Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-08-09
OUR HIGHEST OBLIGATION
Is to Be True to Ourselves and to Our
Free Institutions.

If it is said that we have assumed be-
fore the world obligations which make it
necessary for us to permanently maiu
tain a government in the Philippine
Islands, | reply. first. that the highest
obligation Of this nation is TO be true
to itself. No obligation to any particular
nation, or TO all nations combined. can re-
quire the abandonment of our theory of
government and the substitution of de-
trines against which our whole natural
life has been a protest. And. second.
that our obligations to the Filipinos. who
inhabit the islands, are greater than any
obligation which We can owe TO foreign
ers who have
Temporary Residence
in the Philipp.nes-or desire to trade there
1t is argued by some that the Filipinos
are incapable of self-government and that
therefore we owe 1t to the world to take
control OF them. Admiral Dewey. in an
official report to the navy department,
declared the F'ilipinos more capable of
self-government than the Cubans. and
said that he based his opinion upon
knowledge of both races. But | will not
rest the case upon the relative advance
ment of the Filipinos Henry Clay, in de-
Tending the rights Of the people of South
America to self-government said
1T is the doctrine OF thrones that man
is too ignorant to govern himself. Their
partisans assert his incapacity in refer
ence to all nations; If they cannot
Command Universal Assent
to the proposition, it is then remanded
to particular nations; and our pride and
our presumption too often makes converts
of us. / contend that It Is 10 arraign
the disposition Of Prudence himself, to
suppose that he has created beings in
capable of governing themselves and to
be trampled on by kings. Self-goverg4-
ment is the natural government of man."
Clay was right. There are degrees of
proficiency in the art of self government,
but ii is rejection upon the Creator TO
say that He denied to any people the
capacity of self-government Once admit
that some peoples are capable of self
government. and that others are not. and
4 that
The Capable People
have a right to seize upon and govern
the incapable. and you make force-brute
force-the only foundation of government
and Invite the reign of the despot | am
willing to believe that an all-wise and
ALLOWING God created the Fillpinos. and
then left them thousands Of years helpless
until the islands attracted the attention
of European nations.
Republicans ask; Shall we haul down
the flag that floats over our dead fin the
Philippines? The same question might
have been asked when the American flag
f1oated over Chapultepec and waved over
the dead who fell there: but. the tourist
who visits the City of Mexico finds there
a national cemetery owned by the United
states and cared for by an American cit
izen.
Our Flag stiII Floats
over our dead, but when the treaty with
Mexico was signed. American authority
withdrew to the Rio Grande and / ven
ture the opinion that during the last nifty
years the people Of Mexico have made
more progress under the stimulus of in
dependence and self-government than
they would have made under a carpet bag
government held in place by bayonets
The United States and Mexico, friendly
republics. are each stronger and happier
than they would have been had the for
mer been cursed and the latter crushed by
an imperialistic policy disguised as be
nevolent assimilation"