Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-08-31

irresponsibility permeates the entire
fabric, and stealing and spoliation by
subordinates follow as night succeeds
the day. Shortly before the conven-
ton Of 1856 man of some promi-
nence then and later said: "When
the white man governs himself, that
is self-government; but when he gov
erns himself and also governs another
man, that is more than self-govern-
ment-that is despotism.
"What 1 do say is, that no man IS
good enough to govern another man
without that others consent.
Little by little, but steadily as mans
march to the grave, we may have been
giving up the old for the new faith.
Near eighty years ago we began by de-
claring that all men are created equal /;
but now from that beginning we have
run down to the other declaration
that for some men to enslave others is
a sacred right of self-government.'
These principles cannot stand to-
gether. They are as opposite as God
and Mammon."
The utterer of these words was Alb
raham Lincoln. Was he a Republi-
can or not? Measured by the stand
ard of 1856, plainly he was. Judged
by the test which will govern the Phil.
adelphia convention Of this year, just
as plainly he was not.
The Philadelphia convention of
1856 declared in its platform that it
was "both the right and the impera-
tive duty OF Congress to prohibit in
the territories those twin relics of bar
barism-polygamy and slavery" The
Republican party OF that time, in
obedience to this mandate, and i'm
proving the opportunity created by
the great Civil War, did far more. At
n cost in blood and treasure beyon
computation, it emancipated a race
and secured the adoption of an amend
ment to our constitution which for
ever prohibits slavery or involuntary
except upon due conviction
of crime, in all places "within the
United States, or subject to their ju-
10 like manner it by law
full means extirpated polygamy within
our borders.
The Philadelphia Convention which
you ask me to attend will, by its plat
form approve the work OF an Admin
istration which, claiming to have SUBJ
dued the Sultanate OF Sulu, neverthe-
less is in treaty with its Sultan, where
by it guarantees the integrity OF his
dominions and promises to protect him
in maintaining his slave barracoon
and his harem of wives. And not only
has it thus given him immunity for
his breach of our organic and statute
law, but it has put a premium upon
those twin relics of barbarism" by
paying him a yearly stipend for con-
tinuing to be a lawbreaker. And by
way of sarcasm on our campaign cry
Of 1896, it pays him the bounty in
those sinful and utterly dishonest
Mexican dollars!
The Convention of 1900 will be ex.
pected to, and SO will, loudly endorse
the foreign policy of the administra.
ton, which has been so far recreant to
all our traditions of national indepen-
dence of action and American man
hood as to negotiate and ask the Sen.
ate to ratify treaty whereby at q
time when Congress has made provi
sion for waterway designed also to
bring us nearer to our Pacific posses
sions over territory conceded to us by
an independent power, and hence as
much ours as if it were passing ovei
one OF our own watersheds, we obligatt
ourselves to Great Britain never tc
fortify the canal thus to be built with
our own means on territory not at al
under her jurisdiction. thus surrender
ing to her navy in advance in time o
war potential title to our own prop
erty.
And the same administration has
refused to allow the bill for the con-
struction OF the canal 10 come to {
vote in the Senate, in order that time
may be gained and the requisite pres
sure brought to bear upon Legislation
to consummate this abject flunkeyisn
which has become characteristic o
our State Department as now occupied
and administered. To Republican
of 1856 this fawning sycophancy t.
the most selfish OF nations is nauseat
ing.
The Republican party OF its earl!
history was, above all things else,
party of the people. 1t was organized
to voice the protests of the man!
against the aggressions of the few. 1
found the government in the hands o
compact organization, insignificant
in numbers and not respectable in po
litical methods, but who held par
of their fellow-men as slaves and mad'
the rest of the people slave catchers
1t was, in more modern language,
gigantic trust OF land and labor, which
undertook to monopolize and contro
that product OF Gods earth OF which
the world was supposed to stand mos
in need, and which was therefore de
a. 4. ~ Al, zropthrnV