The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-08

amended. Personally, | have no doubt
that our Constitution gives full right ana
authority to hold and govern the Phiilp-
pines without making them either eco
nomically or politically part Of our sys-
TEN.
"Fuuther than the acts and the policy
which | have just stated. | can only give
my own opinion and belief as to the fu-
ture. and as TO the course to be pursued
an the Philippines, hope and believe that
we shall retain tie islands. and that. peace
and order once restored, we shall and
should Te-establish civil government. be-
ginning with the towns and villages
where the inhabitants are able 10 manage
their own affairs. We should give them
honest administration. and prompt ana et-
ficient courts. We should see to it that
there is entire protection TO persons and
property in order to encourage the devei-
opment of the islands by the assurance
IF safei; TO investors of capital. All men
should be protected in the free exercise
Of Their religion. and the doors thrown
open % missionaries of all Christian sects.
The land, which belongs to the ncople.
dnG of which they have been robbed in
TIE past. should be returned TO them and
'heir titles made secure. We should in
augurate and carry forward. in the most
earnest and liberal way. comprehensive
system of popular education.
Development nnd Home Tuie.
Finally. while we bring prosperity to
the islands by developing their resources,
We should. as rapidly as conditions VIII
permit. bestow upon them self-governlnent
and home rule. Such, in outline, is the
policy which l believe can be and will be
pursued toward the Philippines. 1t will
require time, patience. honesty, and abili-
ty for its completion, but it is thoroughly
Practicable and reasonable.
The foundation of it all is the retention
Of the islands by the United States. l shall
not argue our title TO the islands by the
law of nations, for it is perfect. No other
nation has ever questioned it. 1t is too
plain a proposition to warrant the waste
of time and words upon it. Equally plain
is our right under the Constitution, BIZ a
treaty which is the supreme law Of the
land, to hold those islands.
AS to expediency, the argumen- 5 in
favor of the retention of the Philippines
seem to me so overwhelming that l should
regard their loss as q calamity 10 our trade
and commerce and to all our business in
terests so great that no man can meas
ure it.
Our opponents put forward as their
chief objection that we have robbed these
people OF their liberty and have taken them
and hold them in defiance of the doctrine
of the Declaration of Independence, In re-
gard to the consent of the governed. AS TO
liberty, they have never had II, and have
none now. except when we give 1t to them
protected by the flag and the armies of the
United States Their insurrection against
Spain, confined to one island, had been ut
terly abortive. and r":'ld never have re-
viyed or been success I while Spain con-
trolled the sea. We have given them all
the liberty they ever had. We could not
have robbed them OF it, for they had none
to lose.
The second objection as to the consent
of the governed requires more careful ex-
animation, because Of the persistency with
which 1t has been made the subject OF
heated defamation. cannot hope to rival
the eloquence and the oratory which have
been devoted to this point but | shall try
to make a plain and simple statement In
regard to it, lighted on my way by the
facts Of history. and If not, like so many
of our opponents, a master of rhetoric, at
least shall go forward undazzled by its
deceptive radiance.
Consent of the Governed
1T has been stated over and over again
that We have done great wrong in taking
these Islands without the consent IF the
governed, upon which, according to Ameri-
can principles. all just government rests.
The consent of the governed. II is fair
phrase and runs trippingly upon the
tongue. but 1 have observed a great lack
of definite meaning in those who use it
most. / have always thought it well in dis
cussing any subject to know as prelimi-
nary precisely what we mean by word or
a phrase.
What do We mean by the consent OF
the governed?' We quote 1t from the Dec
laration of Independence What did Jeffer-
son mean by the phrase? Some persons
say that he meant the consent of all Of the
governed. Others that he meant the con-
sent Of some of the governed Sentiment
seems to be with the former amendment
TO Jefferson's language; the facts appear
to be with the latter. But neither all nor
some are in Jeffersuns famous sentence.
Nor Is there any indication of how the con-
sent is to be obtained or expressed. al
though the present especial guardians OF
the Declaration seem to assume that II
must be by vote.
Mr.. Lodge then outlined the kind OF
government which Jefferson was engaged in
setting up. and said that, corresponding to
historical facts set out in the analysis, the
sentence would read something like this:
Just government must rest upon the
consent of the white male governed who
have the right to vote according 10 the
laws Of the various colonies.
Mr.. Lodge then reviewed at length our
former acquisitions of territory and pointed
out that in each instance there was the
same absence of any reference to the con-
sent Of the governed. Taking up the ar
gument that lf-government is being de-
MED to the Filipinos. he said that to give
independent government to a people
who have 10 just conception OF it, and no
fitness for it, is to dover them with a curse
instead of a blessing.
Mr.. Lodge then sketched the history
of the Philippines from their first occu-
patton to the present time. He described
minutely the events leading up to the in
surrection, making particular reference to
the relations existing between Admiral
Dewey and Aguinaldo Referring to the
Admirafs written statement that he had
entered into no alliance with Aguinaldo.
Mr.. Lodge said 1t had been misquoted.
and attempts had been made to have II
misunderstood. He denounced as abso-
lutely false all statements that Admiral
Dewey saluted the Filipino flag. or re-
ceived Aguinaldo with military honors.
AS bearing upon the recent statement of
Senator Pettigrew of South Dakota that
Admiral Dewey had recognized the Fill
pino government at the capture OF Subig
Bay. Mr.. Lodge presented the following
extract from a letter written by Captain
Coghlan, then of the Raleigh, detailing
precisely what occurred at Subig Bay:
February l, 1900
Ny Dear Senator Lodge:
was in command OF the expedition sent b. the
Admiral (Raleigh and CoHcord) TO the mouth OF
subig Bay, July 6, 1898, to capture Grdnde Island
then held by the Spaniards. / wish to aIirm as
strongly human words can do 30 that Aguinal-
dos people did not accompany u.s. and that they
took no part whatever in that capture. No one
but the Admiral, Lieutenant BrUmby. Captain
" alknr. and mNself eNen know where w. .-rre IN