The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-07
STRONG TALK BY HIRSCH.

letter from DR.. Emil G. Hirsch, Of Chicago,
to !. Blumenthad on the pending political situa.
tion has been made public. In it Dr. Hirsch
considers the present political situation at length
lie writes:
81 cannot make Up my mind because some
details OF my party's policy fail OF my approval.
to conhde the direction Of the nations affairs
N party whose fundamental principles on al.
most every question are Numerically opposed 10
What deem essential for the continued prosper.
ity OF our country. The cry Of militarism cannot
frighten me; the day will never dawn when con-
seription will he thought OF proposed or en-.
forced by any president Of law in this republic
II do not like the position in which we fnd
ourselves with reference to the Philippine islands
But calm study of the matter has confirmed my
first impression that there was no helping Of the
difficulties unless we had resolved from the very
outset to leave the Philippines TO their own fats.
To do this would have been dishonorablc. IL
would have amounted to shiFking responsibility
for situation which we helped to create. II
would have exposed every white resident Of the
island to such treatment as is now accorded the
foreigners in China by the party OF Chinese indie.
pendence the Boxers. Nor would our aban-
donmcnt OF the islands have led to their indie
pendence or to the greater happiness OF the peo-
pie. Some foreign power or other would speed
lily have sailed up the bay il under no other pre-
text than that civilization demanded the cessa-
tion OF bloodshed which undoubtedly would have
ensucd Immediately upon the departure Of our
| TROOPS.
"The Democratic platform does not declare
| that we have no duties in the islands. 1t as
| sumes that we responsible TO the world for
| the establishment there and also for the con-
| tinuance Of the independence OF that government
| from foreign aggression and interference. ]
| could understand that we might declare our.
| selves for immediate abandonment Of the islands
ture fate. But the scheme OF our opponents
amounts to saddling upon us responsibility with
out corresponding authority and without the pos
| sibility Of protecting ourselves against the fol-
| lies or wickedness OF the Philippine people. With.
out the consent OF the powers We cannot establish
| a protectorate II we do establish one without
the consent Of the other powers we must be pre-
| pared to have claim disputed and our desires
| ignored. This will lead to interminable difRcul-
ties. 1t will force us to be prepared TO go to
war at any moment with any power, This will
open the door to the very militarism which our
opponents so Justify now decry. We should have
| 20 be ready to draw the sword in behalf Of the
Philippine people without the slightest right to
direct their affairs in a waS which will avoid
trouble with other nations
81 see only one of two alternatives II we
have no business IN the philippines then it Is
not our affair 10 see to 1t that stable gov,
| ernment he established there and it is not our
business to protect them to have any OF their
responsibilities. II we have any business there,
then for our own sake it is essential that our au'
thority shall not be less than our responsibility
For these reasons agree with Senator Hoar.
prefer to trust Mckinley and influence the policy
OF my party later in a way to give the distant
islands the best and freest government possible.
| cannot trust a party that has been instrumental
in forcing the adoption OF the treaty in the
| senate and now holds the president responsible
for doing his duty. That treaty made the
islands the property OF the United States. The
president had under that treaty no choice but
to enforce obedience to the laws OF the United
States. cannot trust a party which is SC
anxious for the rights OF the PHILIPPINES and
tramples these sacred rights under foot in ouI
own land in the South. The consent of the gov
erned is apparently not REQUIRED when the gov
erned are negroes. ! cannot eonhde in the prom
ises of a party that would dishonor the faith o.
our land and build upon foundation OF fnancia
insanity"