The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1900-09-10
would our political adversaries

III mas Deen asserted that there would
have been no fighting in the Philippines II
Congress had declared its purpose to give
independence to the Tagal insurgents. The
insurgents did not wait for the action of
Congress. They assumed the offensive
they opened fire army
The American people are asked by our
opponents to yield the sovereignty of the
United States in the Philippines to a
small fraction of the population, a single
tribe out of eighty or more inlAabiting the
archipelago, faction which wantonly at
tackled the American troops in Manila
while in rightful possession under the pro-
tocoi with SPAIN awaiting the ratification
OF the treaty of peace by the Senate, and
which has since been in active, open rebel
lion against the United States. We are
asked to transfer our sovereignty to a
small minority in the islands without con-
sulting the majority and to abandon the
largest portion of the population, which
has been loyal to us, to the eruelties of
the guerilla insurgent bands. More than
this, we are asked to protect this minori-
ty In establishing government and to this
end repress, all opposition of the majority.
we are required to set up a stable gov
eminent in the interest of those who have
assafled our sovereignty and fired upon
our soldiers and then maintain 1t at any
cost or sacrifice against its enemies with
in and against those having ambitious de-
signs from without.
This would require an army and navy
FAR larger than is now maintained In the
Philippines and still more in excess of
what Will be necessary with the full recog-
milton OF our sovereignty. A military sup
port of authority not our own as thus pro-
posed is the very essence of militarism,
which our opponents in their platform op-
pose, but which by their policy would of
necessity be established in it's most Of
fensive form.
If any who favored its ratification be-
heved 1t gave us bad title, they were
not sincere. Our title is practically identi-
cal with that under which we hold our
territory acquired since the beginning of
the government, and under which we have
exercised full sovereignty and established
government for the inhabitants.
1t is worthy of note that no one outside
| of the United States disputes the fullness
and integrity of the cession. What then
| is the real issue on this subject? Whether
| 1t is paramount to any other or not it is
| whether we shall be responsible for the
government of the Philippines with the
sovereignty and authority which enables
us to guide them to regulated liberty law,
safety and progress, or whether we shall
be responsible for the forcible and arb-
trary government of a minority without
sovereignty and authority on our part, and
with only the embarrassment of a protec-
torate which draws us into their troubles
without the power of preventing them.
There were those who two years ago
were rushing us on to war with Spain who
are unwilling now to accept its clear con-
sequences, as there are those among us who
advocated the ratification of the treaty of
| peace, but now protest against it's obliga-
| tons. Nations which go to war must be
prepared to accept its resultant obligations,
| and when they make treaties must keep
them.
| Those who profess to distrust the liberal
| and honorable purposes of the administra-
| ton in its treatment of the Philippines are
not justified. Imperialism has no place in
its creed or conduct. Freedom is rock
upon which the Republican party was
| builded and now rests. Liberty is the great
| republican doctrine for which the people
went to war. and for which a million lives
| were offered and billions of dollars expended
| to make it a lawful legacy of all without
| the consent of masters or slave.
hypocracy in the anxiety to extend
the constitutional guarantees to the people
| of the Philippines, while their notification
| is openly advocated al home. Our opponents
| may distrust themselves, but they have no
| right to discredt the good faith and pa
| triotism of the majority of the people, who
| are opposed to them; they may fear the
worst form of imperialism with the helpless
| Filipinos in their hands; but If they do, 1t
| is because they have parted with the spirit
| and faith of the fathers and have lost the
| virlity of the founders of the party which
| they profess to represent.
| The Republican party doesn't have to as
| sert It's devotion to the Declaration of In
/ dependence. That immortal instrument Of
1 the fathers remained unexecuted until the
people under the lead of the Republican
party in the awful clash of battle turned
/ its promises into fulfilment 1t wrote into
! the constitution the amendments guaran-
| teeing political equality to American citi-
zenship and 1t has never broken them or
| counselled others in breaking them. 1t will
not be guided in its conduct by one set Of
principles at home and another set In the
new territory belonging to the United
| States.
| If our opponents would only practice as
| we'll as preach the doctrines of Abraham
| Lincoln there would be fear for the
safety of our institutions at home or their
rghtful influences in any territory over
| which our flag floats
| The American question is between duty
| and desertion-the American verdict will
| be for duty and against desertion, for the
| Republic is against both anarchy and i'm
perialism
The country has been fully advised Of
the purposes of the United Sttaes in China,
| and they will be faithfully adhered 10 as
| already defined.
| The nation is filed with gratitude that
the little band, among them many of our
| own blood. who for months have been sub
4 jected to privations and peril by the at
| lacks of pitiless hordes at the Chinese
| CAPITAL exhibiting supreme courage In the
| face of despair have been enabled by
| Gods favor to greet their rescuers and find
shelter under their own flag.
| The people not alone Oh tnlS land put
| of all lands have watched and prayed
| through the terrible stress and protracted
| agony of the helpless sufferers in Pekin,
| and while at times the dark tidings seemed
| to make all hope vain, the rescuers never
| faltered in the heroic fulfillment of their
| noble task.
| We are grateful to our own soldiers and
| sailors and marines, and to all the brave
| men who though assembled under many
| standards representing peoples and races.
| strangers in country and speech were yet
| united In the sacred mission of carrying
| succor to the besieged. with a success that
| is now the cause of a worlds rejoicing.
| Mot only have we rea son for thanksgfy-