The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1900-09-08

powers? BY such relations the United
States would be involved in wars at the
discretion Of its own ward.
The Monroe doctrine Is perverted in this
declaration. It is solely applicable, in
the very nature Of things. to the Western
hemisphere, and to the interests Of the
United States therein. 1t is prohibitory
Of the acquisition Of North and South
American territory by any European pow
err. It does not prohibit any such power
from waging wal against any Central or
South American republic. War is the
EXTREMIST interference by one government
with another, and Europe had done war
like acts many times against those states
without any protection to them by US.
OUR SOVEREIGN TITLE TO THE
PHILIPPINES.
Spain had the sovereignty OF the Phil
ippines as completely as it had that of
Florida, or as France had that of Louisi-
ana or Mexico that of the ceded prov
inces, or Russia that of Alaska. or the
Republic of Hawaii that of the Hawaiian
islands. Our title from Spain to the
Philippines is as unquestionable as our
title to any of the other cessions. The
title is rebellion and treason, abetted by
the Democratic party.
BRYAN AND HI TREATY.
While the commissioners were negoti-
ating the treaty of Paris, not a word came
from this country, from sea. or shore or
the chambers of the air, that they should
not insist upon the cession of those ISL
n 1t was not until it was. seen that
a party advantage might be gained by
resisting the treaty in the senate hat any
Democratic opposition to it was displayed.
But Mr.. Bryan appeared in Washington
and urged its ratification by the senate.
He suggested no amendment, the adop-
ton or the rejection of which would
justify his present theories. The words
that 1.-The civil rights and political status
of the native inhabitants of the territory
hereby coded to the United States shall
be determined by the congress- were in
the treaty and were directly in opposition
to his present contention, and yet no
amendment was suggested. Twenty mill
lion dollars were to be paid to put what
to him is now "a barren scepter . .
in an unlineal hand,'' yet no amendment
was suggested. hat would Ave saved
this enormous sun by rejecting the ces-
sion entirely and allowing Spain to re-
tain the islands. Mr.. Bryan says that he
advised the ratification of the treaty in
order to stop the war. But the war had
been stopped for months by an armistice
which by it's terms was to continue pend
ing the negotiations, and the considera-
ton of any treaty by the senate is a part
Of its negotiations.
In other words, Mr.. Bryan advised that
the United States take from Spain I'M
| qualified sovereignty over the Philippines.
without suggesting or advising, any
amendment or saying a single word about
'sthe consent of the governed" with the
prominent aus standing in the conven-
I ton comforting upon the right
to determine the civil rights and political
status of the native inhabitants. Nor
was a word heard of the limitations or
prohibitions of the Constitution.
INCONSISTENCIES OF BRYAN'S
PLAN.
Mr.. Bryan. ir his speech Of acceptance,
declares that If elected he will convene
congress in extraordinary session at once
and recommend first, the establishment
of a stable form of government in the
Philippine islands, just as we are now es-
tablishing a stable form of government
in Cuba; second, to give independence to
the Filipinos just as we have promised to
| give independence to the Cubans; third,
to protect the Filipinos from outside In
reference while they work out their des-
Etiny.
/ I have elsewhere considered the self
contradictory charaeter-ef,~these PROPOSE
lions as tested by the declarations of the
platform adopted at Kansas City.
1 will only add that the condition.
and situation as to Cuba and thu
Philippines a e not the same. W.
never had sovereignty over Cuba
we have sovereignty over the Phil
ippines.
when we interviewed as between Cuba
and Spain the Cubans were in arms fight
ing for their independence n were prac-
tically belligerents. When we invaded
the Philippines the natives were not in
arms. We never promised to give indie
~pendence to them n they did not de-
mand it at that time. Before we invaded
Cuba. in the very declaration of wal
against Spain, this government did prom
Use to give independence to that island.
We made no such promises as to Porto
Rico.
Our title to Porto Rico and the
Philippines rest upon the same In.
comfortable basis, and yet 1 have not
heard that even the Democracy pur.
poses or wishes to e Porto Rico
into an Independent state.
In declaring that he will con-
eress for these purposes Mr.. Bryan
shrinks from The logical consequences of
his own position. If elected president Of
the United States he will become the
| commander-in-chief Of h army AMI
navy conducting a war which he and the
platform upon which he stands assert to
be a "criminal aggression" against a peo-
nh urho ought IN he inGpnPndPnt.
Az such cOmmander-in-chief, hold.
ing to such principles, he would
have the right to withdraw every
man from the Philippines, cause our
squadron to sail out of Manila bay,
to entirely evacuate the archipeA'
aGO, and-tO use his own language
leave their people to work out thetz
own destiny.
AS president he could recognize the ex-
istence and independence of the Philip
pine republic. A bold man, holding such
views as these and with such powers
would say that he intended to exercise
them. but here Mr.. Bryan halts and re-
coils. He purposes to throw the respon-
sibrity upon congress. well knowing that
with q Republican senate and house OF
| representatives. no such action as he pro-
noses to recommend would receive the
least sanction. "a
MILITARIsM. "
I shall not detain you with any dis-
cussdon of this bug-bear OF miitar1sm.
We are crippled to-day by i~nadeauacy OF
our military force in performing our mani
fest duties as to u people in China. Tn
events in that empire demonstrate. as did
our u~nprepared condition at the beginning
Of. the Spanish val how suddenly and un