The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-08-15

e independent Language taken from the d.
q claration OF lndependence1 1t is equally tru
G. that the flllipinos are and OF right ought
l. be free and Independent The right OF th
q Cubans TO freedom was not based upon thei
I. proximity 10 the United States. nor upon tn
@ race or races to which they belonged. Cor
u gress by practically unanimous vote dt
e clared that sthe principles euuncisted q
IS Philadelphia In 1915 we're still alive and al
y pIcab BILE to the Cubans.
e who will draw Il line between the naturs
J rights OF the Cubans and the Filipinos
J Who will say that the former have right I
liberty and the latter have no rights whic
), pinos are and OF right ouRhtito be free an
s independ dent what right havewe to force on
: government upon them without their cor
J sent? Before our duty can be ascertainec
= IL rs much our duty TO respect those rights q
it was the duty Of Spain u respect the right
3 of the people of Cuba, orthe duty of Englan
to tor respect the rights of tee Ar,erioan colon
!. "Rights never conflict; duties never clash
Can i be onr duty 10 usurp political right
which belong to Others? Can IT. be our dut
!, to Kill those who. following the example @
our iorefaihers, love. liberty we'll enough 4
, ''Some poet has described the terror whicl
overcame soldier who, in the midst of bat
tie, discovered that he had slAtnl his brother
"'All ye are brethren Let 1s hope for th
coming ott the day when human hfe--whicl
when onn9 destroyed cannot be reatored-wil
be 80 sacred that II will never be taken excep
when necessary to punish a crime ALREADY
committed. &, 4t-.a,. - - a.
"if it is said that we have assumed befor,
the world obligations which make it neces
ernment In the Philippine Islands, reply
first that the highest obligation OF this natior
Is TO be true TO itSeff. No obligation to any
particular nation or TO all nations combined
can require the abandonment OF our theory
of government and the substitution of doc
trines against which our whole national lft
has been protest. And, second, that oul
obligations 70 the Flliptnos, who inhabit. the
island. are greater than any obligation which
we can owe 70. foreigners who have tenn
porsry residences In tie Philippines or desire
Incapable. of fselfgovernmenta and that, there
/ lore we oW6lt to the world to take control OF
them.f Admiral Dewey, in an official report
TO the navy department, declared the Fill
than the Cubans, and said that he based his
opinion upon a knowledge OF fboth races.
"But will not rest the case upon the rela.
tive advancement OF the Filipinos. Henry
South America to seifgovernment, said:
"'It is the doctrine Of thrones that man Ia
too ignorant TO govern himself. Their par
tisans assert his inoapacity in reference TO all
assent to the proposition, IL is then remanded
| 10 particular nations; and our pride and our
presumption too often make converts OF Us.
| I contend that IL Is to arralgn the disposition
has created beings incapable Of governing
themseiv yes. and to be trampled on by Kings.
Setfgogernment is the natural government OF
"Ciay swas light. There are degrees OF pro-
ficiencySfn theertIo of self government, bnt H.
Is a reaection upon the Creator 70 say that He
denied to any people the capacity OF SELF
government, and that others are not. and
that capable people have right to seize upon
and govern the incapable, and you make
force-brute force-the only foundation OF
government and invite the reign OF the
despot. ! am not willing to believe that an
all wise and all-loving God created the Fill
pinos, and then left them thousands OF years
helpless until the Islands attracted the atten-
tion OF European nations.
"Repuoicans ask: Shall we haul down
the flag that floats over our dead In the Philip
pines? . The same question might have been
asked when the American flag. floated over
fell there; but, the tourist who visits the City
of Mexico finds there a national cemetery
owned by the United States and cared for by
an American citizen. Our flag floats over our
dead, but when the treaty with Mexico was
signed, American authority Withdrew to the
Rio Grande, and venture the opinion that
during the last fifty years the people Of Mexi-
lus OF independence and selfgovern ment
than they would have made under a carpet
bag government held In place by bayonets.
"The United States and Mexico, friendly re-
publics, are each stronger and happier than
they would have been had the former been
cursed and the latter crushed by an imperial
istic policy disguised as benevolent asslmila.
tion.' Z.
"Can we not govern colonie6?" we are asked
The question Is not what we can do, but what
we ought TO do. This nation can do whatever
IT desires to do, but IL must accept RESPONSE
stands in the way the people can amend the
constitution. l repeat, the nation can do
whatever 1t desires to do, but IL cannot avoid
the natural and legitimate results OF Its own
conduct. The young man upon reaching his
majority can do as he pleases. He can disregard
the teachings OF his parents he can trample
upon all that he has been taught to consider
sacred: he can disobey the laws OF the state,
can stamp failure upon his life and make his
very existence curse 10 his fellow men, and
he can bring his father and mother In sorrow
to the grave; but he cannot annull the sentence
The wages OF sin is DEATH" And so with this
nation. 1t is Of age. and IL can do what 1t
pleases: 1t can spurn the traditions Of the past,
IL can repudiate The principles upon which
the nation rests: IL can employ force instead
can conquer weaker people; 1t can exploit
thejrlands, appropriate their property and III
their people; but 1t cannot repeal the moral
law or escape the punishment decreed for the
violation of human rights.
"Would we tread in paths OF tyranny,
Nor reckon the tyrants cost?
Who taketh another's liberty
His freedom ia also lost
Would we win as the strong have ever won,
Make ready to pay the debt,
For the God who regned over Babylon
Is the God who is reigning yet"
"Some argue that American rule In the
Philippine Islands will result in the better
If we expect to maintain colonial policy,
we shall not find 1t to our advantage 10 edu-
cate the people. The educated Filippinos are
now in revolt against us, and the most igno.
rant ones have made the least resistance 10
our domination. II we are to govern them
without their consent and give them no voice
in determining the taxes they must pay, we
dare not educate them, lest they learf, to
read the Declaration OF Independence and the
constitution OF the United States and mock
us for our Inconsistency.
The principle argument, however ad-
vanced by those who enter upon defense
of imperialism are
"First: That we must sim prove the
| present opportunity TO become q world
power and enter into International poll
| tics.
second That our commercial interests
In the Philippine Islands and in the Orient
make 1t necessary for US TO hold the islands
permanently.
Third: That the spread Of the Christian
religion Will be facilitated by colonial
policy.
Fourth That there Ia no honorable
retreat from the position which the nation
has taken.
"The first argument Ia addressed to The
nations pride and the second to the nations
pocket book. The third Is intended for thu
church member and the fourth for the partl
san.
1T Is a sufficient answer TO the first argu
ment TO say that for more than n century thii
nation has been world power. For ten de
hoe hnnf Il ft,f1,, 4.