The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1900-08-16

BRYAN.
people? II not. how did we secure title
to them? Were they thrown in with the
land? Will the Republicans say that in
animate earth has value, and when that
earth is nodded by the Divine Hand and
stamped with the likeness Of the Creator
1t becomes n fixture and passes with the
soil! Ii governments derive their just
powers from the consent Of the governed,
1t Is impossible to secure title to people.
either by force or by purchase. We could
extinguish SPANS title by treaty. but il
We hold title We must hold it by some
method consistent with our ideas Of gov
ernment. When we made allies of the
FilipinOs and armed them to fight against
Spain. we disputed Spain's title. II we
buy Spain $ title We are not innocent pur-
chasers. But even if we had not dis
puted Spain's title, she could transfer no
greater title than she had, and her title
was based on force alone. We cannot de-
fend such title. but, us Spain gave us
quit claim deed, We can hOnOrably turn
the property over to the party in posses
sion.
Our Duty In the Philippines.
Some say that it is our duty to hold
the Philippine Islands. But duty Is not
an argument; it is conclusion. To as
certain what our duty is, in any emer-
gency, we must apply well-settled and
generally accepted principles. 1t is our
duty to avoid stealing, no matter whether
the thing to be stolen is Of great or lit
tie value. 1t is our duty to avoid killing
a human being, no matter where the hu-
man being lives or to what race or class
he belongs. Everyone recognizes the OBJ
llgation imposed upon individuals
To observe both the human and
moral. Dut, as some deny
the application OF those laws to nations. Il
may not be out Of place to quote the opin-
Ions OF Others Jefferson. than whom there
Is no higher political authority, said:
Il know Of but one code Of morality for
men. whether acting singly or collectively. /"
Franklin. whose learning. wisdom and vir-
queathed TO Us from the Revolutionary
days. expressed the same idea In even
stronger language when he said:
Justice Is as strictly due between neigh
Dor nations as between neighbOr citizens.
A highwayman Is as much a robber when
he plumbers In a gang as when singiy; and
the nation that makes an unjust war Is only
great gang"
Men may dare to do In crowds what they
would not dare to do rs individuals, but the
moral character Of an act Is not determined
by the number Of those who Join In 1t.
Force can defend q right, but force has
never yet created a right. II 1t was true,
as declared In the resolutions Of Intervention,
that the Cubans "are and Of right ought to
he free and independent" Language taken
from the Declaration Of Independence,) 1t Is
equally true that the FilipinOs ARE and Of
right ought to be free and Independent"
Who will draw 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 has no rights which
we are bound to respect? And, II the Fill
ipinos ARE and Of right ought to be free
and Independent" what right have we to
force our government upon them without
their consent? Before our duty can be as
certained, their rights must be determined
and when their rights are once determined
II Is as much our duty to respect those rights
rights Of the people Of Cuba. or the duty Of
England to respect the rights Of the Ameri-
lean colOnists. Rights never conflict; duties
never clash: Can It be our duty to usurp
political rights which belong to others: Can
1t be our duty to Kill those who. following
the example Of our fOrefathers, love liberty
well enough TO fight for It?
1t Is argued by some that the Fiiipinos
are Incapable Of self-gOvernment and that
therefore We owe 1t to the world to take
cial report to the navy department, declared
the FilipinOs more capable Of self govern
ment than the Cubans, and said that he
based his opinion upon a knowledge Of both
relative advancement Of the Filipinos. Hen
ry Clay, In defending the sights Of the peo-
pie OF South America to selfgOvernment,
said:
1T Is the doctrine Of thrones that man Is
too Ignorant to govern himself. Their par
tisans assert his incapacity In reference to
all nations; II they cannot command univer-
sal assent to the proposition. 1t Is then re-
manded to particular nations: and our pride
and our presumption too often make CON
of, ,iS I that 4 Ia 70
the disposition Of Providence Himself, to
suppose that He has created beings incapa-
BILE Of governing themselves, and to be tram
pied ON by kings. Self-government is the
natural government Of man."
Clay was right. There are degrees Of pro-
ficiency in the art of self-gOvernment, but
II Is reflection upon the Creator to say that
he denied TO any people the capacity Of self
Once admit that some people
are capable Of self-government and that 9th
ers are not, and that the capable people
have right to seize upon and govern the
Incapable. and you make force-brute force
the only foundation OF government and in
vite the reign of the despOt.
Chapultepec n Precedent.
Republicans ask: .Shall We haul down
the nag that floats oyer our dead In the
Philippines!" The same question might
have been asked when the American flag
foated 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 citi-
zen. Our flag still floats over our dead. but
when the treaty with Mexico was signed,
American authority withdrew to the Rio
and l venture the opinion that dur
Ing the last fifty years the people Of Mex
leo have made more progress under the
stimulus of Independence and self govern
ment than they would haFe made under a
government held In place by
bayonets. The United States and Mexico.
republics, are each stronger and
happier than they would have been had the
former been cursed aud the latter crushed
BY an imperialistic policy, disguised Us be
nevolent assimilation"
Can We not govern colOnies! We are ask
sd. The question Is not what We can do, but
what we ought to do. This nation can do
.ept responsibility for what 1t does. IL the
stands In the way. the people
AN amend the Constitution. l repeat. the
nation can do whatever 1t desires To do. hut
L cannot avoid the natural and legitimate
results Of its own conduct. The young man
Ipon reaching his majority can do what he
pleascs. He can disregard the teachings of
his parents; he can trample upon all that
le has been taught to consider sacred: he
AN disabey the laws of the state. the laws
# society and the laws of God He can
stamp failure upon his life and make his
cry existence a curse to his fellow men.
md he can bring his father and neither In
'Jrrow tn the grave. hut he cann1t annul
he sentence, THE wages Of sin is death"
And So with this nation. 1t Is Of age. and 1t
AN do what 1t pleases; 1t can spurn the tra-
litions of the past: II can repudiate the
principles upon which the nation rests: II
an employ force instead Of reason: IL can
substitute might for right: 1t can conquer
weaker people; II can exploit their lands. ap-
,ropriate their property and kill their peO-
lie: but 1t cannot repeal the moral law or
.scape the punishment decreed for the vi0-
alton Of human rights.
Some arene that American rule In the