Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-08-09
mnent which brought on the revolution
We're necessary to prevent American
trade from passing into foreign channels,

ment which brought on the revolution
t MeTs f necessary t9 prevent American
FRANKLIN replied:
TO me it seems that neither the OBJ
,a'n be or ros rs!ainng Of any trade how
men may justly spill each others blood;
that the true and sure means of extend.
ing ,,,ss ana ,1 securing commerce are the good
that the profits of no trade can ever
be equal to the expense of compelling ii
and holding t,g IT. by fleets and armies
both unjust, and unwise."
place, the philosophy of Franklin
AGAINST the sordid doctrine of those who
american soldier, and Justify a war Of
CONQUEST upon the. ground that it will
pay. The democratic party is In favor of
our trade by every legitimate and peace.
full means; but 1t is not willing to make
merchandise of human blood.
Unwisc and Unrtghtrons.
But war of conquest is as unwise as it
tion In the Philippines would answer
every trade and military necessity, and
such concession could have been Sc
/ cured at amy time without difficulty.
IT is not necessary to own people in or
der to trade with them. We carry on
trade today with every part of the world.
rapidly than the commerce of any Europ-
Gtninn, but we trade with their people.
Central and South America, but we trade
with them. II has not been necessary to
nave amy political connections with Cana
ia or the nations Of Europe In order to
trade with them. Trade cannot be perma-
nentlE profitable unless 1T is voluntary
When trade Is secured by. force the cost
/ taken out of THE profits, and the profits
are never large enough to cover the ex-
j Ina fsrnf hat t1,<,
/ pense is borne by all the people, while
the profits are enjoyed by the few.
l'rnfitab!e tn the Few.
Imperialism would be profitable to the
1 TO the ship-owners, who would carry live
/ soldiers to the Philippines and bring dead
! spiders back; ~ would be profitable to
those who would sieze upon the fran
/ officials whose salaries would be fixed
here and paid oyer. there; but to the
vast majority of those engaged in other
occupations, 1T would bring expenditures
| without return and risk without reward
Farmers and laboring men have. as Il
! RUE, small Incomes and, under systems
1 which place the tax upon consumption,
pay more than their fair share of the eX-
penses of government. Thus the very peo-
pie who ,,1 receive least benefit from inn
perialism will be injured most by the
military burdens which accompany 1t.
In addition TO the evils which he and
the farmer share in common, the laboring
man will be the first to suffer If oriental
subjects seek work in the United States:
leaves our shores to employ oriental la
Dor IN the Philippines to supply the trade
| OF China and Japan: the first to suffer
from, the violence which the military
; the methods of Imperialism are applied
to our own government.
lot 1T Is not y, strange therefore that the la
inc approach of these dangers and
prompt to protest against both miitarism
and Imperialism.
The pecunary argument though more
effective with certain classes, is not like
lN to be used so often or presented with
so much smpha ASH as the religious argl-
irilipnos only, it would be satficient a ans
s ,,,,,a. to say that a majority Of the ITii-
the CHRISTIAN church; but the principle
involved is one of much wider application
ana challenges serious consideration.
The Religious Argument.
+ The rellgious argument varies in posi-
uveness from a passive belief that Provi-
dence delivered the F'ilpinos into our
hands, for their good and our glory. to
the bet eX Wa abt Of the mnster who said
Q'ilipinos) until they understand who we
are. and that every bullet sent. every
cannon shot and every flag waved means
righteousness.
we cannot approve of this doctrine in
one 2, place unless we are willing to apply
Il everywhere II there is poison in the
blood OF the hand 1T will ultimately reach
the heart. 1t is equally true that forcible
Christianity. If planted under the Ameri-
can nag ;lg IN the far-away orient, WILSON
ef or later be transplanted upon American
soil III true Christianity consists In ear
rXing out In our daily lives the teachings
n GhrT ~ WHO I Wll say , that we are com
proSelste with the sword. lie Who would ,,ii
declare the divine will must prove his au-
t tn either by holy writ or by evidence
Go ye into the world and preach the
gospel to every creature has NO gatling
gun l attachment. When Jesus visited
fused to receive Him. some of the disci-
pies suggested that fire would be called
down from heaven to avenge the INSULT
1e Know not what manner of spirit We
are of; for the son of man is not come
70 destroy mens !, lives but to save
thrash them until they understand who
we are,' how. different would have been
the history ,a;,, of Christianity Compare If
tai doctrine of Imperialism with the
E9lden sF rule ,a and the commandmsnt
self"
Nazarene; sacrifice for others. not the
e es on Of them was His method Of
stripes once saved his life because his as
s sa,.1 recognized our flag as a flag that
that our missionaries are seeking souls
Instead of sovereignty;. let 1t be known
that instead of being the advance guard
forth TO help and TO uplift, having their
lolns eirt about with truth and their feet
shod with the preparation Of the gospel
rjjghteousness and carrying the sword of
the spirit; let 1t be known that they are
the citizens Of nation which respects
as carefully as 1t protects the rights of
Its own citizens and the welcome given to
our missionaries will be. more cordial
than the welcome extended to the mis-
stonaries of any other nation.
The argument, made by some. that it
was was nnfosrtunate for the nation that it
Islands. but that the naval victory at
Manila made the permanent acquisition
of those islands necessary, is also un-
sound.
but that did not compel US to hold CUBA.
I,f,i, shedding Of American blood in the
perative that we should retain possession
forever To-. ri, American L; blood was shed at San
h has an ploms caney be and ys e ss
flag floats over Manila does not compel
Us, TO exercise perpetual sovereignty over
today, but the president has promised to |
haul 1t down when the flag of the Cuban
republic is ready to ride in Its place Bet
ter a thousand times that our flag in the
orient gave way to a flag representing !
the idea of self government than that the |
flag Of this republic should become the |
flag of an empire.
easy. Honorable Solution.
There is an easy, honest, honorable So
luton Of the. Philippine question. 1t is
It is ' submtted ted WaR eondeaee To a the
American people. This plan ! unreserv-
eilY indorSe. Ii elected. shall cnnYene