The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1900-09-20
A DISHONEST ARGUMENT
ARRANT TRlcKERY IN REPUBLICAN
PRESENTATION OF IMPERIALISM

According to McKinley's Policy the Fif--
pinos Are to Be Forever Held as a.
Conquered PeOpIe-why Imperialism
is Menace to Our Institutions.
There is arrant trickery in the Re
publican presentation of the issue of
imperialism. Those who speak for
that party pretend that there are but
two paths open to our Government
that of the Administration, and that
of Mr.. Bryan. They pretend that it is
simply the retention of he Philippines
under any conditions that Is meant
by Imperialism. The New York Times
states the case in the orthodox Repub-
lican way when it says that the Re-
publican policy (which is called inn
perialism" is ''to establish order under
the sovereignty of the United States
and develop se;f-government among
the natives as fast and as far as prac-
ticable," and that opposed to this is
the demand for the absolute indie
pendence of the Philippines, this Gov
eminent to protect them from outside
interference The Times shows that
the Bryan idea IS impossible, and.
therefore, nothing remains but what
is called imperialism" Not woru
is said of the vital difference between
the Republican policy and the demand
of the expansionists who are opposed
to Mr.. Bryan's plan. No notice is
taken of the fact that a great major
ity of those who denounce imperialism
are strongly in favor of the retention
of the Philippines by this nation. No
hint is given of the only policy that
accords with the fundamental doctrine
of the Declaration of Independence,
with the Constitution of the United
States, with all the traditions and
the spirit of our institutions and with
the sentiment of a large part of the
American people.
The measure of lf-government
promised to the Filipinos by the Re
publican doctrine is sternly limited.
They are 10 be forever held as a con-
uuered people, subject to the arbitrary
rule of a President and of a partisan
majority in Congress, whose chief con-
Germ is to find places of profit for IN
army of office-seeAers backed by the
influence of party leaders. They can
have no remedy against the oppres-
sions of the carpet-bag politicians who
will rule them, for the latter will have
the protection of men of power in the
dominant party. Efforts were made
to shield even such petty Hoosier poll
ticians as these who stole the Cuban
postal funds, and greater efforts might
succeed in the case of the more influ
entail plunderers of the Philippines.
No matter how fit for American citi-
zenship the best races in the islands
might become, the politicians would
never relinquish their hold on so profit
, able a source of wealth. 70 keep
these people under purely arbitrary
and unconstitutional authority; to de-
ny to them free commerce with the
nation to which they belong; to hold
| them as foreigners in their relations
10 this country and as Americans N
their relations to foreign countries
all this f. not only oppressive to the
! Filipinos, but it is policy of imperial
| ism that is bound to react ON the
American people, familiarize them
with usurpations and destroy the in
| fiuence o. our best traditions. Far
seeing patriots do not object to lie
retention of the Philippines, but to the
Republican conditions OF ownership;
and not chiefly out of pity for the Fill
| pinos, but in fear for our own future
| There is no law for the Republican
| policy. The consent of Congress could
| not warrant any violation of the fun
| damental law by the President The
consent of Congress would not make
| the Presidents policy any less i'm
perialistic. AS between Imperialism
and the independence of the Philip
pines, the patriot who has read his
tory must prefer the latter. 1t is not
necessary, however, that this Gov
ernment should choose either; it is
of tremendous Importance that it
should choose neither.-Philadelph
Record.