The Van Buren press., 1900-08-11

DAY When human llle-Which. Wntn once
destroyed, cannot be restored--will be 81
sacred that IL will never be taken excep
when necessary to punish crime alread,
I committed, or to prevent crime abou
to be committed.
Z IL II is said that we have assumed before
the world obligations which make It neces
sary for us to permanently maintain q
government in the Philippine islands,
reply. first. that the highest obligation Of
7 this nation Is to be true to itself. No obi.
cation to any particular nation. or 10 al
nations combined, can require the abandon.
ment of our theory Of government and the
substitution Of doctrines against which
l our whole national life has been protest
And, second. that our obligations to the
Filipinos, who inhabit the islands, are
/ greater than any obligations which we car
owe TO foreigners who have temporary
residence in the Philippines or desire to
! trade there.
Capacity of Self-GOvernment.
1t is argued by some that the Filipinos
are incapable of self-government and
/ that therefore we owe II to the world to
take control of them. Admiral Dewey, in an
oh1cial report to the navy department, de-
clared the F'iliDinos mere capable of self
government than the Cubans, and said
that he based his opinion upon a knowl-
edge OF both races. But | will not rest
the case upon the relative advancement
Of the Fflipinos' Henry Clay in defend
ing the rights of the people of South
America to self-government, said:
1T Is the doctrine of thrones that man
Is too ignorant to govern himself. Their
partisans assert his incapacity in refer
ence to all nations: If they cannot COM
mand universal assent to the proposition,
1t is then remanded to partcu ar nations;
and our pride and our presumption too
often make converts of us. | contend
that 1t Is to arraign the disposition of
Providence Himself, to suppose that He
has created beings incapable of governs
ing themselves and to be trampled on by
kings, Self-government Is the natural
government of man.
Clay was right There are degrees
of proficiency in the art of self-govern-
ment. but 1t Is a reflection upon the Crea-
tor to say that He denied to any people
the capacity of government Once
sef-government. and that others are not,
and that the capable people have right
TO seize upon and govern the incapable
and you make force-brute force-the only
reign of the despot / am not will
ing TO believe that an all-wise and an
all-loving God created the Filipinos, and
then left them thousands of years helpless
until the islands attracted the attention
Repubicans ask: shall we haul down
the flag that floats over our dead In the
Philippines" The same question might
have been asked when the American flag
fioated over Chapultepec and waved over
the dead who fell there: but the tourist
who visits the City of Mexico finds there
a national cemetery owned by the United
States and cared for by an American
citizen. Our flag still floats over our
dead but when the treaty with Mexico
was signed American authority withdrew
to the Rio Grande, and | venture the
opinion that during the last so years the
people of Mexico have made more progress
under the stimulus of independence and
government than they would have
made under carpet-bag government held
-. Is..,v Nh.. Tod Ctat
and Mexico, friendly republics, are each
stronger and happier than they would
have been had the former been cursed and
the latter crushed by an imperialistic pol
ley, disguised as benevolent assimila-
ton"
Responsibility of the Nation.
Can we not govern coloniesY' we are
asked. The question Is not what we can
do, but what we ought to do. This nation
can do whatever it desires to do, but 1t
must accept responsibility fcr what 1t does
II the constitution stands In the way, the
people can amend the constitution. re-
peat, the nation can do whatever 1t desires
to do, but 1t cannot avoid the natural and
legitimate results of Its own conduct Inc
young man upon reaching his majority
the teachings of his parents; he can tram
pie upon all that he has been taught to
consider sacred; he can dlsobey the laws
Of the state. the laws of society and the
his life and make his very existence a curse
to his fellow men, and he can bring his
father and mother In sorrow 10 the grave,
but he cannot annul the sentence: The
nation. II is of age, and It can do what II
pleases; IT can spurn the traditions of the
past; 1t can repudiate the principles upon
which the nation rests; 1t can employ iorce
instead of reason: It can substitute might
for right; It can conquer weaker people;
1t can exploit their lands appropriate their
property and Kill. their people, but 1t cannot
repeal the moral law or escape the punish
ment decreed for the violation OF human
rights
Would we tread in the paths OF tyranny,
Nor reckon the tyrants cost?
Who taketh another's liberty,
His freedom Is also lost.
Would we win as the strong have ever won,
Make ready to pay the debt
For the God who reigned over Babylon
is the God who is reigning yet"
Some argue that American rule in the
Philippine Islands will result In the better
education of the Filipinos, BE not de-
ceived. II we expect to maintain colon
ial policy we shall not find IL to our ad-
vantage to educate the people. The edu-
Gated Filipinos are now In revolt against
US, and the most Ignorant ones have made
the least resistance to our domination. II
We are to govern them without their con-
sent and give them no voice In determining
the taxes which they must pay, we dare not
educate them, lest they learn to Rad tn,
declaration Of Independence and the con
us for our inconsistency,
The principal arguments, however ad.
Vanced by those VINO enter upon defense
OF Imperialism are:
First, That we must improve the present
opportunity to become a world power and
enter into International politics.
Second That our commercial interests IN
the, Philippine Islands and In the orient
make max, II necessary for us to hold the Is
Third, That the spread OF the Christian
religion VIII be facilitated by a colonial
policy
Fourth That there IL no honorable re.
treat from the position which the nation
has taken,
The first argument Is addressed to the
nations pride and the second to the na.
tons pocketbook. The third is Intended
for the church member and the fourth for
the partisan.
Growth OF n Principle.
It Is a sufficient answer to the frs, argu-.
ment to say that for more than century
this nation has been n world power For
ten decades II has been the most potent
influence IN the world, Not only has II
been world power, but II has done more
TO affect the politics OF the human race
than all the other nations of the world
combined, Because our declaration of IN
uependence was promulgated others have
been promulgated Because The patriots
Of l776 fought for liberty others have
fought for H. because our constitution
was adopted, other constitutions have
been adopted. The growth of the prncl-
pie OF self.government planted on Amer
lean soil has been the overshadowlng
poll teal fact of the nineteenth century
1t has made this nation conspicuous
among the nations and given II Il place
In history such as no other nation has
ever enjoyed, Nothing has been able 10
check the onward march OF this idea,
am not willing that this nation snail cart
aside the omnipotent weapon OF truth to
seize again the weapon of physical war.
fare, ! would not exchange the glory Of
this republic for the glory Of all the EN-.
pires that have risen and fallen since tlmo
began
The permanent chairman OF the last re-
publican national convention presented
the pecuniary argument In all It's bold
ness, when he said.
I'VE make no hypocritical protonscs OF
being Interested In the Philippines solely
on account OF others. While We regard