Graham guardian., 1900-10-05

great and strong. We can be just
and generous. Once we were
weak and were compelled to con-
tend against despotism. We then
received generous treatment from
powerful alley when we were
WEAK BEGINNERS
in the art of selfgovernment. The
French people gave the American
patriots timely aid upon land and
sea and assisted us in bringing
victory from the very jaws of
death. At the close of the revo-
lutionary war victory was com
plete, but the country was exhaust
ed and PROSTATE. France did not
then turn upon the young republic
and attempt to annihilate it. They
gave us a helping hand instead of
shifting us. Should we not, in the
lustrous light of its remembrance,
be sufficiently generous to recog-
nizc the independence Of our Phili-
pine allies and thus demonstrate
that we are no less generous than
the French monarchy was q cen
tury ago? 1t is certainly an ano-
maly that we should begin war
in behalf of the Cubans TO strike
down tyrant because he would
not grant them their independence,
and, as that war ended, begin a
war to despoil another colony OF
that same despotic power because
it dared to aspire to independence
and self government.
But there is a plutocratic power
in this country, whose willing
tools have been boosted into power
by corrupt methods, that is deter.
mined that imperialism shall he
forced to the front. Though Nc.
Kinley, in his message to Congress
said: 81 speak not of forced an,
nexation, because that is not to be
thought of, and under the code OF
morality that would be crimina
aggression" those words seem not
to have been spoken in good faith
and 60 for naught with the imperi-
alists. They do not seem to heed
the fact that we cannot properly
maintain that governments on this
continent derive their just powers
from the consent of the governed,
and at the same time maintain a
government on the other continent
which is to be ruled over by us
without the consent of the govern
ed and by military force. Military
government is absolutely repug-
nant to our people and form of
government. Long before the war
with Spain, our military command
ers recommend II large increase
of our standing army and that all
the places where public funds are
deposited in any considerable
amounts, such as sub-treasuries,
post offices and banks, should be
fortified, garrisoned and armed
with gatling guns and the most i'm
proved firearms, all of which was
an intimation that we, too, are be-
coming barbarians. To further
such u scheme the result Of the
Spanish war is not only to be
paraded to assist in the establish
ment of a large standing army in
our midst, but to harrass and mur-
der people in other lands.
Should we now go into the
colonial business, we not only over
throw our own theory Of govern
ment, but
EVERY REPUBLIC
will be destined TO die. We need
no longer refer to the policy and
destiny outlined for us by Wash
ington in his farewell address; an d
as proclaimed by Monroe in his
celebrated doctrine of 1928, which
was to preserve republican institu-
tions on the Western Hemisphere,
and to prevent monarchy and
tyrany from advancing any further
foothold thereon. While it is
right that we should free the Fill
pinos from the tyranny of Spain
and allow them to maintain an in
dependent and free repub ic, their
location of 10000 miles away in a
tropical climate where an Ameri-
can cannot live and prosper, rend-
ers annexation, either with or
without the consent Of the people
there, impracticable and altogether
useless. To grant to the Filipinos
their independence would be to
RESTORE TO US OUR DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE
which the Mckinley administra.
ton laid aside and save us from
becoming parties to the policies,
intrigues and alliances of foreign
nations that are struggling with
each other, maintaining large
standing armies at enormous eX.
pense to their own people in order