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

thy neighbor as myself" -
Love. not force, was the weapon OF the
eploitation Of them. was His method OF
reaching the human heart. missionary
recently told me that the Stars ana
Stripes once saved his life because his
ASSISTANTS recognized, our flag as nag
that had no blood upon 1t. Let 1t be
known that our missionaries are seeking
known that instead of being the advance
guard of conquering armies, they are
going forth to help and to uplift, having
their lolns grit about. with truth and
their feet shod with the preparation Of =
the gospel of peace, wearing the breast
plate of righteousness and carrying the
that they are citizens Of a nation which
respects the rights of the citizens OF
other nations as carefully as 1t protects
the rights of its own citizens and the
welcome given to our missionaries VIII
be more cordial than the welcome extend
ed to the missionaries of any other ma
ton.
The argument made by some that u
was unfortunate for the nation that II
had anything to do with the Phiiippine
islands. but that the naval victory at
Manila made the permanent acquisition
of those Islands necessary Is also un-
sound. We won a naval victory at San,
tiago. but that did not compel us to hold
Cuba. The shedding of American blood
in the Philippine islands does not make
1t Imperative that we should retain pos,
session forever; American blood was shed
the president has promised the Cuoans
Independence. The fact that the Ameri-
can flag floats over Manila does not COM
pei us to exercise perpetual sovereignty
over the islands; the American nag
waves over Havana today, but the presi-
dent has promised to haul 1t down when
to rise in its place. Better a thousand
times that our flag in the Orient gave
way to flag representing the idea o.
self-government than that the nag OF
ha
empire.
There is an easy, honest, honorable
solution of the Philippine question. 1t 10
set forth in the democratic platform. ana
1t is submitted with confidence to the
American people. This plan / unre-
servedly endorse. If elected, Will con-
soon as inaugurated and recommend an
immediate declaration of the nations
purpose, first, to establish stable form
of government in the Philippine Islands.
just as we are now establishing a stable
form of government In Cuba; second, TO
give independence to the F'ilipinos just
ence to the Cubans; third. to protect tho
Filpinos from outside interference while
they work out their destiny just as we
have protected the republics of Central
and South America and are, by the Mon
roe doctrine, pledged to protect Cuba. An
European protectorate often results In
the exploitation of the ward by the
guardian. An American protectorats
| gives to the nation protected the ad-
vantage of our strength. without making
| 1t the victim of our greed. For three
quarters of a century the Monroe doc
| trine has been a shield to neighboring
republics, and yet 1t has imposed no
pecunary burden upon us. After the
| Filpinos had aided us in the war against
Spain, we could not honorably turn them
| over to their former masters; we could
not leave them to be the victims of the
ambitious designs OF european pc ma nations Ions
part of us or to hold them as SUBJ
jects, we propose the only alternative,
namely, to give them Independence and
guard them against moiestatlon from
without.
When our opponents are unable to de-
fend their position by argument they fall
back upon tho assertion that 1t is des-
tiny and insist that we must submt to
it, no matter how much 1t violatej moral
precepts and our principles OF govern
ment. This Is complacent philosophy.
1t obliterates the distinction between
right and wrong and makes individuals
and nations the helpless victims of cir
cumstance.
Destiny is the subterfuge of the inver-
tebrate. who, lacking the courage TO OPP
pose error, seeks some plausible excuse
for supporting it. Washington said that
the destiny of the republican form OF
government was deeply II not fnaliy,
staked on the experiment. entrusted TO the
American people. How different Wash
ingtons definition of destiny from the
republican definition! The republicans say
that this nation is in the hands of des-
tiny; Washington believed that not only
the destiny of our own nation, but the
destiny of the republican form OF gov
trusted to American hands. lmmeasur-
able responsibility! The destin yof this
republic is in the hands of its own peo-
pie and upon the success OF the eperl-
ment here rests the hope of humanity, NO
exterior force can disturb this republic,
and no foreign influence should be per-
mitted to change its course. what the
I
one has authority to declare, but each
individual has his own idea of the ma
tons mission, and he owes II TO MS
country as well as to himself to con-
tribute as best he nay to the fulhllment
of that mission.
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of the
Committee: / can never fully discharge
the debt of gratitude which l owe to my
countrymen for the honors which they
have so generously bestowed upon me;
but sirs, whether it be my lot to occupy
the high office for which the convention
has named me, or to spend the remainder
of my days in private life. 1t shall be my
constant ambition and my controlllh1g
of those whose wisdom and courage ana
sacrifices brought this republic into ex-
istence.
surprising the glories of the present and
/ the pasta destiny which meets the re-
sponsibilties of today and measures up
to the possibilities of the future. be-
the foundation stones quarried by. revou-
tionary patriots from the mountain OF
eternal truth-a republic applying IN
practice and proclaming to the world
the self-evident proposition that all men
are created equal; that they are endowed
with unaienable rights; that govern
ments are instituted to secure these
rights and that governments derive their
lust powers from the consent of the gov.
erned Behold a republic in which civil
and religious liberty stimulate all to
earnest endeavor and in which the law
restrans every hand uplifted for neigh
boris injury-a republic in which every
citizen is a sovereign, but in which no
one cares to wear a crown. Behold a
republic standing erect while empires all
around are bowed beneath the weight or
their own armaments-a republic whose
flag is loved while other flags are only
feared. Behold republic increasing in
population in wealth, in strength and In
influence solving the problems OF civii-
zation and Fastening the coming of an
universal brotherhood-a republic which
shakes thrones and dissolves arstoc-
acies by its silent example and gives
light and inspiration to those who sit in
darkness Behold a republic gradually
but surely becoming the supreme moral
factor in the worlds progress and the
accepted arbiter of the worlds disputes
Ito w history like the nQth of