The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1900-08-10

partisans assert his incapacity IN refer
ence to all nations: II they cannot com
maud universal assent 10 the uronozfrfor,
1t IS then renanded 10 particular nations:
and our pride ana our presumption too
often make converts OF Us I contend
that II Is to arraign the disposition OF
has created beings incapable Of eOvern-
ing themselves. and to be trampled on BY
kings Selt-goyernment is the natural
government Of man"
Clay was right There are degrees
OF proficiency IN the art Of self-goTern-
ment, but II is a reflection upon the Crea-
tor to say that He denied TO anv nsonIa
the capacity OF Self-EOvernmenr- Once
admit that some people are capable Of
self-gOveTnment, and that others are not
and that the capable people have a rfght
TO seize upon and govern the incapable
foundation Of government and invite the
reign Of the deSDOt- I am not will
all-loT1ng God created the Filipinos. and
then left them thousands Of years heIDless
until the islands attracted the attention
of European nations.
Republicans ask: Shall we haul down
the flag that floats over our dead in the
Philippines The same question might
have been asked when the AuerfcaD f7e[
f1oated over Chapultepec and waved over
tie dead who fen there. but the fo71rf-t
who visits the City OF Mexico fnds there
q 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 u-frhdrav-
/
opinion that during the last 50 years the
people Of Mexico have made more progress
under the stimulus Of Independence and
self-goYernnenJ Ihan they would have
made under a carpet-bag government held
in place by bayonets- The United States
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
t ion disguised as benevolent azsimila-
Responsibility OF the Nation.
Can we not govern colonies2'' we are
asked The question is not what we can
do, but what We ought TO 90. This nation
can DO whatever II desires to do but II
must accept responsibility for what IL does
If the constitution stands in the way, the
people can amend the constitution re-
peat. the nation can do whatever it desires
TO do, but II cannot avoid the natural ana
iseitirnsfe results OF It's own conduct The
young man upon reaching MS majority
can do what ne pleases- He can disregard
the teachings Of his PARENTS he can tram
pie upon all that he has been taught 70
consider sacred; he can dtsObey the laws
OF the state, the laws OF society and the
laws Of God He can stamp failure upon
his Life and make his very existence curse
to his fellow men, and he can bring his
father and mother IN sorrow 70 the gTSXe5
out ne cannot annu4 the sentence, ne ne
wages Of sin is death" And so with this
nation It is OF age, and IL can DO what II
pleaSeS; II can spurn the traolJons OF ln6
past; il can repUdiate the principles upon
which the nation rests: ii can employ force
instead Of reason il can substitute might
for right: II can conquer weaker people,
it can exploit their lands, appropriate their
property and kill their peOplei but II 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 tyrant's cOst2
Who taketh another's liberty,
His freedom is also lost
I. Would We win as the strong have ever wons
Make ready to pay the debt
For the Cod who reigned over BABYLON
Is the God who is reigning yet
Some argue that American rule in the
Philippine Islands viii result in the better
education Of the FilipinOs. Be not de-
ceived. If we expect to maintain a colon
fal policy We shall not find IL to our ad-
vantage to educate the people. The edu-
9 Gated F1lpinOs are now in revolt against
the least resistance to our domination If
We are TO govern them without their con-
the taxes which they must pay, We dare not
educate them, lest they learn to read the
declaration OF independence and the con-
sutuuon OF the United States and mock
US for our inconsistency
! Inc principal arguments, however ad-
Vanced BY those who 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 1t necessary for Us to hold the is
Third, That the spread Of the Christian
]
I policy.
Fourth. That there is no honorable re-
treat from the position which the nation
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 a Principle.
It is a sufficient answer to the first a-gu-
ment to say that for more than century
this patton has been world power. For
ten decades II has been the most potent
influence in the world Not only has fl
been a world power, but it has done more
70 airect the pohucs Of the human race
than all the other nations Of the world
combined Because our declaration Of in
dependence was promulgated, others have
been promulgated. Because the patriots
Of 1ll6 fought for liberty others have
fought for it. because our constitution
been adopted The growth OF the princi-
PIE OF sel1-gOvernments planted on Amer
lean SOIL has been the oVershadOwing
political fact OF the nineteenth century.
It has made this nation conspicuous
among the nations and given 1t a place
In history such as no other nation has
ever enjoyed Nothing has been able q
check the onward march OF this idea
am not willing that this nation snail Cas1
aside the or7rfnoteur T-pa non Of fr7rfn n
seize again the weapon Of physical war
fare. I would not exchange the glory OF
this republic for the glory Of all the en-
pires that have risen and fallen since time
began
publican national convention presented
the pecunfary argument in All its bold
ness, when he said
We make no hyDOcridcal pretenses Of
being interested In the Philippines solely
On account OF others While We regard
the welfare Of these people as & sacred
trust, We regard the welfare Of the Amer
lean people first We see our duty to our
selves as well as TO Others. We believe
in trade expansion BY every legitimate
means within the province Of government
and constitution. We mean TO stimulate
the expansion Of our trade and open
new markets"
This is the commercial argument. II
IS based upon the theory that war car
be rightly waged for Pecuniary advan-