The Portland daily press., 1900-08-09

aence which might be forced from Spain
by a new treaty
IN view of the criticism which my ac-
tion aroused in some quarters | take this
occasion to restate the reasons given at
that time. [ thought it safer to thust the
American people to give independence to
the FilipinOs than TO trust the accom-
pllshment OF that purpose to diplomacy
with an uhfriendly nation. Lincoln
embodied an argument in the question,
when he asked ''Can aliens make treaties
easier than friends can make laWsY'' l
b9li9Ve that we are now In 09tGer posi-
tiOn to wage q successful contest against
1mDeFialiSn than W3 would nave Deen
ha d the treaty been rejected. With the
treaty ratified, a clean cut issue Is pre-
sented between a government by consent
and government by force, and imperial
lists must bear the responsibility for all
that happens until the question is set
tied, il the treaty had been rejected, the
opponents Of imperialism would have
b en- held responsible for any 1nternat1on-
al complications which might have arisen
EefOre the ratification OF another treaty.
But whatever differences of opinion may
have existed as to the best method OF op-
posing the colonial policy, there never
was any difference as to the great lmpor-
tance of the question and there is no
difference now as to the course to be pur-
sued.
The title of Spain being extinguished,
we were at liberty to deal with the Fill
pinos according to American principles.
Whe Bacon resolution, introduced q
month before hostilities broke out at
Manila, promised independence to the
piIipinOs on the same terms that 1T was
promised to the Cubans. L supported this
resolution, and believe that it's adoption
prior to the breaking out OF host1Htles
would have prevented bloOdshed, and
that its adoption at any subsequent time
would have ended hosttlities
Ii the treaty had been rejected, con-
siderable time would have necessarily
elapsed before q new treaty could have
bean agreed upon and ratified, and dur
ing that time the question would have
been agitating the the public mind. II
the Bacon resolution had been adopted
by the Senate and carried out by the
President, either at the time OF the rat1fl-
cation of the treaty or at any time after
wards, it would have taken the question
OF imperialism out OF politics and left
the American people free to deal with
their domestic problems. But the resOlu
tion was defeated by the vote of the Re
publican vice-preSldent, and from that
time to this a Republican Congress has
refused to take any action whatever in
the matter.
When hostilities broke out at Manila,
Republican speakers and Republican edi-
tors at once sought to lay the blame upon
those who had delayed the ratification Of
the war, the Same Republicans have ac-
cused the opponents of imperialism Of
giving encouragement to the Flliptn0S,
This is a coWardly evasion OF RESPONSE
biutes.
Ii it is right for the United States to
hold the Philippine islands permanently
and initiate the European empires in the
government Of the colonies, the Republi-
can party ought to state It's position and
defend it, but it must expect the sub lect
races to protest against such a policy and
t } resist to the extent of their ability.
The Fnipinos DO no need any encourage
Inent from Americans now living. Our
whole history has been an encourage
ment, not only to the FilipinO5 but to al
who are denied a voice IN their own gov
eminent. If the Republicans are pre-
pared to censure all who have used Ian
guage calculated to make Fuipinos nate
foreign domination, l3J them condemn
6hs speech Of Patrick Henry. When he
uttered shat passionate appeal, '6iye me
liberty or give me DEATH, n , expressed
q eenument which still echoes in the
hearts of men, Let them ceusure Jeffer-
son; of all the statesmen OF history, none
have used words so offensive to those
who would hold their fellows in political
bondage Let them censuTe Washington
who declared that the colonies must
choose between liberty and slavery. Or,
ii the statute of limitations has run
against the sins of Henry and jefferson
and Washington, let them censure Lin
coin, whose Gettysburg speech will be
quoted in defense of popular government
when the present advocates OF force and
conquest are forgotten.
Someone has said that truth once
spoken can never be recalled. 1t is true.
1t goes on and on, and no one can set a
limit to its eN er-Wldenlng influence. But
ii it were possible to Obliterate every
word written or spoken in defense of the
principles set forth in the Declaration of
Independence, war of conquest would
still leave its legacy of perpetual hatred,
Tor it was God himself who placed In
every human heart the love OF liberty
He never made race of people so low in
the scale OF civilization OF intelligence
that it would welcome q foreign master
Lincoln said that the safety of this
nation was not in it's tleets, It's armies or
It's forts, but in the spirit which prizes
liberty and the heritage of all men, IN
all lands, everywhere, and he warned his
countrymen that they could not destroy
this spirit without planting the seeds of
despotism at their own doors
Those who would have this naticn
enter upon a career of empire must con-
slider not only the effect Of imperialism
on the tilipinos, but they must also cal
culate It's effect upon our own nation.
We cannot repudiate the principle of self
government in the Philippines without
weakening that principle here.
Our opponents, conscious of the weak
ness of their cause, seek to confuse inn
periahsm with expansion, and have even
dared to claim Jefferson as a supporter
OF their policy Jefferson spoke so freely
and used language with such precision
that no one can be ignorant of his views.
On one occasion he declared: If there
be one principle more deeply rooted than
any other in the mind Of every Ameri-
can, it is that we should have nothing
to do with conquest And again he
said: Conquest is not in our principles;
it is inconsistent with our government p
The forcibis annexation of territory to
be governed ty arbitrary power, differs
as much from tn acquisition OF territory
to be built up into states as a monarchy
differs from a democracy. The Demo-
cratic party does not oppose expansion,
when expansion enlargps the area of the
republic and in eoRporates land which
can be settled by American citizens, or
adds to our population people who are
willing to become citizens and are capable
OF dieChay0inU their 6ut1es as such