The Van Buren press., 1900-02-10

and citizens to be afraid TO speak the
TRUTH Must we close our eyes and shut
our mouths to all the grave dangers 70
our institutions by reason of this policy!
Must we be accused of disloyalty to the
flag because we declare our belief that
in prosecuting this war it is in disloyalty
TO the Declaration of Independence l
rcpel with scorn the charge coming
| from any source whatever, that | am
not as loyal to the flag as any man on
this floor, and If it is songht to locate
the responsibility for the blood that has
been spilled, | am ready in this presence
TO speak what believe and to declare
the truth as see it.
II impugn no mans motives out
whether the President be most to blame
or whether the crime rests on his dupes
and subservient party dependents, | say
with all the emphasis Of my nature. that
I and none of those who voted against
the treaty are responsible for the spllling
of one drop of this innocent blood that
has been shed and | will not endure
patiently and without resentment any
such accusation.
Senator Tilman drew parallel be.
tween the ex-slaves, suddenly freed and
given the ballot and the Filipinos, who,
illy armed and without artillery, had
kept 60 900 American troops engaged
for over n year, and asserted that the
latter were better fitted for self govern
ment than the negroes, who at the close
of the war were allowed not only to
govern themselves, but white men also.
Then he spoke emphatically, as follows
"Were the fruits of the war mere
Sodom apples to be turned to ashes IN
such brief span2 Are the thirteenth,
fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to
be nulltied in their very essence, because
they failed of their purpose in the Southf
Are they for home use only? Is the flag
to become again Haunting lie and
float over military despotism-frst in
the Philippines and later at the homer
Was the memorable conflict between
slavery and freedom useless2 Have we
gained nothingP Is the commercial
greed which dominates in our councils
and coerces the President to do his
bloody and dirty work to make of the
Constitution new League with death
and covenant with hell in the in
terest of oppression akin to slavery2 In
order to do al these things must we
"camp outside the Constitution, and
give the old Interpretation OF the South
ern Shareholders to the Declaration Of
Independence and nullify all precedents
and decisions Of our Supreme CourtY
Did this nation offer up Of its best and
bravest upon the altar of liberty, the
blood of 700, 600 men and spend and des-
troy 81, 900 600 600 of treasure that we
might have government OF the people,
by the people, for the people, to find
that in the brief span of one man 5 life
the sacrifice was vain, the civil war Il
mistake, and that the colored race has
no rights we are bound to respect at
home or abroadY'
Mr.. Tillman discussed at length the
scheme Of government proposed for the
Philippines by Mr., Beveridge saying IN
this connection that the Indiana Sena
tor heart was as hard Ms flint and that
he was without mercy and without
charity because he really proposed to
govern the Filipinos with the bayonet.
Advcrting to Mr., Beveridge's s quo"
tations frcm the Bible, Mr. Tillms
said; Il have heard that the devil
can quote Scripture for his own
purposes. Why, / can quote Scripture
myself (laughter). Verify, verify, !
say unto you, Senator from Indiana, -
pointing his finger dramatically ut Mr..
Beveridge, who sat within few feet Of
him you cannot gather figs from thorns
nor grapes from thistles. -
III we mete out despotism and
bayonet rule to that people will 1t not
be meted back to usY 1t need not be
from foreign source, and it cannot be
from foreign source that the govern.
nent by bayonet will ever oppress the
American people, Our danger lies In
familiarizing our people with despotic
methods, In abandoning the American
ideal and the principles Of our fathers.
1.-The cause Of bayonet rule will come
back to plague you rs sure rs there is
God In heaven. -
Mr.. Tillman said there was no doubt
the United States could suppress and
repress and murder the Filipinos, but
he hoped that Uncle Sam would step
forward In his might and az he did at
the Gridiron dinner on Saturday night,
snatch the crown from imperialism and
declare for liberty and freedom.
In conclusion, Mr.. Tillman said;
lone who loves liberty and loves his
country and believes that Its true great
ness lies In clinging to the ideals Of our
fathers, Iprotest against the continuance
Of this unholy war. The President has
declared that upon Congress rests the
responsibility. He shirks the burden Of
his mistake and crime, and endeavors
to shift IL TO our shoulders. Let us give
these people government OF their own,
the self government, In whatever
form they may select, and be rid OF the
burden as well as the shame which must
be ours II we do not Let us protect
them against outside interference, and
IN small part compensate them for
the wrong we have done them.
I'm the name of Washington, OF
Jefferson and Lincoln, let US stop this
war, which was hideous blunder In its
beginning, II Is now war Of conquest
u crime In the sight Of God and man,