The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1901-02-01
NOT OURS TO TAKE.
Towne Denounces as Criminal Our
Acquisition Of Philippines.
Lust of Empire So Blunted Our Moral Som
sibilities That We Could Resort to tho
Larceny Of . Nation-Aguinaldo
and Dewey.

washington, Jan. ES.-AS previously
announced, Senator Charles A. Towne
Monday addressed the senate on his
resolution declaring for Filipino indie.
pendence. In opening his address Mr..
Towne referred to the petition pre-
sented to the senate few days ago
by zoos Filipinos for cessation of
hostilities and for the granting of in
dependence to the people of the Phil
ippines. He maintained that it would
prove "quickening appeal to the
ancient spirit of the republic, or it's
rejection must dedicate the twentieth
century to a reaction prejudicial, if
not fatal to free institutions" While
discussing events which led United
States forces to the Philippines, Mr..
sTowne referred with particularly to
the charge that Aguinaldo had sold
his country to the -Spaniards for
bribe- He declared the accusation was
"gra tuitious in it's calumny, when we
consider that the official publications
ofsour own government contradict and
destroy it," The senator declared that
1--WE were in an alliance with the Filipi-
nos, an alliance sought by ourselves,
availed of by US for our own adj
vantage and finally, to our everlasting
shame in the estimation of honorable
men, repudiated by us when we found
it no longer necessary and when lust
of empire had so blunted our moral
sensibilities that we could mount
from an act of perfdy to the grand
larceny of a nation Referring to
Admiral Dewey's denial that he had
ever treated the insurgents as allies,
Mr.. Towne said sarcastically: 81 fear
the honest sailors Technology has
suffered from recent contact with the
mice discriminat of administra-
tion diplomacy" Discussing the ac-
QUESTION of the Philippines, Senator
Towne said:
1t is not easy to fix with accuracy
the time when the design was formed to
take forcible possession Of the Philippine
Islands, nor to ascertain the mind in
whose gloomy recesses' this enterprise
of sacrilege and violence first gathered
form and pressure. There has indeed been
evidenced a disposition by its most illus
trious sponsors. as If their prophetic souls
already trembled at the inquisition of
after ages, to impute the dubious re-
sponsibility of Providence itself. I know
not which to admire the more. whether
the modesty which disclaims credit for
the policy. or the colossal presumption
which challenges and betrays the vaunted
confidence Of the Almighty.
Mr.. Towne said of the presidents
proclamation that "among the roses
of it's soft rhetoric of love, it's fair
speech about our coming mot as in
,vaders or conquerors, but as friends
iof the mild sway of Justice and of
benevolent assimilation the already
Justly awakened distrust of the Fill
pinos clearly beheld the unsheathed
and glittering steel of despotism."
Continuing, he said:
If we are bent on slaughter, let it be
in open guise. II we lust for the peoples
land. let US not glaze our enterprise with
false and sinister pretense. Rather let
us boldly raise the sombre flag OF inter-
national piracy, whistle scruple down the
wind, and then close in upon our feeble
victims to the cry Of loot and glory"
There Is not the slightest ground for
sion has been made UPON the determina-
tion of the Philippine people to resist us
to the end. There is no evidence that
any strong native. ,pro-American element
has any existence whatever AS the re-
suit of two years. Of wastink var. We
thar archfpe lago. No district Is really
''pacified." We hold the ground our
troops stand on. practically nothing more.
Is 1t not clear that the way of duty Is
eduauy the path Of profit? Do we need
to-. own people in order to trade with
them? Is 1t not better to allow our
customers to live. to have their good
will. and to leave them the means of pay
ment, than to kill the strongest Of them,
TO earn the hatred of the survivors and to
dmpoverish all by desolating war?
Mr.. Towne maintained that the
United States was under the obliga-
ition of circumstances, if not indeed.
of actual promise, to grant independ-
ience to the Filipinos, and that, among
nations, the former was.quite as bind
ing as the latter. Senator Towne then
argued at length in support of his
contention that the Filipinos were
perfectly capable Of, governing them
selves. pointing out that 80 per cent.
of the population of Luzon can read
and write, and holding that the gov
:ernment established by Aguinaldo
something symmetrical and some
thing tangible, even in the difficult
and disturbing conditions which sur
rounded it.
Immediately upon the conclusion of
Mr.. Towne's speech Mr.. Nelson pre-
sented the credentials of Moses E.
Clapp. Towne's. successor, and the
oath Of Office was administered.
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