Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-08-23
Our THE TO 7Ht t.LA>D>.
Were the +c"pie Throw il with the Ori-
"ntal Real Estate

were IA" 'c"ri" Throw 90 D with tine pri-
entail Real Estate
What is our title o. 1hr phlr,rino
Islands, DO we hold ;hru uy treaty
o. oy cOEqueStt DiG we bus them ot.
Did We take themr Dd we purcla,..
the people: If not. how did We. secure,
title to themt Were they tl.a,vu ta
with the landE VIII thc Rcpuu.cal,
say that inanimate earth lass v..u,.
aho when that earth j. moiucG ny tile
Divine Hand and slammed N-l .n.
likeness OF the Creator il hr. ...,~ "a
uAture and passes with thr ~,I. IL
governments derive their lust r.,,,r.
tfom the consent OF the governed it IS
IN possible Ia secure title 10 peoplc.
either by force or 10y purchase. We
could eNtlnSu!Sh Spain'S title los treaty.
put II We hold title we must hold .t
Oy some method consistent with our
ideas of government Wuen we made
allies of the Filipiuo> and armed them
70 buy Spain'S title we are not inno-
cent purchasers. But even If We had
not disputed SpainS title she could
transfer no greater title than she had.
ana her title was based on force alone
We cannot defend such "A title. bur rs
SPAN gave us quit claim deed We
can honorahly turn the property over
to the party in possession. Whether
any American official gave the Fill
plnoS formal assurance OF indepen-
oehce IS not material. There can De-
no doubt that we accepted AMI utilized
che services Of the EilipinOS. and thar
when we did 80 we had full knowledge
mat they were fighting for their own
Independence. and ! submit that his
tory furnishes no example of turpitude
baStr than ours If We NOW substitute
our YOKE Tor the Spanish yoke.
Let Us consider briefly. the reasons
which have been given I'm support OF
al lmpcriali>tic policy. s.. SAY that
II i our duty 10 hold tine Philippine
islands. Rut duty j. uot an argument:
II Is a conclusion. To ascertain whar
our duty is in any emergency we must
apply we'll Settled and generally ac-
cepted principles. Ii is our duty 10
avoid stealing no matter whether the
thlng 10 be stolen il of great or little
Value. Every one recognizes the Obliga-
tlon imposed upon individuals 10 oh
serve both the human and moral law.
but as some deny the application of
those laws TO nations il may not De, out
OF place 10 quote the opinion of 9th
erS. Jefferson. than whom there j. no
higher political authority. said: Il
know OF but one code 0f morality for
AuSAs NAttlltE acting SluElN or col
lectiVely. Franklin. whose ielvnin.-
wisdom and virtue are a part of the
priceless legacy hcQucathed IL us from
the revolutionary days. expressed the
same idea in even stronger language
when he said: Justice is aS strictly
due between neighbor nations rs be
tween neiShh0r citizens ="
Force can defend right. hut force
mas never yet created right. Ii il
was true, rs declared in the re>olu-
tions Of Intervention. that the Cuhans
are and OF right ought to he free and
independent" Language taken from the
Declaration of independence. il is
equally true that the Filipinos are
and OF right ought TO be free and iude-
pendent" Who will draw a
line between the natural rights of the
Cubans and the FilipinOS? Who will
say that the former has right To lib
erty and that the latter mas no rights
which we are bound to respect? And
II the FilipinOS are and of right ought
70 he free and independent" what right
nave we 10 force our government upon
them without their consent?