Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-08-17

/ iiiuct HitNc ~ itiSc StduuluS army dS
Its natural and necessary complement.
The spirit which will justify the
seizure of other islands and the domi-
! nation of other people, and, with wars
OF conquest, we can expect u certain,
if not rapid, growth of our military
establishment. That large perma-
nent increase in our regular army is
intended by the Republican leaders is
not mere matter of conjecture, but a
matter OF fact. In his message of De-
cember 5, 1898, the President asked
| for authority to increase the standing
army to 100000. In 1896 the army
t'contained about $4,000 men. Within
two years the President asked for four
times that many, and a Republican
House of Representatives complied
with the request after the Spanish
treaty had been signed and when not
a hand was raised against the United
States in any part of the world. If
such an army is demanded when an
imperial policy is contemplated, but
not openly avowed, what may be ex-
pected if the people encourage the Re-
publican party by endorsing its policy
at the polls? A large standing army
is not only pecuniary burden to the
people, and, if accompanied by COM
pulsory service, constant source of
irritation, but it is ever a menace to
republican form of government. The
army is the personification OF force,
and militarsm will inevitably change
the ideals of the people and turn the
thoughts OF our young men from the
arts OF peace to the science OF war.
The government which relies for its
to be just than one which has at call a
large body of professional soldiers. A
small standing army and a we'll
equipped and well-disciplined State
militia are sufficient in ordinary
times, and in an emergency the ma
ton should in the future, as in the
past, place its dependency upon the
volunteers who come from all occupa.
tions to their country's call and re-
turn to productive labor when their
services are no longer required-men
who fight when the country needs
fighters and work when the country
needs workers.
CITIZEN OR SUBJECT?
The Republican platform assumes
that the Philippine Islands will be re-
tanned under American sovereignty,
and we have q right to demand of the
Republican leaders discussion of the
future status of the Filipino. Is he to
be citizen or subject? Are we to
bring into the body polite eight or ten
milioln Asiatics, so different from us in
race and history that amalgamation is
impossibief- Are they to share with
us in making the laws and shaping the
destiny or this nation? No Republi-
can of prominence has been bold
enough to advocate such proposition.
The McEnery resolution, adopted by
the Senate Immediately after the rati-
tication of the treaty, expressly mega
tives this idea. The Democratic plat
form described the situation when it
says that the Filipinos cannot be citi.
zens without endangering our civiliza-
ton. Who will dispute il? And
what is the alternative? If the Fill
pino is not a citizen, shall we make
him subject2 On that question the
Democratic platform speaks with
emphasis. 1t declares that the Fill
pino cannot be subject without en-
dangering our form of government. A
republic can have no subjects. A SUBJ
ject is possible only in government
resting upon force; he is unknown in
government deriving its just powers
from the consent Of the governed.
The Republican platform says that
"the largest measure of self govern
ment consistent with their welfare
and with our duties shall be secured to
them (the Filipinos) by law" This is
strange doctrine for government
which owes its very existence to the
men who offered their lives as pro-
test against government without con-
sent and taxation without representa-.
ton. In what respect does the posi-
ton OF the Republican party differ
from the position taken by the Eng
lish government in 1776? Did not the
English government promise good
government to the colonies?
MONARCHY OR REPUBLIC?'
What King ever promises q good
government to his people? Did not
the English government promise that
the colonists should have the largest
measure of self-government consistent
with their welfare and English duties?
Did not the Spanish government prom.
Use to give to the Cubans the largest
measure of self-government consistent
with their welfare and Spanish duties?
The whole difference between a mon
archy and republic may be summed
up in one sentence. In a monarchy
the King gives to the people what he
believes to be good government; in
q republic, the people secure for them
selves what they believe to be good
government. The Republican party
has adopted the European idea and
planted itself upon ground taken by
George III. and by every ruler who
distrusts the capacity of the people for
self-government or denies them voice
in their own affairs.
The Republican platform promises
that some measure of self-government
| Is W Dc given W tuC hipihoo Oy law
but, even this pledge is not fulfilled.
Nearly sixteen months elapsed after
the ratification of the treaty before
the adjournment of Congress last
June, and yet no law was passed deal
ing with the Philippine situation.
The will of the President has been the
only law in the Philippine islands
wherever the American authority ex-
tends. Why does the Republican
party hesitate to legislate upon the
Philippine question? Because law
would disclose the radical departure
from history and precedent contem-
plated by those who control the Re-
publican party. The storm of pro.
test which greeted the Porto Rican bill
was an indication of what may be ex-
pected when the American people are
brought face to face with legislation
upon this subject. If the Porto Ricans,
who welcome annexation, are to be de-
MED the guarantees of our corstitu-