The Indianapolis world., 1900-01-27

ton, by object lessons, in an event he
cannot forget if he would; it was
burned into his memory in the cruel
BILE of the greatest war of all the ages,
aad hence it is that his faith is an
chored to the theory of government
by consent. He knows that there
are only two kinds of government, one
of which is that of force, the other
that of consent. That in the former,
might makes right, while in the latter
right alone can make right. He sub
scribes without reservation to Abra-
ham Lincoln's declaration that here
in America man is the only king
known TO the law, and that money and
commerce are his servants. He also
maintains with the great Lincoln that
other elementary doctrine-that "when
one man claims the right to govern
himself, that is self government, but
when ono man claims the right to gov
ern himself, and also the right to gov
ern another man, that would be ty-
ranry."
The Union veteran is diligent stu
dent of history and Of current events;
he has read, anu studied with care,
the speech delivered in the Senate
January 0, 1900, by Senator Beveridge
on the Philippine question, and he
realizes that it is at variance with GER
tain fundamental principles that the
veteran has been taught all his life
we're absolute essentials to our nation
al life. These are: First, the right of
the American people under the Con-
stitution, to control and govern the
people of the Philippine Islands. The
SeneAor says, 1.-The times call for can
dor" Let US then be candid, and as
honest as we are candid.
From what competent authority has
the United States obtained the right
to control aud govern the Philippine
Islsnds? This is the elementary and
paramount question in the controver
sy. The American people (they are
the Government) cannot claim the
right by conquest, because they OFF,
cially declared, before the war with
Spain began, on the solemn pledge Of
their national honor, the highest
pledge they could make, that they did
not go to war for conquest" that the
war would be waged in the sacred in
terests Of humanity; heEce it is that
the right cannot originate in conquest,
aud If not from il, then from what
comuetent source could it emanate?
Have the people of the islands petit
toned our Government TO control
and govern them?
1t is the truth, that no Am lrican pa
triot can afford to crush by force of
arms people who were our allies in
the war with Spain, and who have
pleaded and petitioEed, and are now,
in their weakness, fighting for the
right to govern themselves.
Second, Senator Beyeridge declares
"that not to exceed one thousand per-
sons in all the islands are capable of
seIf-government;" and he also says
"that the people of the islands of Pa
luan, Sulu and Mindanao must be
ruled indefinitely by the strictest mil
i.ary government" If this is the
truth, then, the veteran will ask, CAP
the great Republic, that derives all of
its powers from the people, engage in
the business of establishing "the
strictest military government in three
of the islands" a ';catch-as-catch-best-
can" form of government in the rest
Of the archipelago? The Nation is
where it must decide whether in the
future it is to be government by con-
sent or by force. Neither those now
in authority nor their master s--the
people-can evade this question. If
self-government is the true theory of
government; if our patriot fathers did
not fight and die in vain; if the I'm
ion veterans from 1861 to 1863 were
right in preserving the Constitution
then the Senator must be in error in
his argument and in his conclusions.
The veteran will repeat, there are only
two kinds of Government-one of
force, the other by consent. These
are as unlike as heat and cold. 10
L.
right, and the Kirg can do 10 wrong
In government by consent right alone
max might, aud no question Is ever
settled until it is settled right. SO II
will be with this Philippine question.
II must be settled right. 1t cannot be