Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-12-25

a pemocratic Ent..

with the opening OIL the nrSt SESSION
of the Fifty-seventh Congress the COIL
gressional campaign of 1902 begins.
The Philippine question will be the
most important matter considered by
this Congress and in all probability the
most important issue in the campaign
of 1902. The Democrats not only lave
an opportunity to make q strong appeal
to the country on this question, but
1t is their duty to do so. The Repub-
licans do not dare to meet the issue OF
imperialism openly and honestly; they
do not dare to invite judgment upon a
colonial policy; they do not dare to
candidly avow their purpose to hold the
Philippine islands permanently. A
large majority of the rank and file of
the Republican party cherish the belief
that their party intends ultimate indie
pendence for the Filipinos. The Demo
Gratis can remove this delusion by COM
pelling the Republicans to accept or re-
ject the Democratic plan of dealing
with the Philippine question.
The Democratic platform of 1900 not
only presented n plan for the peaceful
and permanent settlement of the Phil
ippine question, but 1t presented the
only complete plan that has been Of
fered to the American people. 1t reads
as follows:
We condemn and denounce the Phil
ippine policy of the present administra
ton. 1t has involved the republic in I'M
necessary war, sacrificed the lives of
many of our noblest sons and placed
the United States, previously known
and applauded throughout the world as
the champion of freedom, in the false
and un-American position of crushing
with military force tile efforts of our
former allies to achieve liberty and self.
government. The Filipinos cannot be
citizens without endangering our civil
ization; they cannot be subjects with
out imperilling our form of govern
ment, and as we are not willing to sur
render our civilization or to convert
the republic into an empire, we favor
an immediate declaration of the ma
TONS purpose to give the Filipinos, first,
stable form of government; second.
independence; and, third, protection
from outside interference, such as has
been given for nearly century to the
republics of Central and South Amer
lea.
The Democrats can afford to take
their stand upon this platform and chal-
lenge the attack of imperialists. More
than year has elapsed since the cleo
ton of 1900, which, according to the
Republican prophecy, was to terminate
the war in the Philippines. Every month
has shown more clearnly the failure
Of Republican arguments and the evils
of an imperialistic policy. The Demo-
cratic platform changes that imperial,
ism has involved the republic in un-
necessary war, sacrificed the lives of
United States previously known and ap-
.plauded throughout the world as the
champion of freedom, in the false and
un-American position of crushing with
military force the efforts of our allies
to achieve liberty and self-govern-
ment.''
The war is unnecessary because the
Filipinos are ready to lay down their
arms whenever independence is prom
Used them. The sacrifice of life has CON
tinued undated and the imperiallsts
seem as little concerned about the death
of American soldiers as they do about
the killing of the natives. The effect of
imperialism has manifested itself in the
failure of Republican leaders to ex-
press any sympathy for the Beers, or to
feel an interest in their struggles for
liberty and self government. The indict-
ment which the Democratic party made
against the Republican administration
was sufficiently sustained by the events
that had transpired prior to the con-
vention, and the trend of events since
that time has furnished Overwhelming
evidence in support of that Indictment.
Let the Democratic leaders in the SEN
ate and house present this evidence in
their speeches SO that 1t may reach the
entire country through the Congress
sional Record.
Why do the Republicans hesitate to
outline a policy? The reason is sug-
gested in portion of the platform al
ready quoted: The Filipinos cannot
be citizens without endangering our
civilization; they cannot be subjects
without imperilling our form of govern
ment."
The Republicans are not willing to
say that they intend to make the Fill
4pinos citizens with a voice in the con-
Quoting of our (and their) federal gov
eminent. This would be to propose a
heterogeneous government which would
ultimately fall to pieces because of di-
versity of races and interests. Neitlssr
nre they willing to declare that the
Filipinos are to be kept subjects for.
ever, for this would be plainly incon-
sistent with our form of government
our traditions and the well-nigh uni
versal sentiment of our people. When
one understands that we must put the
Filipinos into training for ultimate citi
zenship or condemn them to perpetual
servitude under colonial system;
when one understands that we must
either hold before the Filipinos the
hope Of full participation in our gov
eminent or doom them to despair
when one understands this alternative
he readily sees why the Republicans
refuse to diyulge their purpose.
The Democratic plan for the settle
ment of the Philippine question is iden-
teal with the plan proposed by the Re
publicans for the settlement of the Gu
ban question, and the Republicans can
not reject the Democratic plan without
showing some essential difference be-
tween the rights of the Cubans and the
rights of the Filipinos. First, stable
form Of government must be estab-
lished in the place Of the one over
thrown by lis, but it will be easy to es-
tablish this stable government when
the Filipinos know that it is to be their
government. There would be insurrec-
ton now in Cuba IL we had treated tho