Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-05-04
is THE PHILIPPINE POLICY RIGHT OR
WRONG?
[Continued from first page. !

was 10 be uSe1ul ana submissive 10 the 'lOtHeI
country" Our presidents position towards
the Philippines is Identical He says "that
the insurgents and all others must recognize the
occupation and authority of the United States. !"
1t is a strange code of morals, and strange
rule of logic, that condemns the position of
George III. and sanctions tine position of oar
president; that makes governments derive their
''just powers from the consent of the governed"
when Americans are involved, but makes this
part of the Declaration "consecrated falicies"
when applied to the Philippines.
If these principles of the sgners of the Dec
laration are not of universal application, both
Americans and Englishmen have long agreed
that George III. did not have right to limit
the application of these principles. Americans
quite generally think these principle should APP
ply in the Trausyaal. They have favored their
application in Greece, in Brazil, in the Congo
Free State, and in Cuba The Declaration
principles are written on our flag; they are EN-
bodied in our songs they were worked out dur
ing five and one-balf centuries in England, and
were worked into framework Of government
by the Pilgrim Fathers. They are rooted in the
hearts of the American people; they are embod-
led in the Golden Rule, and harmonic witt, the
teachings of the Divine Man of Nazareth. In
this age of advancing christianity and civliza-
ton, it is not likely that the American people
will thoughtfully limit the application of the
principles of the Declaration.
The present Endorsement of this policy, by
so many christians, arises, first, from miscon
cepton. There are those who believe that the
ultimate design of the policy is free govern
ment, and that the president intends to treat the
Philippines the same as the Cubens. Neither
in his message, nor in his speeches, nor in the
language of the agreement with Spain, nor in
the overtures of the commissioners, nor in the
military movements, is ther any such idea sug-
gested.
Others justify the policy on the ground that
the end sought justihes the means. This po-
sition has no foundation in morals. The justih-
cation of this policy demands that the policy be
right in ITSELF that the end aimed at be right,
that the motive be right, and that the methods
be right. These conditions enter into the right
fitness of any action, and tested by these con-
ditions the rightfulness of the Philippine policy
will not stand. The motive is acquisition of
valuable territory, the manner is subjugation by
armies, the end is governmental control OF peo-
pie desiring independence, the action requires
the surrendering of the inalienable rights held
in the Declaration as the possessions of all
people.
The highest standpoint taken by those who
Justify the policy is that Providence has thrown
the Islands upon our care and we should not
abandon them. True enough, yet this did not
hinder us from following right policy, and our
declared principles of inalienable rights. God S
providence in giving us the Philippine Islands
was his providence in giving us an opportunity
to do right towards those so long wronged by
an oppressive power, which God made us the
instrumentality of destroying Providence
threw Cuba in the same way under our care
and we have not abandoned Cuba, but ale help
ing the people to an independent and proper
form of government. The Lord gave us the
opportunity to pursue the same just and helpful
policy in the Philippine Islands, but we choose
to hold these as ours, and have congress decide
the "civi rights and political status" of the
people. If we had proposed to treat the Philip
pine as we agreed to treat the Cubans, there
would have been nc difficulty.
Those occupy the lowest point of view who
uphold this policy because it is party measure.
1t is neither safe nor wise to Justify policy
because aparty measure. The interest of the
nation should be placed above policy, and a
nations interests are always dependent upon
right actions. The Sovereign ruler makes this
so, and the American who loves his country,