The Irish standard., 1900-08-11


The title of Spain being extinguished,
we were at liberty to deal with the Fill
plnos according to American principles
The Bacon resolution introduced month
before hostiHties broke out at Manila,
promised independence to the Eilipinos on
the same terms that it was promised to
the Cubans. I supported this resolution
and believe that it's adoption prior to the
breaking out of hostilities would have
prevented bloodshed, and that its adop-
ton at any subsequent time would have
ended hostilities.
If the treaty had been rejected, consid-
cradle time would have necessarily
elapsed before a new treaty could have
been agreed upon and ratified, and during
that time the question would have been
agitating the public mind. If the Bacon
resolution had been adopted by the senate
and carried out by the president, either
at the time of the ratification of the
treaty or at any time afterwards, it would
have taken the question of imperialism
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.
Cowardly Accusations.
When hostilities broke out at Manila,
republican speakers and republican edit
ors at once sought to lay the blame upon
those who had delayed 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 a cowardly evasion of responsibility.
| If it is right for the United States to
hold the Philippine islands permanently
and initiate European empires in the gov
| eminent of colonies, the republican party
ought to state its position and defend it,
| but it must expect the subject races to
protest against such policy and to resist
| to the extent of their ability. The Filpinos
do not need any encouragement from Amer
| leans now living. Our whole history has
been an encouragement, not only to the
Filipinos but to all who are denied voice
in their own government. If the republic
ans are prepared to censure all who have
used language calculated to make the
Filipinos hate foreign domination, let them
condemn the speech of Patrick Henry.
When he uttered that passionate appeal:
"Give me liberty or give me DEATH" he
expressed a 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,
the sins of Henry and Jefferson and WASH
ington, let them censure Lincoln, whose
Gettysburg speech will be quoted in de-
Tense of popular government when the
present advocates of force and conquest
are forgotten.
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 it's ever widening influence. But
II 1t 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 still
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 it would
welcome foreign master.
Lincoln said that the safety of this nation
was not in its fleets, it's 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 their
| own doors.
Those who would have this nation en-
ter upon a career of empire must consider
| not only the effect of imperialism on the
Filipinos. but they must also calculate its
effect upon our own nation. We cannot
| repudiate the principle of self-govern-
ing that principle here.
Paralyzing imperialism.
Even now we are beginning to see the
| paralyzing influence of imperialism. Here
tofore. this nation has been prompt to ex-
press its sympathy with those who were
| fighting for civil liberty. While our sphere
| of activity has been limited to the west
ern hemisphere our sympathies have not
| been bounded by the seas. We have felt
it due to ourselves and to the world, as
well as to those who were struggling for
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-
tiers of century ago. when our nation
was small. the struggles of Greece
aroused our people. and Webster and Clay
gave eloquent expression to the universal
desire for Grecian independence. In 1896,
all parties manifested a lively interest
in the success of the Cubans, but now
when war is in progress in South Afri-
Ca which must result in the extension Of
the monarchial idea or in the triumph of
| republic. the advocates of imperialism
| in. this country dare not say word in
behalf of the Beers. Sympathy for the
| Beers does not arise from any unfriend-
| Illness toward England; the American peo-
| pie are not unfricndly toward the people
the fact that. as stated in our platform.
we believe in the principle of self-govern-
| ment and reject, as did our forefathers
the claims of monarchy. If this nation
| surrenders its belief in the universal APP
| piication of the principles set forth in
| the declaration of independence. it will
| lose the prestige and influence which it
| has enjoyed among the nations as an ex-
| ponent of popular government
| Our opponents. conscious of the weak
| ness of their cause. seek to confuse i'm
| perialism with expansion, and have even
| dared to claim Jefferson as a supporter
of their policy. Jefferson spoke SO freely
| and used language with such precision
| that no one can be ignorant of his views
| On one occasion he declared: IF there
ue one principle more deeply rooted than
| any other in the mind of every American
| it is that we should have nothing to do
with conquest" And again he said: Con
| quest is not in our principles; 1t is in
| consistent with our government"
| Right Kind of Expansion.
| The forcible annexation of territory to
| be governed by arbitrary power differs as
| much from the acquisition of territory to
be built up into states as monarchy diff
| fers from democracy. The democratic
| party does not oppose expansion, when
| expansion ellarges the area of the repub-
| lie and incorporates land which cap be
settled by American citizens, or adds to
| our population people who are willing to
become citizens and are capable of dis
charging their duties as such. The acqui-
| s1tion Of the Louisiana territory, Florida,
| Texas and other tracts which have been
| secured from time to time, enlarged the
| republic, and the constitution followed the
flag into the new territory. 1t is now pro-