Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-08-14
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them no voice In determining the taxes
which they must pay. we dare not educate
them, lest they learn 10 read the Declaration
CT Independence and the Constitution of the
United States and mock US for our incOn-
sisteney.
The principal arguments. however, adj
vanced by those who enter upon defense
of imperialism are:
First-That we must improve the present
opportunity to become world power and
enter into International politics.
Second-That cur commercial interests in
the Philippine Islands and in the Orient
make it necessary for us to hold the Islands
permanently.
Third the spread of the Christian
religion will be facilitated by colonial pol
icy.
Fourth-That there is no honorable retreat
from the position which the nation has
taken.
The first argument is addressed to the
nations pride and the second to the ma
tons pocketbook. The third is intended for
the church member and the fourth for the
partisan.
1t is a sufficient answer to the first argu-
ment to say that for more than a century
this nation has been world power. For ten
decades it has been the most potent iniu-
ence in the world. Net only has it been a
world power, but 1t has done more to affect
the politics of the human race than all the
other nations Of the world combined The
growth of the principle of self government.
planted on American SOIL has been the
oyer-shadowing political fact OF the nine
teenth century. 1t has made this nation
conspicuous among tie nations and given it
a place in history such as no other nation
has ever enjoyed.
The Commercial Argument.
The permanent chairman of the last Re
publican national convention presented the
pecuniary argument In all its badness, when
he said: I'VE make no hypocritieal pre-
tense of being interested in the Philippines
solely on account of others. While we re-
gard the welfare Of these people as a sacred
trust, we regard the welfare of the Ameri-
can people first. We see ouf duty to our
selves as well as to others. We believe in
trade expansion. By every Legitimate means
within the province of government and con-
Stitution, we mean to stimulate the expan-
sion of our trade and open new markets."
This is the commercial argument. 1t is
based upon the theory that war can be right
ly waged for pecuniary advantage, and that
it Is profitable to purchase trade by force
and violence. The Democratic party is In
favor of the expansion of trade. 1t would
extend our trade by every legitimate and
peaceful means; but 1t is not willing to
make merchandise of human blood. But a
war of conquest is as unwise as it is I'M
righteous. A harbor and coaling station in
the Philippines would answer every trade
and military necessity, and such conces-
sion could have been secured at any time
without difficulty.
The pecuniary argument, though more ef-
fectiye with certain classes, is not likely
TO be used so often or presented with so
much emphasis as the religious argument.
If what has been termed the .gun-powder
gospel were urged against the Fiipinos
only 1t would be sufficient answer TO say
that majority of the Filipinos are now
members of one branch of the Christian
church, but the principle involved is one
of much wider application and challenges
serious consideration.
The religious argument varies in positive
ness from a passive belief that Providence
delivered the hilipinoS into our hands, for
their good and our glory, to the exultaton Of
the minister who said that we ought to
thrash the natives Flipinos) until they I'M
derstand who we are, and that every bull
let sent, every cannon shot and every flag
waved means righteousness"
We cannot approve of this doctrine in one
place unless we are willing to apply it
everywhere. Love, not force, was the
weapon of the Nazarene; sacrifice for Others
not the exploitation of them, was His meth
cd of reaching the human heart. Let it be
known that our missionaries are seeking
souls instead of SOW ereignty; let 1t be known
that instead of being the advance guard of
conquering armies they are going forth to
help and to uplft, having their loins grit
about with truth and their feet shod with
the preparation of the gospel of peace, wear
ing the breastplate of righteousness, and
carrying the sword of the Spirit; let it be
known that they are the citizens of nation
which respects the rights of the citizens of
other nations as carefully as it protects the
rights of its own citizens, and the welcome
given to orr missionaries will be more cor
dial than the welcome extended to the mis-
sionarieS of any other nation
The argument, made by some, that il was
unfortunate for the nation that 1t had any
thing to do with the Philippine Islands, but
that the naval victory at Manila made the
permanent acquisition Of those Islands neces-
sary, is also unsound We won naval vic
tory at Santiago, but that did not compel us
to hold Cuba. The shedding of American
blood in the Philippine Islands does not
ln tffNrNn fhaf %aSR,
possession forever; American blood was shed
at San Juan Hill and Ell Caney, and yet the
President has promised the Cubans indie
pendence. The fact that the American flag
floats over Manila does not compel us to
exercise perpetual sovereignty over the ISL
ands; that flag waves over Havana to-day,
but the President has promised to haul it
down when the flag of the Cuban republic is
ready to rise In its place. Better a thousand
times that our flag in the Orient give way
to flag representing the idea of self govern
ment than that the flag of this republic
should become the flag of an empire.
Solution of the Question.
There is an easy. honest, honorable solu-
ton of the Philippine question. 1t Is set
forth In the Democratic platform and 1t Is
submitted with confidence to the American
people. This plan | unreseryedly indorse.
II elected, ! shall convene Congress in ex-
traordlnary session as soon as | am inaug-
urated, and recommend an immediate declar-
HUN ol the purpose, HTSI, TO eSldb-
list a stable form of government in the Phil
ippine Islands, just as we are now establish
ing stable form of government In the ISL
and of Cuba; second, TO give independence to
the Filspinos just as we have promised TO
give independence TO the Cubans: third, to
protect the Filipinos from outside interfer-
ence while they work out their destiny, just
as we have protected the republics of Cen
trail and South America, and are. by the
Monroe doctiine, pledged to protect Cuba.
An European protectorate often results in
the exploitation of the ward by the guard
Ian. An American protectorate gives to the
nation protected the advantage of our
strength, without making it the victim of
our greed.
When our opponents are unable TO defend
their position by argument they fall back
upon the assertion that Ii is destiny, and in
sist that we must submit to it. no matter
how much it violates moral preceptS and our
principles of government. Destiny is the
subterfuge of the invertebrate. who. lacking
the courage TO oppose error, seeks some
plausible excuse for supporting Ii. Wash
ington said that the destiny Of the repubi-
can form Of government was deeply. If not
finally. staked on the experiment intrusted
to the American people How different
Washingtons definition of destiny from the
Republican definition. The Republicans say
that this nation is in the hands of Destiny;
Washington believed that not only the des-
the Republican fern of government through
out the world was Entrusted to American
hands. Washington was right. The destiny
of this republic is in the hands of its OWE
people.
Mr. Chairman s1d Gentlemen CT the Com
mittee: / can never fully discharge the
debt OF gratitude which | owe to my coun-
trymen for the hOnors which they have so
generously bestowed upon me; but, sIrs
whether 1t be my lot to occupy the high
office for which the convention has named
me, or TO spend the remainder Of my days IN
private life. Ii shall be my constant ambi-
tiOn and my controlling purpose to aid in
realizing the high ideals OF those whose wis
dom and courage and sacrifices brought this
republic into existence.
| can conceive of national destiny sur
passing the glories of the present and the
pasta destiny which meets the response
bilitieS OF the to-day and measures up to
the possibilities Of the future. Behold a
republic resting securely npcn the founda-
ton stones qnsrried by revolutionary pat
riots from the mountain of eternal trufh-a
republic applying in practice and proclaim
ing tc the world the seif-evident prOpcSi-
ton THAT all men are created equal: that
they are endowed with iualienable rights:
that governments are instituted among men
to secure these rights; that governments de-
rive their just powers from the consent OF
the governed Behold republic in which
civil and religious liberty stimulate ali 10
earnest enaeavor and in which the law
restrains every hand upiiffed for a neigh
bor's injury-a republic In which every clfi-