The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-06-26
Facts Versus Theory.

Facts versus ineory.
Anti-expansionists appear 10 find some
crumbs q more or less solid comfort in
these deiiverances Of thesNorth American
Turnerbund apits trienniaI convention IN
Philadelphia last week:
we recognize the right OF all people
10 defend with aims OF warfare their I'D
erty and independence. We consider every
attempt, through the methods Of war, OF
territorial expansion az opposed 10 ciy!liza-
ton and as an act Of brute force
We condemn every effort 10 extend the
blessings Of civilization with sword and
gun as one based upon hypocrisy and
greed for gain.
We protest against the policy Of con-
quest Of this government and against ev-
cry attempt toward expanding the domain
Of the United States by force"
The assumption OF the anti-expansion-
lists that these utterances have special
reference TO the Philippines and the Fill
pinos and the action Of the United States
in relation thereto is undoubtedly cor
rect. The recognition Of 1.-The right of all
people 10 defend with arms Of warfare
their liberty and independence" we shall
not attempt 10 deny. That seems TO us to
he q fundamental right. But it probably
cid not occur to the men who framed,
adopted. and promulgated that declara-
ton that If the right had not been sue
cessfully assailed with force and arms by
the Europeans who invaded this part of
the New World early in the seventeenth
century. and by their successors for
many generations, there would have been
no United states ui america, no land of
liberty, wherein the oppressed of all ma
tons have found refuge and consequently
( no North American Turnerbund
This country belonged TO the red men.
OF course they had a right 10 defend 1t.
But they were, with the few and simple
means at their command, incapable of sue
cessful defeLse. The tide of European
immigration swept in and the border line
of civilization was pushed farther and
/ farther backward from the Atlantic coast
! by inCessant war. That was the terri
! tcrial expansion which made the existence
Of the North American TurnerbUnd
possibility. Did it or did it not extend
the blessings of civilization with sword
and gum" And with what prOpriety can
cur fellow-citizens of German birth or ex-
traction, or of any other sort, variety, o.
/ class Of Americans, assemble in the full
enjoyment of those blessings in the happy
and prosperous utilization of the products
Of that long war of conquest and hurl
condemnation at all our ancestors.
From Capt Miles Stanfsh to Gen. Mel
son A Miles is a stretch of almost three
centuries. but every year of it was COW
cred by incidents Of the long and bloody
/ conflicts which rescued this land from
nomadic savages that it might become
what it is-the greatest, happiest land on
! earth.
! II would be no difficult task to cite
/ chapters and volumes of history quite as
/ pointedly condemnatGry of the above
declarations as the story of the conquest
| Of the territory occupied by these United
| States. The annals of the race are full
Of such illustrations. While the right OF
! the barbarian to defend his liberty and
/ Independence" is undeniable, nis defeat
/ by mis- civilized brother is certain. 1t is
the fttest that survives in the endless
/ conflict between different civilizations;
end the story of the ages of blO0d-letting
( is also the record of the worlds progress.
/ As to the Filipinos, there IS not an iota
OF truth in the intination thar, in making
] war on the United States, they were de-
! Tending their liberty and independence"
/ They had little liberty and no indepen-
/ dence. SPAN transferred to our govern
/ ment the sovereignty she had held for
/ four centuries. Our title TO Massachusetts,
is not more valid than our title to the
/ Philippines. All intelligent citizens of all
nations. except a faction of the Flliplnos
themselves. know that, in changing from
| Spanish TO American rule, the inhabitants
Ct that archipelago gained their first ana
only great benefaction. They are at the
threshold Of a future big with promise
But their submission to our flag is a con-
d,,ion precedent to their realization of the
| bonaficent results of their change OF SOW
ereiguty. That submission must come,
snd will come, for no political party VIII
J haul down our colors in the face OF rebels