Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1900-08-18

quired-men who fight when the country
needs fighters and work when the 'coun-
try needs workers.
The republican platform assumes that
the Philippine islands will be retained
under American sivereignty. and we have
right to demand of the republican Lead
ers a discussion of the future status Of
the Filipino. Is he to be a citizen or a
subject? Are we to bring into the BODY
polite eight or ten million Asiatics, So
different: from US in race history that
to share with ms in MAKING the laws and
shaping the destiny of this nation? No
republican of prominence has been bold
The McEnery resolution. adopted by the
senate Immediately after the ratification
idea The democratic platform describes
the situation when il says that the / III
gering our civilization. Who will dispute
1t? And what is the alternative? If the
Filipino Is not 20 be a citizen, shall we
make him a subject? On that question
the democratic platform speaks with
equal emphasis. 1t declares that the Fill
pino cannot be a subject without endan-
gering our government. A republic can
have no subjects. A subject is possible
only in a government resting upon force;
he is unknown in government deriving
its just powers from the consent OF the
governed The republican platform says
eminent consistent with their welfare
and our duties shall be secured to them
doctrine for a government which owes
its very existence to the men who ofTered
ment without consent and taxation with
out representation. In what respect does
the position of the republican party dlIler
government in 1776? Did not the English
government promise a good government
to the colonfsts? What king ever prom
ised a bad government to his people! Did
not the English government promiSe that
the colonists should have the largest
measure of Self-goVernment consistent
with their welfare and English duties?
Did not the Spanish government prom
tGES 70 rriN-c to fEd hon no n CT
measure of self-government consistent
with their welfare and Spanish duties?
archy and a republic may be summed
up in one sentence. In monarchy, the
king gives to the people what he believes
! to be good government; In republic
| the people secure for themselves what
| they believe to be a good government.
The republican party has accepted the
| European idea and planted itself upon
! the ground taken by George III. and by:
| every ruler who distrusts the capacity
! of the people for self-government or
denies them a voice in their own affairs.
| The republican platform promises that
some measure of Self-goVernment is to
! be given the Filipinos by law. but even
| this pledge IS not fulfilled. Nearly six
| of the treaty before the Adjournment of
| congress last June and yet no law was
| passed dealing with the Philippine situa-
| ton. The will of the president has been
| the only law in the Philippine islands
| tends Why does the republican party
hesitate to legislate upon the Philip
pine question? Because Il law would dis
| close the radical departure from history
and precedent contemplated by those who
| control the republican party. The storm
| of protest which greeted the Porto Rican
bill was an indication of what may be
| expected when the American people are
upon this subject. IF the Porto Ricsns.
| who welcomed annexation. are to be de-
| MED the guarantees of our constitution,
| who resisted our authority? If secret
influences could compel a disregaru OF
| our plain duty toward friendly people,
living near our shores. what trea tment
will those same influences provide for
nnfriiesndly people 1000 miles away? If,
| the right to vote, republican leaders
dare not, take the side of the people
against the great monopolies which have
grown up within the last few years. how
can they be trusted to protect the Fill
| waiting to exploit the islands?
Is the sunlight of full citizenship to be
53ss an by tbe the tR R Of Of dhf Hhd
Rico, While the thick darkness of per-
The Porto Rico tariff law asserts the
doctrine that the operation of the con-
states. The democratic party disputes
this doctrine and denounceS it as repug-
nant to both the letter and spirit of our
! system of government for the deposit OF
| arbitrary and irresponsible power. That
for any president or congress the right
to treat millions of people as mere pos
sessions and deal with them unre-
| strained by the constitution of the bill
| of rights shows how far we have already
| departed from the ancient landmarks
| and indicates what may be expected If
this nation deliberately enters upon a
career of empire. The territorial form
of government is temporary and prepare
tory and the chief security a citizen of
a territory has is found in the fact that
antees and is subject to the same gen
| eral laws as the citizen of state Take
away this security I ~ and his rights e vii
at the demand of those who have polit-
ical influence This is the evil of the
colonial system; no matter by what ma;
| What is our title to the Philippine
nd 19 f9d them Pny by tbtm saS
did we take them? Did we purchase
the people? If not, how did we secure
the land? VIII the republicans say thai
inanimate earth has value, but that wher
and stamped with the likeness of the
Creator it becomes fixture and passes
their lust powers from the consent Of
the governed, it is impossible to secure
title to people. either by force or by purT.
chase. We could eXtinguiSh Spain'S title
by treaty, but if we hold title we mus
hold it by some method consistent witt
our ideas of government. When we made
allies of the Filipinos and armed then
to fight against SPAIN, we disputed
| Snain's title If we buy Spain's title we
are not innocent purchasers. But ever
II if we had not disputed Spains title she
could transfer no greater title than sh,
had and her title was based force
alone. We cannot defend such a title
but as Spain gave US a quit claim deed
we can honorably turn the property ovel
to the party in possession. Whether an!
American official gave to the Filipino
formal assurance of independence is no
, material. There can be doubt tina
we accepted and utilized the services O.
the Filipinos, and that when we did s.
we had full knowledge that they wer
| fighting for their own independence, an
/ submit history furnishes no eXampl
! of turpitude baSer than ours if we nov
substitute our yoke for the Spanish
; yoke.
Let US consider briefly the reason
which have been given in support of al
! imperialiStic policy Some say that it i
our duty to hold the Philippine islands
But duty is not an argument; it is
/ conclusion. To ascertain what our dut
= is, in any emergency, We must apply wei
settled and generally accepted principles
1t is our duty to avoid stealing, no mat
ter whether the thing to be stolen is o
' great or little value. 1t is our duty t
? avoid killing q human being, no matte
4 | where the human being lives or to wha
E | race class he belongs. Everyone rec
ognizes the obligation imposed upon In
{ | dividuals to observe both the human an
! the moral law, but some deny the az
e plication of those laws to nations, IT ma
= not be out of place to quote the opin1o
i of Others Jefferson, than whom there