The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-06-09
GOVERNMENT BY
BRUTE FORCE.
By {. S. Suprem9 Court Justice
David ]. Brewer.

It is said that the AngIo-Saxon race
has manifested 4 capacity TO govern well;
that we are OF that race, and that, there
fore, we could well govern the Philippine
Islands as colonies. l do not question
the capacity of the race well and wisely
to govern others. 1 object to the Phil
ippine policy because it antagonizes the
principles upon which this Government
was founded, which have controlled its
life up 10 the present time, and the per
lection of which has been the hope and
aspiration of every true American
Government by consent and govern
ment by force, no matter how well the
government may be administered, are
two essentially antagonistic principles
Doubtless no immediate conflict viii fol-
low We may see a large measure of
prosperity; but are we not sowing the
seeds which in the days to come viii
grow up into a harvest of trouble for our
children and our ehiIdren's chiIdren3
A necessity of colonial possessions is
an increase in our regular army. and the
first increase proposed is from 10000 to
100000 men. It IS a strange commentary
that at the close of the nineteenth cen
fury the head of the most arbitrary
government in the civilized world. the
Gear of the Russias, is inviting the ma
tons Of the world to a decrease in their
arms, while this, the freest land, IS pro-
posing an increase in it's Yet such seems
to be the imperative need. If we enter
upon the system Of colonial expansion.
Now, the great economic problem in
this country is not how can a few men
make more money and pile up larger for
tunes, but how can the great body OF the
people make a fair and comfortable liE-
ing2 The right to work is again and
again insisted upon as more important
than the right to vote, and the cry of the
right to work is supplemented by the cry
that the State furnish work to all who
cannot obtain it elsewhere
Are we likely to aid in solving this
problem by bringing into our national
life 10000, 900 or 1900, coo Of unskilled
I Malay Iaborers? We have shut the
doors against the Chinese. Are they any
worse than the Malay? Shall we intro
duce IN this nation more cheap labor2
do not wonder at the action of the Fed
GRAFTON of Labor IN protesting against
/ a new competition of cheap labor as well
as an increase Of the army, with its con-
| seduent increase of burden and taxation
4 on the employed laborer-
But there Is money in it. And after
/ all this IS really the most potent factor
/ in the proposed reaching out after the
1 islands Of the Orient The wealth Of
/ Ormus and Of Ind IS to-day as IN the
| days of Milton, the expectation and the
+ dream of many Possession of the
I Orient. with its accumulated wealth OF
/ centuries, dazzIes the Imagination and
confuses the Judgment The haze OF
mystery hangs over that vast domain
| Wealth untold IS believed to be there
| ready to be appropriated by any domi
nant power
The problem we have sought to worl
| cut in this nation IS that of government
| of and by and for the people 4 greai
| nation upon that principle seems posi-
bic only under a federal system. a sys
TEN which relegates al matter of loca
! interest to the several States, and exer