Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-08-09

he said: ~
Justice IS as strictly due between
nelghbor nations as between neighbor
citizens. a highwayman is as much
u robber when he plumbers in a gang
as when singly; and the nation that
| gang"
Men may dare to do in crowds what
| they would not dare to do as individ-
uals; but the moral character of an
act is not determined by the number
OF those who join in it, Force can de-
fend right, but force has never yet
created a right. If 1t was true. as de-
clared in the resolution of interview
ton. that the Cubans ARE. and of right
ought to be, free and independent"
| Language taken from the Declaration
of Independence) 1t is equally true that
the Fiiipinos ARE. and of right ought
| TO be. free and independent" The
right of the CubanS to freedom was not
based upon their proximity TO the
United States, nor upon the language
| which they spoke, nor yet upon the
race or races to which they belonged.
| Congress by II practically unanimous
vote declared that the principles enun-
| ciated at Philadelphia in lIi6 were still
alive and applicable to the Cubans.
THE CUBANS AND FILIPINOS.
Who will draw line between the
natural rights of the Cubans and the
Filipinos? Who will say that the
former have right to liberty and the
latter have no rights which we are
bound to respect? And II the Filipinos
ARE and of right ought to he free and
independent" what right have we to
force our government upon them with
out their consent? Before our duty can
he ascertained. and when their rights
are once determined. it is as much our
duty to respect those rights as 1t was
the duty of England to respect the
rights OF the American colonists.
| inf 1ttff
clash. Can it be our duty to usurp
political rights which belong to others?
Can 1t be our duty to Kill those who.
following the example of our forefath-
ers. love liberty we'll enough TO fight
for it?
Some poet has described the terror
which overcame soldier who. in the
midst OF battle, discovered that he had
slain his brother. 1t is written: "All
We are brethren" Let us hope for the
coming Of the day when human life
which. when once destroyed cannot he
restored-will be so sacred that it will
never be taken except when necessary
to punish crime already committed,
or to prevent crime about to be COM
mitted.
If 1t is said that we have assumed be-
fore the world obliga tons which make
it necessary for us to permanently
maintain government in the Philip
pine Islands. reply. first. that the
highest obligation of this nation Is to
be true to itself. No obligation to anv
particular nation. or to all nations com
bned. can require the abandonment of
orr theory of government and the sub
stitution of doctrines against which our
whole national life has been a protest
Aud. second. that our obligations TO the
Filipinos. who inhabit the islands. are
greater than any obligation which we
can owe to foreigners who have n tenn
porary residence in the Philippines or
desire to trade there.
a FALSE DOCTRINE.
1t is argued by some that the Filipi-
nos arc incapable of self-govcrnmc
and that therefore we owe il to the
world to take control of them. Admi-
raj Dewey. in an official report To the
Navy Department. declared the Fill
pinos are more capable of self govern
ment than the CuoanS, and said that
he based his opinion upon n knowledge
OF both races. But l will not rest the
case upon the relative advancement of
the Filipinos. Henry Clay. in defend
ing the rights of the people of South
America to lf-government, said
1T is the doctrine of thrones that
man is too ignorant to govern him
self. Their partisans assert his inca
pacity in reference to all nations; If
they cannot command universal assent
TO the proposition. 1t is then remanded
to particular nations, and our pride
and our presumption too often make
converts of us. / contend that IL is to
arraign the disposition of Providence
Himself to suppose that lie has ere
ated beings incapable of governing
themselves and TO be trampled on by
kings. Self-SoVernmcnt is the natural
government of man"
Clay was right There are degrees
of proficiency in the art of Sclf-govcrn-
ment. but IL Ia a reflection upon the
Creator TO say that He denied to any
people the capacity or aelf-govcrn-
ment Once admit that some people
are capable of lf-government ana
that others are not. and that the capa-
bic poplc have right to seize upon
and govern the incapable. and you
make forcc-brute force-the only
foundation OF government and invite
the reign of the despot. l am not
willing to believe that an all-wise and
an alI-loving God created the Fllipinos
and then left them thousands of years
helpless until the Islands attracted the
attention OF European nations.
THE FLAG.
Republicans ask Shall we haul
down the flag that floats over our dead
in the Phllippines?" The same ques-
ton might have been asked when the
American flag nonted over Chapulte-
pee and waves over the dead who fell
there but the tourist who visits the
City of Mexico finds there a national
cemetery owned by the United and
cared for by an American citizen. Our
flag still floats over cur dead but when
the treaty with Mexico was signed.
American authority withdrew to the
Rio Grande. and ! venture the opin-
ion that during the last nifty years
the people of Mexico have made more
progress under the stimulus of indie
pendence and self government than
they would have made under n carpet
bag government held in place by bayo-
nets. The United States and Mexico.
friendly republics. are each stronger