Philippines without weaken,
ing that principle here.
ParnIyzing Imperialism.
Even now we are beginning to see thu
paralyzing influence of Imperialism. Here
tofore. this nation has been prompt to eX.
press its sympathy with those who were
lighting for civil liberty. While our sphere
of activity has been limited to the west
ern hemisphere, our sympathies have no
been bounded by the seas. We have fel
1t due to ourselves and to the world, al
well as to those who were struggling fol
the right to govern themselves, to pro
claim the interest which our people have
from the date of their own independence
felt in every contest between human
rights and arbitrary power. Three-quar
ters of a century ago, when our natlor
was small, the struggles of Greco,
aroused our people. and Webster and Clay
gave eloquent expression to the universe
desire for Grecan independence. In 1896
all parties manifested lively interest,"
in the success of the Cubans hut nov
ca which must result In the extension o.
the monarchial idea or in the triumph O
a republic, the advocates of imperialism
in this country dare not say a word IL
behalf of the Beers. sympathy for tn
Beers does not arise from any unfriend
} illness toward England; the American peo
y pie are not unfriendly toward the peopl,
4 OF any nation. This sympathy s due Il
the fact that, as stated In our platforn,
!, we believe in the principle of self-govern
~ ment and reject. as did our forefathsrs
j the claims of monarchy. If this nat,oi
surrenders its belief in the universal ap
i plication of the principles set forth IL
the declaration of independence, 1t will
: / lose the prestige and influence which 1
has enjoyed among the nations az an ex
ponent of popular government.
our opponents, conscious of tine weak
4 ness of their cause, seek to confuse i'm
perialism with expansion, and have evei
dared to claim Jefferson as a supporto
; and used language with such precision
! that no one can be ignorant of his views
on one occasion no declared: II. ther
be one principle Inore deeply rooted thai
: any other in the mind of every American
: 1t is that we should have nothing to d.
with conquest" And again he said: Con
l quest is not in our principles; 1t is in
J consistent with our government.
: Hight ISind of Expansion.
. Tie furcible annexation OF territory /
= be governed by arbitrary power differs a
, much from the acquisition of territory [
be built up into states as a monarchy dit
; fers from democracy. The democrati
: party does not oppose expansion, whe
expansion enlarges the area OF the repur
: lie and incorporates land which eau b
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