Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1900-01-26

market? Why, Mr.. President, it seems
to me that if man did a philanthro-
pic act, if he did something prompted
by the better nature of man, it would
be we'll 10 charge it to the Supreme Be-
ing. But if man is going to plunder
somebody else and wants to know
whether what he has is worth stealing
or not, the inspiration ought to come
from the devil and not from God.
But, Mr.. President, this extreme
philanthropic view Of the subject, this
exteme responsibility throw upon
the Deity, is not shared in by all men,
They are devided on the subject. The
senator from Indiana [Mr. Beveridge]
is extremely intense in this direction,
and also in the direction of taking the
islands, because they are rich and will
be so profitable to have, while the SEN
ator from Colorado [Mr. Wolcott] OBJ
iects to the sordid view of the senator
from Indiana and does not want quite
SO much philanthropy mixed up with
the transaction.
Now, what want to ascertain is
what the argument is on the part of
the imperialists. Are we going to rely
on the doctrine that we are going to
bless those people with our civilization
against their will. and that God has
ordered us to do great work? That
is the English doctrine, the doctorine
which has justified the plunder of ev-
cry colony she has conquered on earth.
Are we going to do that, or are we go
ing, after all, to fall back on half of the
position of the senator from Indiana
and the whole position of the Wash.
ington Post on this subject, and are we
simply going to say, 'They are rich
and worth selling, and therefore we
will seize them, no matter how much
blood and treasure it costs? II the con-
test is to settle down to this proposition
then prehaps the information asked for
by my amendment which was tabled
yesterday, for the instructions to the
commissioners, is immaterial.
If we are going to settle down to the
proposition that here is foothold from
which we can join the other robber
nations of the world in plundering
China, and the foothold itself is worth
having, then am prepared to show,
Mr.. President, that the islands are not
worth having; that they will confer no
happiness upon the people of the Unit
ed States; that they will simply in
crease the burden of The men who pro-
duce the wealth of this country, for we
raise our taxes by a per capita levy
upon consumption.
1t will simply lay burden upon the
people who raise the revenue and pay
the taxes and compel them not only to
furnish the money but to furnish the
common soldiers, to be oficered by the
wealthy classes, who own and control
the administration. Our boys will lool
forward to a career to end in unknown
graves in tropical land. A high as
piration, is it not, FIR the descendants
of men who established, as they believ
ed, q perpetual and eternal republic ir
this country?
No revenue can come from these isl
ands to the United States We have
spent moro money already than every
dollar of the commerce, if their com
merce, is no greater than it has been
in the past, than those islands will have
for the next fifteen or twenty years
Their total commerce, their imports
and their exports, were not to exceed
$15, 100000 a year. We have spent
$500, 900, 900 already, besides the $780,.
00O 900 we gave Spain.
Did Spain insist on our talking the
Sulu islands. with it's slavery and
polygamy. when we offered her $50,
OOO,O 900 for these islands? The CORE
spondence would show. We are in thu
dark on that subject.
If she did, with what irony. with
what concealed satisfaction, she must
look upon the act I imagine thu
Spanish people enjoying great salts
faction at the wonderful nictory which
they have gained over US by the over
throw of every principle we ever ad
vocated and the adoption of the Span
ish policy. Did Spain force upon III
this Sulu group? should like to have
known the fact. But if. after all, this
debate is simply to be that this is s
profitable venture and the elements o.
philanthropy are to be discarded and
abandoned, if cant and hypocrisy arr
no longer to be the chief reason giver
before this debate is over we shall
show that constant loss and drain
must come to the people of the United
States if we undertake to hold the
group.
The President pro tempore. The
question is on agreeing to the resolu'
tion as modified
The resolution as modified was
agreed to.