The Bemidji pioneer., 1900-09-06

i RVWUAS ASy tNSuCh kSAchNAOho Vac ohltCh
States would be involved in wars at the
discretion Of Its own ward.
4 The Monroe doctrine is perverted in this
declaration. It is solely applicable, in
/ the very nature of things, to the Western
i hemisphere and to the interests Of the
1 United States therein. IT Is prohibitory
| Of the acquisition Of North and South
American territory by any European pow
| er. 1t does not prohibit any such power
/ from waging war against any Central or
/ South American republic. War is the
] EXTREMIST interference by one government
with another, and Europe had done war
/ like acts many times against those states
without any protection to them by us.
| OUR SOVEREIGN TITLE TO THE
PHILIPPINES.
Spain had the sovereignty OF the Phil
| ippines as completely as 1t had that Of
FLORIDA, or as France had that of Louisi-
ana or Mexico that Of the coded prov
inces, or Russia that of Alaska, or the
Republic of Hawaii that Of the Hawaiian
| islands. Our title from Spain to the
Philippines Is as unauestionable as our
| title to any of the other cessions The
present armed resistance against that
| title is rebellion and treason, abetted by
the Democratic party.
BRYAN AND THE TREATY.
While the commissioners We're negoti-
ating the treaty of Paris, not word came
| from this country, from sea or shore or
| the chambers of the air, that they should
not insist upon the cession Of those ISL
| ands. 1t was rot until 1t was seen that
| a party advantage might be gained by
resisting the treaty in the senate that any
Democratic opposition to 1t was displayed.
But Mr., Bryan appeared In Washington
and urged It's ratification by the senate.
| He suggested no amendment, the adop-
ton or the rejection of which would
justify his present theories. The words
that "the civil rights and political status
of the native inhabitants Of the territory
hereby ceded to the United States shall
be determined by the congress, We're In
the treaty and were directly In opposition
to his present contention, and yet no
amendment was suggested. Twenty mill
! lion dollars were to be paid to put what
/ to him is now "a barren scepter ].
| in an unlineal hand" yet no amendment
| was suggested that would have saved
I this enormous sum by rejecting the ces-
| sion entirely and allowing Spain to re-
tain the islands. Mr.. Bryan says that he
| advised the ratification of the treaty In
I order to stop the war. But the war had
been stopped for months by an armistice
| which by its terms was to continue pend
ing the negotiations, and the consldera-
| ton Of any treaty by the senate is a part
Of its negotiations, 4
In other words, MFR, Bryan advised that
the United States take from Spain UNI.
,41yn eo
without suggesting or advising any
amendment or saying single word about
"the consent Of the governed, 4 with the
prominent clause standing In the conven-
ton comforting upon congress the right
| to determine the civil rights and political
status OF the native inhabitants. Nor
| was word heard of the limitations or
/ prohibitions OF the Constitution.
| INCONSISTENCIES OF BRYAN'S
/ PLAN.
4 Mr.. Bryan, iE: his speech OF acceptance,
declares that II elected he will convene
1 congress In extraordinary session st once
| and recommend first, the establishment
/ of stable form Of government in the
/ Philippine islands, just as We are now es-
] tabiishing stable form of government
/ in Cuba; second. to give Independence to
1.-The Filipinos just as we have promised to
give independence to the Cubans; third.
| to protect the FiIipinos from outside In
reference while they work out their des-
tiny. -
t / have elsewhere considered the self
contradictory character OF these PROPOSE
| tons as tested by the declarations OF the
| platform adopted at Kansas City.
9I will only add that the conditions
and situation as to Cuba and the
Philippines n e not the same. We
never had sovereignty over Cubn,
we have sovereignty over the Phil
ippines. Fesl sst1 "a
When we interviewed as between Cuba
and Spain the Cubans were in arms fight
ing for their independence and were prac-
tically belligerents. When we invaded
the Philippines the natives were not in
arms. We never promised to give inde-
pendence to them and they did not de-
mand 1t at that time. Before we invaded
Cuba. In the very declaration OF war
against Spain, this government did prom
Use to give Independence TO that Island.
We made no such promises Us to Porto
Rico.
Our title to Porto Rico and the
Philippines rest upon the same In
cOntestabIc basis, and yet nave NOT
heard TINT even the Democracy pnr-
noses or wishes to erect Porto Rico
into an Independent state.
In declaring that he, will convene con-
gress for these purposes Mr.. Bryan
shrinks from the logical consequences Of
his own position. II elected president or
the United States he will become the
commander-in- of the army and
navy conducting war which he and the
platform upon which he stands assert TO
be terminal aggression" against peo-
pie who ought to be independent.
AN such commander-in-chief, hold
ing to such principles, lie would
hay. the right to withdraw every
mnIs from the Philippines, cause our
squadron to sail out of Manila bay,
TO entirely evncuate the archfpeI-
ago, and--tO use his own lanSnnge--
leave their people to work ont their
own destiny.
AS president he could recognize the ex-
istence and independence of the Philip
pine republic. A bold man, holding such
views as these and with such powers,
would say that he intended to exercise
them. but here MIR. Bryan halts and re-
coils. He purposes to throw the respon-
sibility upon congress, well knowing that
| with a Republican senate and house Of
representatives no such action as he pro-
| poses to recommend would receive the