River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1900-09-06

by the consideration that II would be i'm
possible TO govern IL when acquired
Speaking my own opinion, / would hold
the philippines permanently and not pro-
Vislonaily. / would, from time to time, as
their people demonstrate their capability
give them the fullest power Of self-govern-
ment they are capable of exercising
would do as Great Britain did with a race
OF the same stock In the Straits settle
inents, where 50 years ago she found bar
oarous population ruled by three separate
sultans. making war on each other and in
resting the seas with piracy. Little by lit
We she mas given them self-government un-
III their self-administration Is now almost
complete 1t is one OF the most produc-
tive, prosperous and peaceful communities
In the world. II is loyal to the mother state
ana It's soldiers stand ready TO be mar
shaieu IN arms for the protection of hnF
sovereignty and for civilization In China
The conditions and situations as to Cuba
ana the philippines are not the same. Wa
never had sovereignty over Cuba. We have
sovereignty over the Philippines When
we interviewed as between Cuba and Spaiu
the cubans were in arms fighting for their
independence and were practically bel
Hgerents. When we invaded the Philip
pines the natives were not in arms We
never promised to give independence to
them and they did net demand ID at that
time. Before we Mvaded Cuba, in the
very declaration of war against Spain. this
government did promise TO give independ-
ehce 70 that island. We made no such
promise as to Porto Rico. Our title to Porto
Rico and the Philippines rests upon the
same incontestable basis, and yet I have
not heard that even the democracy pur-
poses or wishes TO erect Porto Rico into
an independent state
In declaring that we will convene con-
gress Tor these purposes, Mr.. Bryan
he Al z
his own position. II elected president of
the United States he will became the COM
mander In chief of the army and navy
conducting a war which he and the plat
form upon which he stands asserts to be
a criminal aggression against a people who
ought to be independent. AS such COM
mander In chief. holding TO such princi-
pies. he would have the right to withdraw
every man from the Philippines cause our
squadron to sail out of Manila bay, to en-
tirely eyacuate the archipelago, and-to
use his own language-leave their people
to work out their own destiny AS presi-
dent he could recognize the existence and
independence of the Philippine republic. A
bold man. holding such views as these
and with such powers, would say that
he intended to use them But there Mr..
Bryan halts and recoils. He purposes to
throw the responsibility upon congress,
well knowing that republican SEN
action as he proposes to recommend would
receive the least sanction.
Il shall not detain you with any discus
sion of this bug-bear of militarism. We
are crippled to-day by the inadeQuaey of
our military force in performing our mani
fest duties as to our people In China. The
events in that empire demonstrate as did
our unprepared condition at the begin
ming of the Spanish war. how suddenly and
Unexpectedly crises may arise which Will
call for the exercise of our military power
and find 1t entirely lacking. A nation Of
100000 of free people vast in extent, need
have no fear that an empire will be erected
upon the ruins Of the republic by the scat
tered forces of an army of 100000 men.
But If an increased army leads to mil
itarism so does an increased navy, and yet
We hear no word of protest from the demo-
cratic party against that. because such a
protest would be carrying the argument
too far; and yet a navy in the establish
ment of militarism or Imperialism, could
reduce our coast cities could attack Wash
ington, could hold the arsenals and strate-
gic points on all our shores. and do as much
as, and possibly more than an army could
toward the overthrow of this government
or the change of it's form. a small Bra
lillian navy did this once a to Brazil and
attempted it again. The truth is there
is no danger from either these great arms
of our military service. They are the right
hand and the left hand of our power and
defense at home and abroad. Their officers
and men are as loyal as Grant and Sher-
man and Sheridan and Farragut and Por-
ter and Worden and their soldiers and sail
ors were In their time
IF the existence of the republican par
ty should be closed to-day its history would
be that of the most sacred, of a pro-
tective system under which the United
States has become the greatest manufac-
turing nation in the world, of a general in
dustrial development which sustains TO-
900, 900 of people, of a financial system
which has created an unimpeachable credit.
of all the blessings which civilization can
confer upon humanity.
But its existence will not end this year,
nor for many years to come. Its august
mission is not yet performed. So long
as it represents, as it does now, the national
prosperity and honor, national growth
with renown and right, national prestige
in the relations of the United States with
foreign powers as the result of the neu-
trality of a puisant nation. safe in the
enjoyment of all its rights, because of its
manifest ability to cause other nations
TO respect them, the republican party will
shape the destinies of the American peo-
ple.'