Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-08-30

Of the Constitution, and in the mean time
shall be maintained and protected in the
free enjoyment of their liberty and property
and secured in the free exercises of their
religion without restriction.
The sixth treaty was with Russia, June
20, 1s67-the Alaskan purchase. 1t pro-
yided:-
Article III.-The inhabitants OF the
oeded territory, according to their choice,
reserving their natural allegiance, may
return to Russia within three years, but if
they should prefer to remain in the ceded
territory, they, with the exception of the
unciyilized native tribes, shall be admitted
to the enjoyment of all the rights, advan-
tages and immunities of citizens of the
United States, and shall be maintained and
protected in the free enjoyment of their
liberty, property and religion. The un-
civilized tribes will be subject to such laws
and regulations as the United States may
from time to time adopt in regard to
aboriginal tribes of that country.
In every one of these six treaties the
rights and liberties, civil and political, of
the inhabitants are carefully safeguarded.
The phrases are according TO the princi-
pies OF the Constitution and ''all the
rights, advantages and immunities Of
citizens Of the United States" In the
sixth, the Russian treaty, we promise to
treat the unciyilized tribes of Alaska in
Just the same manner as we treat our
Indians-as wards, with their own political
organization and with internal self
government. Every one Of the six treaties
makes a clear, and inspiring picture of
Republican principles in action, Of freedom
and justice and liberty. Every one of
them annexed contiguous or continental
territory, adapted and pledged to become
an integral part of the free and self
governing United States
The only remaining treaty, the seventh,
is the Spanish treaty of April IL, 1899,
ceding Porto Rico, the I.adrones and the
Philippines to the United States. This,
the latest international declaration of the
great Republics views as to human rights,
deals chiefly with the people of the Philip
pines several hundred Thousand of them
Europeans or Of European decent and
education, several millions of them Chris
tians; people having more than two
score cities OF upward of 5000 inhabitants,
including several of more than 10000
inhabitants; people that have developed
a large class of educated lawyers, doctors,
journalists, planters, merchants, shop
keepers, etc; a people of whom Admiral
Dewey telegraphed the Secretary of the
Navy on June 26, 1898: ''These people are
far superior in intelligence and more capa-
BILE of self-government than the natives of
Cuba" people of whom Maior-General
Anderson telegraphed the Secretary of War
on July 81, 1893: ''They are not ignorant
savage tribes, but have civilization of
their own;' a people of whom General
Charles King said: 4'Nine- tentls of them
read and write. The capability of the
Filipinos for self-government cannot be
doubted. Many are highly educated In
my Judgment they rank far higher than the
Gubans;" people whom we armed for
rising against Spain and whom we Co
operated with as allies
This seventh treaty provides as to the
inhabitants
Article IX.-spanish subjects, natives of
the peninsula, y may preserve
their allegiance to the Crown of Spain by
making before court OF record, within a
year from the date of the exchange of ratifi-
cations Of this treaty, declaration of their
decision to preserve such allegiance, in
default Of which declaration they shall be
held to have renowned it and to have
adopted the nationality of the territory in
which they may reside.
The civil rights and political status of
the native inhabitants Of the territories
hereby ceded to the United States shall be
determined by the Congress.
Where are the familiar phrases Of all the
other principles of the Federal
Constitution, rights, liberties, immunities?
Where are the pledges to respect these
millions Of civilized and civilizing human
beings as our Declaration of Independence
and our Constitution command us to respect
all men everywhere?
Not phrase, not word-except that
the Congress shall determine" what civil
and political rights these people may be
permitted to havei
Since that treaty was adopted the Ad-
ministratiou has established in Porto Rico
the principle of civil government without
the consent of and without consultation
with the governed and the principle Of
taxation without representation. In the
Philippines it has consulted the governed
only once-the Sultan Of Sulu, to sanction
his despotism and to subsidize him and his
harem and to tolerate polygamy and sla-
very.
In the abrupt change Of phrase and senti-
ment shown by comparing the seventh
treaty with the other six we have at
glance the reversal Of the traditions, the
principles, the professions and the practices
Of the Republic.