Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1901-12-24

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 knowh
and applauded throughout the world as
the champion of freedom, in the false
and un-American position of crushing
with military force the efforts of our
former allies to achieve liberty and self
government. The Filipinos cannot o.
citizens without endangering our civil
iZation; they cannot be subjects with
out imperilling our form of govern
inent, and as we are not willing to snr-
Gender 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,
e stable form of government; second.
independence; and, third, protection
from outside interference, such as has
been given for nearly a century to the
republics of Central and South Amer
Sea.
The Democrats can afford to take
their stand upon this platform and chal-
lenge the attack of imperialists. More
than a 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 charges that imperial
lsm ''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 APP
plauded throughout the world as the
champion of freedom, in the false and
un-A alerican position of crushing with
military force the efforts of our allies
so achieve liberty and self-govern-
| ment."
The war is unnecessary because the
iEilipinos are ready to lay down their
arms whenever independence is prom
lsed them. The sacrifice of life has con
tinued unabated and the imperialists
| 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 it 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 a portion of the platform al
ready quoted: "rhe Filipinos cannot
be citizens without endangering our
| civilizations; they cannot be subjects
without imperilling our form of govern
ment"
The Republicans are not willing to
| sIy that they intend to make the Fill
| piSos citizens with voice in the con-
Quoting of our (and their federal gov
ernment. This would be to propose a
| heterogeneous government which would
ultimately fall to pieces because of Dir
| versity of races and interests. Neither
are 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 weil-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 a 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 divulge their purpose.
The Democratic plan for the settle
1 lutllN VI lAG NhCSAiOA - iuCAA7
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, a stable
form of government must be estab-
| lished in the place of the one over
thrown by us, but 1t 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 if we had treated the
Cubans as We have treated the Fill
pinos; there would now be peace in
the Philippines Il we had treated the
| Filipinos as we have treated the Gu
bans. We have not scrupulously OBJ
served the promise made TO the Cubans.
and yet the confidence which the Gu
| bans have felt in ultimate independence
has led them to submit even when our
| demands have seemed unreasonable
J and unjust
/, Independence IS the desire and the
right of the Fiipinos. If we denied
them independence and gave them full
1 citizenship in orr government it might
| possibly be satisfactory to them, al
though it would be dangerous 10 US, but
the Republican leaders do not promise
them citizenship in this government OF
| their own The FiIipinos are not enjoy
! ing the guarantees OF our constitution;