Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-08
! question. and there is no difference now as
| to the course to be pursued

Favors the Bacon Resolution.
| The title of Spain being extinguished. we
| were at liberty to deal with the Fflipinos
according to American principles. The Ba-
| con resolution. introduced a month before
| hostilities broke out at Manila, promised
| independence to the Filipinos on the same
| terms that 1t was promised to the Cubans
i supported this resolution and believe that
| its adoption prior to the breaking out OF
| hostilities would have prevented bloodshed,
and that its adoption at any subsequent
| time would have ended hostilities.
If the treaty had been rejected. consider
able time would have necessarily elapsed
before a new treaty could have been agreed
pom and ratified. and during that time the
question would have been agitating the
public mind. If the Bacon resolution had
been adopted by the Senate and carried out
by the President. either at the time of the
ratification of the treaty or at any time
afterward. 1t would have taken the ques-
ton of Imperialism out Of politics and left
the American people free to deal with their
domestic problems. But the resolution was
defeated by the vote of the republican Vice
President. and from that time to this re-
publican Congress has refused to take any
action whatever in the matter.
When hostilities broke out at Manila. re-
publican speakers and republican editors
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 accused the OPP
ment 10 the Filipinos. This Is a cowardly
evasion of responsibility.
II II Is right for the United States to hold
the Philippine Islands permanently and I'M
itate European empires in the government
of colonies the republican party ought to
state Its position and defend 1t, but II must
expect the subject races to protest against
such policy and to resist to the extent
of their ability. The F'ilipinos do not need
any encouragement from Americans now
living. Our whole history has been an
| tH1 ,,trpc
but to all who are denied a voice in their
own government. If the republicans are
prepared to censure all who have used
language calculated to make the Filipinos
hate foreign domination, let them condemn
the speech Of Patrick Henry. When he
uttered that passionate appeal. "Give me
liberty or give me death, he expressed a
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 who would hold
their fellows in political bondage. Let
them censure Washington. who declared
that the colonists must choose between
liberty and slavery. Or, If the statue of
limitations has run against the sins OF
Henry and Jefferson and Washington, let
them censure Lincoln. whose Gettysburg
speech will be quoted In defense of popu-
lar government when the present advocates
| of force and conquest are forgotten.
Some one 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 overwhelming influence. But
If 1t were possible to obliterate every word
written spoken in defense of the princi-
pies set forth in the Declaration of indie
| pendence. a war of conquest would still
| leave its legacy of perpetual hatred, for
| II was God himself who placed in every
human heart the love of liberty. He never
made a race of people 80 low in the scale
of civilization or intelligence that 1t would
welcome a foreign master.
LIncoIn's Words Quoted.
Lincoln said that the safety of this ma
ZION was not In Its fleets. its armies or its
forts, but In the spirit which prizes liberty,
| 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 enter
upon a career of empire must consider not
only the effect of Imperialism on the Fill
pnos, but they must also calculate its eff
feet upon our own nation We cannot re-
pudiate the principle of self-government in
the Philippines without weakening that
principle here.
Even now We are beginning to see the
paralyZing influence of Imperialism. Here
tofore this nation has been prompt to ex-
press its sympathy with those who We're
lighting for civil liberty. While our sphere
! of activity has been limited to the western
| hemisphere. our sympathies have not been
| bounded by the seas. We have felt it due
10 ourselves ana 10 the WOTlu, as Well as 10
those who We're struggling for the right to
govern themselves, to proclaim the interest
which our people have, from the date OF
their own independence. felt in every con-
test between human rights and arbitrary
power. Three-quarters of a century ago,
when our nation was small. the struggles of
Greece aroused our people. and Webster
and Clay gave eloquent expression to the
universal desire for Grecian independence.
In 1876 all parties manifested a lively in
terest In the success Of the Cubans, but
now when a war IL in progress in South
Africa. which must result In the extension
of the monarchical idea in the triumph
/ of republic. the advocates of Imperialism
| in this country dare not saw a word in be-
/ half OF the Beers.
sympathy for the Beers does not arise
/ from any unfriendliness toward England.
| The American people not unfriendly
| toward the people of any nation. This sym-
! pathy is due to the fact that, as stated in
/ our platform. We believe in the principle of
/ SELF government and reject as did our foreJ
fathers. the claims OF monarchy. II this
nation surrenders its belief in the universal
! Application of the principles set forth in the
| Declaration of Independence IL will lose
| the prestige and influence which it has en-
| joyed among the nations as an exponent of
/ popular government.
| Our opponents. conscious of the weak
| ness OF their cause. seek to confuse i'm
! periallsm 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
1 no one can be ignorant of his Views. On
one occasion he declared: eff there be one
principle more deeply rooted than any
other in the mind Of every American, 1t 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"
Expansion and imperialism Con-
trasted.
The forcible annexation Of territory to be
governed by arbitrary power differs as
much from the acquisition of territory to
| be built up into states as a monarchy Diff
! fers from democracy. The democratic
| party does not oppose expansion, when ex-
panSion eniarges the area of the republic
and incorporates land which can be settled
by American citizens or adds TO our popula-
ton people who are willing to become cit
liens and are capable of discharging their
duties as such. The acquisition Of the
Louisiana territory. Florida. Texas and
other tracts which have been secured from
time to time. enlarged the republic and
the Constitution followed the flag into the
new territory. 1t is now proposed to seize
upon distant territory already more dense
ly populated than own country and to
force upon the people a government for
D Ia