Hutchinson gazette., 1900-08-16

pmtuuca of thr p l'od ana there is no
dn'noroe now os 70 tho course TO be
pursued,
Tho tillc of Spain being oytlugulshed,
We were gt liberty TO deal with The l,ill-
The l'ncon re9olutlon introduced Il month
before huHtlltIes broke Out Hl Manila,
promised independence TO thD 'llipIuUH on
tho fnlno terms that n was promlled To
The Cuhnns ! supported THIS resolution
breaking out of hostlities would have
prevented bloodshCl and that lts nd0p-
ton nt any subsequent time would have
ended hoatllltlos,
II the treaty had been rejected, consld-
erOhlo time would have necessarily
elapsed before u now troNty could have
been agreed upon and ratified, ana during
thul time the question would have been
agitatlng the public mind II the Bacon
resolution had been adopted by the sem
ate ana carried ont hy the president,
clthcr at The time Of tho ratification OF
the treaty or nt unv time afterwards,
II would have taken the question Of lm-
peMnlsm out of politics and left the
American people free Ia deal with thelr
domestic problems; But the resolution
was defeated by the vote OF the repub-
Heat vice president, and from that time
90 this n republican congress has refused
70 take any action whatever In the mat
ter,
when hostlltles broke out nt Manila,
republican speakers and republican edi-
tore at once sought 10 lay the blame upon
thoyc who had delnycd the ratification Of
the treaty, and, during the progress OF
the war, the F0mc republicans have nc.
CuNCd the opponents Of imperialism or
giving encouragement 10 the. Fillpinos
Thls IL a cowardly evasion of RESPONSE
blllty,
II II ls right for the United states TO
hold the Philippine islands permanently
and initiate European empires IN the
government of colonies, the republican
party ought 10 state IT. position and de-
fend II, but II muft expect the subject
races to protest against such n policy
AnG 90 resist to the extent of their nbil-
ity The FlllplnOs do not need any en-
oourngemcnt from Americans now Nv
Ing, our whole history has been IN en-
COurngcmcnt, not only 20 the Flliplnoa
but 10 all who are denied a voice In their
own government, " the republicans are
prepared 10 oensure all who have used
language calculated 10 make the fllipl-
nos hate foreign domination let them
condemn the speech Of Patrick Henry
"Glve me liberty or give me death, ne
expressed n sentiment which still echoes
In the hearts Of mon Let them censure
Jefferson; OF all the statesmen OF history,
none have used words 30 offensive to
those who would hold their fellows In
pnlitlcal bondage, Let them censure
Washington, who declared that the coll
Onists must choose between liberty and
slavery Or, II the statute Of llmtations
hou run against the sins Of Henry ana
Jefferson and Washington, let them cen-
sure Lincoln, whose Gettysburg speech
will be quoted IN defense Of popular gov.
ernmcnt when the present advocates OF
force and conquest are forgotten,
Someone has said that n truth once
spoken can never be recalled. II is true,
II goes ON and on, and no one can set
n limit to Its ever widening influence,
But II II were possible to oblterate every
word written or spoken IN defense OF
the principles set forth IN the declaration
OF independence, a war or conquest would
still leave lts legacy OF perpetual ha,,
trcd for II was God Himself who placed
IN every human heart the love Of lib
crty He never made n race Of people so
low In the scale Of civilization or intelll-
gence that II would welcome n foreign
master,
Lincoln said that the safety of this ma
ton was not IN It's fleets, its armies or
ltp forts, but IN the spirit which prizes
liberty and the heritage of all men, IN all
lands, everywhere and he warned his
cOuntrymen that they could not destroy
this spirit without planting the seeds OF
dCspotlsm at their own doors.
Those who would have this nation enter
upon a career Of empire must consider
not only the effect of imperialism on the
Flllpmos, but they must also calculate
ltS effect upon our own nation, We cam
not repudlnto the principle Of sclf-govern-
ment In the Philippines without weaken
ing that principle here
Even now we are beginning to see the
parulyzng influence OF imperialism,
Heretofore, this nation has been prompt
TO express its sympathy with those who
were lighting for clvil liberty, While our
sphere OF activity has been limited TO
Ia
have not been bounded by the seas, We
have felt II due ourselves and to the
world, as well as TO those who were
struggling for the right TO govern them
selves, TO proclaim the interest which our
people have, from the date of their own
independence, felt In every contest be-
tween human rights and arbitrary power,
Three-quarters of Il century ago, when
our nation was small, the struggles OF
Gi eece aroused our people, and Webster
the universal desire FOR Grecian indepen-
dence, In 1896, all parties manifested
lively interest In the success of the Gu
bans, but now, when n war IL IN prog
resG In South Africa, which must result
In the extension OF the monarchical Idea,
or In the triumph OF republic, the ad-
vocates OF Imperialism IN this country
dare not say word In behalf OF the
Beers. sympathy for the Beers does not
arise from any unfrlendliness toward
England; the American people are not
unrriendly toward the people OF any ma
tion This sympathy II due to the fact
that, as stated In our platform, we be-
lieve In the principle OF self-gOvernment
and reject, ns did our forefa thefs, the
pl,tims 'of rnonarchy'iyl III this nation SUR
ttndfrs It's belief In, the universal apple
qatldn or the principles SET forth m the
qeclarption Of independence Il viii lose
IN, prestige and Influence, whlch'lt has
enjoyed among nations as an exponent OF
popular government
our opponents, conscious OF the weak
ness of their cause, seek to confuse Inn
perlalism with expansion, and have even
dared to claim Jefferson aS n supporter
OF their policy. Jefferson spoke 70 freely
and used language with such precision
that no one can be Ignorant of his Views,
Oa one occasion he declared: "lf there
be one principle moro deeply rooted than
any other In the mind of every Ameri-
can, II Il that we should have nothing
70 do with conquest" And again he
said: Conquest Il not In our principles;
II Is inconsistent with our government"
The forcible annexation OF territory
to be governed by arbitrary power, diff
fers as much from the acquisition OF
tel rltory to be built mp into states as a
differs from democracy The
democratic party does not oppose eXpnn-
sion, when expansion cnlargea the area
Of the republic and Incorporates lands
which can be settled by American cltl- |
zens, or adds to our population people
who are willing to become citizens and
are capable of discharglng their duties
as such The acquisition Of the Louisiana
territory Florida, Texas and other tracts
which have been secured from time to
time, enlargng the republic, and the con-
stltution followed the flag into the new
territory II is now proposed to seize
upon distant territory more densey pop |
ulated than our own country, and to
force upon the people II government, for |