Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-08-17


tain, II not rapid growth of our military
establishment. That a large PERMANENT
increase In our regular army Is intended
by republican leaders is not a matter OF
message of December 5. 1885, the presi-
dent asked for authority to Increase me
standing army to 100000. In 1870 the
army contained about $4,000. Within two
years the president asked for four times
that many, and republican house Oh
representatives complied with the request
after the Spanish treaty had been signed,
and when no country. was at war Win
the United States IL such an army Is
demanded when an Imperial policy Is con.
templated but not openly avowed. VIVA.
may be expected II the. people encourage
policy at the polls? A large, standing
army is not only pecuniary burden 10
the people and, II accompanied by com
pulsory service, a constant source OF irrl-
tation, but 1t is ever menace to re-
publican form OF government. The army
is the personification OF force, ana mill
larism will inevitably change the Ideals
our young men from the arts of peace TO
the science of war. The government
which relies for its defense upon Its citi-
zens, is more likely to be just than one
which has at call a large body OF pro-
fessional soldiers. A small standing army
and well equipped and well disciplined
state militia are sufficient at ordinary
times, and in an emergency the nation
its dependence upon the volunteers VINO
come from all occupations at their coun-
trys call and return to productive LABOR
when their services are no longer re-
quired-men who fight when the country
needs fighters and work when the couh-
Try needs workers.
The republican platform assumes that
the Philippine islands will be retained
under American sivereignty, and we nave
a right to demand of the republican lead
ers a 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 million Asatics, so
different from us in race history that
amalgamafion is impossible? Are they
to share with us in making the laws ana
shaping the destiny of this nation! no
enough to advocate such proposition,
The McEnery resolution, adopted by the
senate Immediately after the ratlnca tion
OF the treaty. expressly negatives inns
idea. The democratic platform describes
the situation when 1t says that the FIN
pinos cannot be citizens without endan-
gering our civilization. Who Will dispute
Il? And what is the alternative? II tne
Filipino Is not to be a citizen. snail we
make him a subject? On that question
the democratic platform speaks with
equal emphasis. 1t declares mat tne III
Pine cannot be subject without endan-
gering our government. a republic can
have no subjects. A subject Is posslole
only IN government resting upon Iorce,
he is unknown in government ueriVlns
its just powers from the consent OF the
governed. The republican platform says
that the largest measure of self-goV-
eminent consistent with their weltare
and our duties shall be secured to them
(the F'ilipinos) by law" This Is strange
doctrine for a government which owes
its very existence to the men who oHered
their lives as protest against govern
ment without consent and taxation WIFI
out representation. In what respect GOES
the position of the republican party dliier
from the position taken by the English
government in 17I6? Did not the English
to the colonists? What king ever prom,
ised n bad 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 mon--
archy and a republic may be summed
up in one sentence. In monarchy. the
king gives to the people what he believes
to be good government. In republic
the people secure for themselves what
they believe to be a good government.
The republican party has accepted the
European idea and planted Itself upon
every ruler who distrusts the capacity
of the people for self-government or
denies them a voice in their own affairs.
The republican platform promises that
some measure of self-government is to
be given the F'ilipinos by law. but even
this pledge is not fulfilled. Nearly six
teen months elapsed after the ratification
of the treaty before the adjournment of
passed dealing with the Philippine situa-
ton. The will of the president has been
the only law in the Philippine islands
wherever the American authority ex-
hesitate to legislate upon the Philip
pine question? Because law would dis
close the radical departure from history
and precedent contemplated by those who
control the republican party. The storm
of protest which greeted the Porto Rican
bill was an indication of what NAV be
expected when the American people are
brought face to face with legislation
upon this subject. II the Porto Ricans.
who welcomed annexation, are TO be de-
MED the guarantees OF our constitution,
who resisted our authority? If secret
influences could compel a disregaru of
our plain duty toward friendly people,
living near our shores, what treatment
will those same influences provide for
unfriendly people 1000 miles away? If.
in this country. where the people have
the right to vote, republican leaders
dare not take the side of the people
grown up within the last few years. how
can they be trusted to protect the, Fill
pinOS from the corporations which are
waiting to exploit the islands?
Is the sunlight of full citizenship to be
enjoyed by the. people of the United
States, and the twilight of semi-citizen-
ship endured by the people of Porto
Rico, while the thick darkness of per-
petual vassalage covers the Philippines?
The Porto Rico tariff law asserts the
doctrine that the operation of the con-
stitution is confined to the fort"-live
states. The democratic party disputes
this doctrine and denounces 1t as repug-
nant to both the letter and spirit of our
organic law. There is no place in our
system of government for the deposit of
arbitrary and irresponsible power. That
the leaders of great party should claim
for any president or congress the right
to treat millions of people as mere pos
sessions" and deal with them unre-
strained by the constitution of the bill
of rights shows how far we have already
departed from the ancient landmarks
and indicates what may be expected II
this nation deliberately enters upon
career of empire. The territorial form
of government is temporary and prepara--
tory and the chief security a citizen of
a territory has is found in the fact that
he enjoys the same constitutional guar
antees and is subject to the same gen.
eral laws as the citizen of a state. Take
away this security and his rights will
be violated and his interests sacrificed
at the demand of those who have .poit-
ical influence This is the evil of the
colonial system, no matter by what ma
ton it Is applied.