The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-08

for themselves what they believe to be
| good government The Republican
party has accepted the European idea
and planted itself upon the ground
taken by George III and by every ruler
who distrusts the capacity of the people
for self-government or denies them q
voice in their own affairs
Promises Made but Unfulhlled.
The Republican platform promises
that some measure of self-goyernment
is to be given to the Filipinos by law;
but, even this pledge is not fulfilled
Nearly 10 months elapsed after the rat1-
heat1on of the treaty before the adjourn
ment OF congress last June and yet no
law was passed dealing with the Philip
pine situation. The will of the preSi-
cent has been the only law in the Phil
lpplne Islands wherever the American
authority extends. Why does the Re-
publican party hesitate to legislate upon
the Philippine question? Because a law
would disclose 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 in
d1cat1on of what may be expected when
the American people are brought face
to face with legislation upon this sub
Ject- II the Porto RicanS, who welcomed
annexation, are to be denied the guar
anteeS of our constitution, what is to be
the lot or the FilipinoS, who resisted our
authority? If secret Influences could
compel disregard 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 against the great
monopolies which have grown up with
in the least few years, how can they
be trusted to protect the FiHpinos 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 SeIni-citizen-
ship endured by the people of Porto
Rico while the thick darkness of per-
petuaI yaSsalage covers the Philippines?
The Porto Rico tariff law asserts the
doctrine that the operation of the con-
stitution is confnfied to the forty-f1ve
states. The Democratic party dis
puteS this doctrine and de-
nounces it as repugnant to both the
letter and spirit of our organic law.
There is no place in our system of gov
eminent for the despot of arbitrary and
OF great party should claim for any
president or congress the right to treat
millions of people as mere possessions
and deal with them unrestrained by the
constitution or the bill of rights shows
how far we have already departed from
the ancient landmarks, and indicates
what may be expected If this nation de-
l1berately enters upon a career of en-
plre. The territorial form of govern
ment is temporary and preparatory and
the chief security a citizen of a terri
tory has is found in the fact
that he enjoys the same con-
stitutional guarantees, and is
subject to the same general
laws as citizen of a state. Take
away this security and his rights will
be violated and his interests are sacri-
feed at the demand of those who have
political influence. This is the evil of
the colonial system, no matter by what
nation it is applied.
SPANS Title Based on Force.
What is our title to the Philippine
Islands? Do we hold them by treaty
or by conquest? Did we buy them, or
did we take them? Did we purchase
the people? If not, how did we secure
title to them? Were they thrown in
with the land? Will the Republicans
say that inanimate earth has value, and
when that earth is nodded by the divine
hand and stamped with the likeness of
the Creator it becomes a fixture and
passes with the soil? If governments
derive their just powers from the con-
sent of the governed, it is impossible to
secure title to people, either by force
or by purchase. We could exinguish
SPANS title by treaty, but if we hold
title we must hold it by some method
consistent with our ideas OF govern
ment. When we made allies of the Fill
ipinos and armed them to fight against
Spain, we disputed SPANS title. If we
buy SPANS title we are not innocent
disputed SPANS title, she could trans
fer no greater title than she had, and
her title was based on force alone. We
can not defend such title, but as
Spain gave us a quit claim deed, we
can honorably turn the property over
to the party in possession. Whether
any American official gave the F1l1plnOS
moral assurance of independence is not
material. There can be no doubt that
we accepted and utilized the services
of the Filipinos, and that when We did
so we had full knowledge that they
were fighting for their own independ-
ence, and 1 submit that history fur
nishes no example of turpitude baser
than ours if we now substitute our
yoke for the Spanish yoke.
What is Our DutyP
Let US consider brif1y the reasons
which have been given in support of
an imperialistic policy: Some say that
it is our duty to hold the Philippine
island? But duty is not an argument
it is a conclusion. To ascertain what
our duty is, in any emergency, we must
apply we'll settled and generally ac-
cepted principles. 1t is our duty to
avoid stealing. no matter whether the
thing to be stolen is of great or little
value 1t is our duty to avoid Killing
a human being, no matter where the
human being lives or to what race or
class he belongs Every one recognizes
the obligation imposed upon individuals
to observe both the human and moral
law, but some deny the application of
those laws to nations, it may not be
out of place to quote the opinion of
others. jefferson, than whom there is
no higher political authority, said:
IT know of but one code of morality
for men, whether acting s1ngly or col
lectively."
Franklin, whose learning, wisdom and
virtue are a part of the priceless leg
acy bequeathed to US from the revolu-
ttonary days. expressed the same idea
in even stronger language when he
said:
Justice is as strictly due between |
neighbor nations as between neigh |
Dor citizens. A highwayman is as
much a robber when he plumbers in |
gang as when singly; and the nation
that makes an unjust war IS only a