Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1900-08-09

the substance of the American people !;
which control every great industry, all
the means of transportation, control the
money of the country, have destroyed the
small, independent man OF the iand ;
have destroyed the hopes OF the young
men of the land; have made an indie
pendent and honorable career for poor
man impossible. Our people inhablt the
richest continent on this globe, with the
most salubrious climate. They were rec
oynized to be, upon the whole, the most
intelligent, Industrious, frugal, entcrpris-
ing and progressive people i'll the world ;
surely they needed only to he let alone
in order to be happy. Not only would
they be comfortable and prosperous, but
they would make the rest OF the world
happy; and yet. without war or famine
or pestilencc, this marvellous people, oc-
cupying this wonderful land. has been
twice brought to absolute ruin. Degrade
ton and misery by the republican policy,
and is now approaching third period
of disaster.
In 1878, with republican president
and a republican congress and republican
policy in full force, the whole country
broke down. Nearly oue-hall OF our peo-
pie were utterly ruined and the dcgrada-
ton and distress was indescribable. After
years OF misery and suffering we started
anew. We went on under republican
laws and republican policy until i'll the
spring of 1898, before the newly elected
democratic president could be sworn IN,
before any law was changed, or any
policy arrested, the country again broke
down and was covered with misery.
Nearly one-half OF our people were again
ruined, and no pen can describe the
wretchedness and distress that followed.
After several years OF suffering and
misery this wonderful American people,
with their great country, their fine ell
mate, their marvellous capacity and in
dustry, started anew. There were some
accidents in mining that helped us.
There were great droughts and calamities
that befell other nations which Tempo
rarily helped us. There was a war with
Spain which temporarily helped us. Con-
ditions were created which enabled the
managers OF trusts and spectators OF
the country to accumulate great wealth.
But no genuine prosperity can be based
upon accident nor the calamity OF Others.
Already we see signs of distress, already
the conditions indicate that we are again
moving toward another industrial and
commercial collapse and it is being forced
upon the country by the policy OF the
administration.
Now read Roosevelt's defense OF the
presidents policy. l read from his
speech:
"When, through Jefferson, the great
West beyond the Mississippi was acquired
when largely through the instrumentallty
of jackson Florida was added to the
Union, the new provinces, with their In
dian populations, were governed precise
" and exactly on the theory under which
the PHILIPPINES are now governed. Presi-
dent Jefferson secured the Louisiana
purchase just as President Mckinley
secured the Philippines and Andrew
Jackson warrcd against the Seminoles,
when we had acquired Florida from Spain,
lust as Gen. Macarthur is now warning
against the brigands among the Tagals IN
Luzon unless we are willing to deprive
Jefferson and jackson OF the need OF
honor which has been held to be par
ticularly theirs, we cannot deny the same
high praise to President Mckinley"
Now, what are the historical facts?
When we acquired Louisiana and when
we acquired Florida, not only did the
treaties provide that the new territory
should be an integral part of our repub-
lie, and that the inhabitants OF the new
territory should be citizens OF our repub-
lie, to which they did not object, but the
territory in each case was at once made
a part of the republic and the inhabl-
tants at once became citizens OF the re-
public. And the same is true in the case
of Texas, in the case OF New Mexico and
in the case of California. 1t was in har-
mony with the Declaration OF lndepend-
ence, it was extending its blessings to
more people; it was giving the benefit OF
free institutions to more OF the lnhaDl-
tants OF the earth. 1t was expansion, it
was growth, it was development, it was
craftsmanship. We were true to our
high mission in each OF these cases. But
in negotiating the treaty with Spain, the
administration carefully omitted from
the treaty the provision that the new
territory should become an integral part
OF the republic, and that the inhabitants
OF the territory should become citizens OF
the republic.
When this treaty came up for ratliica-
ton in the senate OF the United States on
February 6, 1899, the administration
forces led by Mark Hanna, got the sem
ate to adopt a resolution declaring that
the Philippine Islands should not become
an integral part Of this republic, and that
the inhabitants OF said islands should