The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-23
History Repeats Itself.

History Repeats Itself.
S 1t is fortunate thing for the oppo-
nents Of our policy In the Philippines
that the average American is so little
familiar with the records of our past
and the debates that accompanied the
establishment Of national policies The
undergraduates are using ammuni-
ton that spent its force almost Gen.
fury ago.
This should be brought out by the dts
cussion OF the bill introduced by Senator
Spooner. Of Wisconsin. It is the pec,i-
liar merit of that measure that Il Is
substantially identical with the bin
passed by the Eighth congress to provide
for the government of territory ac-
quired under the Louisiana purchase.
The substitution of the Philippines for
Louisiana Is about the only difference.
and thus the country is made aware of
what 1t ought to know: that the admin
istration policy is Identical with the
policy Of the country for the last hun
dred years. and that the Democratic
party of today is arrayed in direct OPP
position to the doctrines laid down by
its patron saint. Jefferson, and his fol-
lowers.
Not only Is this true, but there is
striking coincidence between the argu-
ments used by Democratic senators and
congressman today and the opponents
of the Louisiana purchase. We can
turn to those old records and find the
very charges that are being made now
against the acquisition OF the Philip
pines. We subioin a few extracts from
history. reviving the passionate asser-
tons made then concerning a policy
and treaty which, it was held gravely.
contained the seeds of death for pop
ular institutions. They may all be
found in the third volume of McMas-
tiers:
1.-THE treaty is unconstitutional and I'M
polite. It Is unconstitutional In the first
place. because the treaty-making power
does not extend to the incorporation Of for
eign sol. and foreign people Into the
United States. 1t IL fmpoltic because we
cannot govern SO vast wilderness and a
people so unlike our own in language, man.
ners and religion.
Between the day when the United States
takes possession and the day when con-
gress provides temporary government for
the country some time must necessarily
elspse. The president takes the blaze of
the king OF Spain and without even con-
sulting the senate. fills every Office In the
province with creatures of his own. The
old form of government based upou the
worst form of Spanish despotIsm is to be
continued and government under which
the people possess no civil rights, nay, even
can be punished for wishing to enjoy them,
Is to be legalized upon the soil OF the
United States.
"The act violates every principle of re-
publican government 1t shows not one
trace of liberty. 1t sets up complete
despotism."
This might be Bryan or Hoar or even
Pettigrew. 1t is the text and Inspiration
of the anti-expansion speeches of the
last year. 1t is the dismal but earnest
forecastof men who saw only cloudsand
darkness If the Louisiana purchase were
ratified and the act of government for
the Northwest Territory received ap-
prevail by congress. Yet no living
American will fail to admit now that this
act was wise craftsmanship; and that
its rejection would have been a disaster
second in consequences only to the tri-
umph of British arms In the revolu-
ton.
There are few other gems from this
old-fashioned casket that we bring to
light today because they prove that the
Declaration of Independence, too. was
completely nullified at that time. We
commend to every reader the absolute
literal correspondence between the argu-
ments heard within a month from oppo-
nents of the administration and the fol-
lowing sentences. gathered at random
from these ancient and forgotten de-
bates:
me sacred principles of the Declaration
- snssosndenes are ruthiessly trampled