The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1900-08-16

ton aroused in some quarters I take this
occasion TO restate the reasons given at
that time. ! thought II safer to trust the
Ant-s.cau people To give Independence TO
the FisD.r3s than - trust the accom-
pI.shmeut % that purpose To diplomacy
with an uufr.euIfy nation. Linco!n en-
bodied an argument n the question. when
~ asked can aliens make treaties
easier than friends can make lawse" /
bel.ey- tina. W. are row in a better posi-
tiou 10 wage successful contest against
ffrrrrtat.-ru than we would have been
had the treaty beer rejected. With the
treaty ratified. q clean cut issue Il pre-
scented between Il government by consent
and It gJ.+rlf- ert by force. and Imperial
lists mus: belr the responsibility for all
that hIlsJzrz Uu;I tie question il settled.
L the treaty had been rejected. the OPP
u --rats u imperialism would have been
held responsible fog any international
complications which might have arisen
before tl= ratification of another treaty
llt nh1t-.er difference of opinion may
have ex--t,. - % the best meiACd OF OPP
posing the colonial policy. there never was
auy difference a II the great Importance
Of NJ question and there is no difference
nov as 70 the course To be pursued.
Promises to the FfIipinOs.
The title of Spain being extinguished.
we were at liberty to deal with the Fall
pinus according 20 American principles.
The Bacon resolution. introduced month
before hnStiI.ttes broke out at Manila,
promised independence to the FiIipinos on
the same terms that il was promised To
the CubarS- I supported this resolution
and believe that its adoption prior to the
breaking out Of h6stlities would have
prevented b,Jaished, and that its adop-
ton at any subsequent time would nave
ended hOst.iities.
he treaty. had bapn rejected cO0Sid-
cradle time would have necessarily
elapsed before q new treaty could have
been agreed upon anI ratified. and during
that tine the question would have been
agitat.ug the public mind. II the Bacon
resolution had been adopted by the senate
and rs,arTied out by the president, either
at the time of the ratification of the
treaty or at any time afterwards, ii would
have taken the question OF Imperialism
out of politics ard left the American peo-
PIE free 70 deal with their domestic prob
lens, But the resolution was defeated by
the vote Of the republican vice president.
and from that time To this a republican
congress has refused to take any action
whatever in the matter
COwardiy Accusations,
When hostilities broke out at Manila. |
republican speakers and republican edit |
ors at once sought to lay the blame upon |
those who had DELAYED the ratification OF |
the treaty, and. during the progress Of
the war, the same republicans have ac- |
Cussd the opponents u imperialism of Civ |
ing encourage ment to the Filipinos. This |
Is a cowarGiy evasion Of responsibility.
II il j. right for the United States to |
hold the Philippine islands permanently |
and initiate European empires in the gov
eminent Of colonies. the republican party |
ought 10 state its position and defend it,
but II must expect the subject races to
protest against such a policy and to resist
to the extent of their ability. The FtlipinOs
L .4,~ !
leans now living. our whole history has
been an encouraCement, not only TO the
Ftlipinus but to all who are denied "A voice |
in their own government If the republic
ans are prepared to censure all who have
used language calculated to make the
tilipinos hate foreign domination, let them
condemn the speech of Patrick Henry.
When lie uttered that passionate appeal,
Give mc liberty or give me death" ne
expressed sentiment which still echoes
In the hearts of men. Let them censure
jefferson, or all the statesmen of history.
none have used words SO offensive to those
%ho would hold their fellows in political
bondage. Let them censure Washington,
who declared that the colonists mus
choose between liberty and slavery. or
If the statute Of limitations has run against
the sins Of Henry and jefferson and Wash
ington, let them CenSure Lincoln, whose
speech will be quoted in de-
Tense Of popular government when the
present advocates of force and conquest
are forgotten.
Some one has said that a truth once
spoken can never be recalled. 1t is true.
II goes on and on, and no one can set d
limit to its ever widening influence. But
II it were possible to obliterate every word
written or spoken in defense of the prin
ciples set forth IL the declaration Of in
dependence. war of conquest would still
leave It's legacy Of perpetual hatred for
It was COD Himself who placed in ever,
human heart the love of liberty. He uevs
MI Ia f0a
OF civilization or Intelligence that 1t would
welComa q foreign master.
Lincoln said that the safety of this nation
was not in its fleets. its armies or lis forts
put IN the spirit which prizes liberty and
the heritage of all men. in all lands, every
where; 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 nation en-
ter upon career of empire must consider
not only the effect of imperialism on the
F1hpinos. but they must also calculate its
fleet upon our own nation. We cannot
the principle Of self-govern-
nent in the Philippines without weaken
ns that principle here
ParaIyzinE imperialism.
Even now we are beginning to see the
'araiyzing influence of imperialism. Here
ofore. this nation has been PROMPT to ex-
lreSs its sympathy with those who were
ishtinS tor civil liberty. While our sphere
u activity has been limited to the west
I'm hemisphere, our sympa thies have not
been bounded by the seas. We have felt |
due 70 ourselves and to the world as
veil as 10 those who were struggling for
he right to govern themselves, to pro-
lam the interest which our people have. |
rom the date OF their own INDEPENDENCE |
cit in every contest between human
lshts and arbitrary power. Three-quar-
ers OF a century ago. when our nation
vas small, the struggles OF Greece
reused our people, and Webster and Clay
ave eloquent expression to the universal
esire Tor Greciau Independence In 1895
IL parties manifested a lively interest