The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-02-15

Who are the signers Of this petition7 They are
peaceahle tradesmen, merchants lawyers. doctors,
teachers, mechanics and artisans at Manila. Whom
do they represent? They claim to speak the senti.
ments and aspirations of the Philippine people.
OF what do they complain? OF the assertion over
them by force of arms of an alien and arbitrary
rule What nation thus asserts its power against
them7 The republic of the United States OF
America. What is it they desire? Independence
and self government To whom do they present
their appeal? Let the answer be made in the
words Of the petition itself:
1--WE have not hestated, therefore, to present
this appeal to the United States congress- trusting
that the latter may better understand the real
aims and aspirations of our people. Therefore the
Philippine nation, bearing in mind not only the
heroic history Of America, but also her sacred ira
ditions, her humanitarian doctrines and her demo-
cratic institutions. asks Of America to cease her
persecution Of men struggling to be free against
greater odds and greater wrongs than those which
Insured the fathers Of the American republic. We
ask this Of Americans in the name Of Washington.
In the name Of Jefferson, in the name OF Lincoln,
In the name Of Justice and in the name OF God
eternal, Judge Of the world"
Sir, confess that this appeal moves me- What
American can remain insensible to the unhappy
plight OF small and relatively feeble people en-
gagged in . hopeless contest with vastly stronger
antagonist for the sacred privilege Of self govern
ment? ID not there something infinitely pathetic
In the circumstance that we should today be using
the very power conferred upon us by our liberties
to subjugate weaker nation invoking those very
liberties against US and whom our own glorious
example inspires to resist our aggressionS Their
summons in the name Of Washington, Jefferson
and Lincoln to challenge justice in the court OF
heaven is most solemn adjuration. Never here.
tofore would the United States have hesitated to
stake its cause on such an issue. Do we dare to
do it nowa
In my opinion Mr.. President, the prayer Of this
people should be granted. Not less advantage
than Justice, not less glory than duty. demands it.
As tending to support this contention, therefore,
propose, as briefly a. is consistent with the i'm
portance Of the subject and considering that At
tention has been heretofore repeatedly called to
them in this chamber, to review the circum-
stances Of the origin Of our interest in the Phil
ippines, the conditions existing in the islands at
that time and the present situation there, a. well
| as some Of the arguments employed to JUSTIFY
| both the conquest and the arbitrary government
of the archipelago by the United States. l shall
| also endeavor to show that the present policy OF
| the administration involves an adoption OF the
| programme Of Imperialism and militarism, toward
which there has been for some years an accelerat-
| ing tendency in Europe, an abandonment OF the
most glorious traditions OF the republic and rec
the peoples of the EARTH
In classic times sir, long after the skeptic phi
losophies had ravished Olympus OF its tcrrors and
Helicon of its charms, it still remained the Gus
| tom OF the poets to invoke the aid OF gods and
muses. whose existence for both writer and reader,
| had become tacit intellectual fiction. Today a
! somewhat similar mputaton attaches to those ap-
| peals to the nonpartisanship Of their audiences
| which speakers on political subjects are prone to
utter. Yet, sir, such an appeal l now MAKE
| do not believe the ancient shrines are all un-
\ tenanted. Many an American heart still pays Its
VOWS to the spirit Of citizenship in the republic
while the affairs Of party "pale their Intellectual
| fires"
Millions Of voters in this nation, believe, still
bear fealty to their country stronger and more
| sacred than any duty they recognize to any po
| litical organization. Many OF them at the last
/ election, am convinced, voted for the party in
| power under misrepresentation To some the
clamor Of party drowned the voice OF country. Tc
others the Haunting Of party banners in the
similitude OF the national ensign worked tenn
porary confusion. These two classes are dangerous
to the system they have aided. II they become
convinced that they have been deceived, If once
they shall realize that the new course is away
from the old landmarks Of liberty, their vengeance
\ will be both swift and sure.
| cannot hope that my voice may reach any
large number Of these men nor that, even OF those
who hear, many will be convinced through my
imperfect utterance, but happily mine is but on
Of multitude Of voices raised and to be raised
for Justice and national honor, for the American
ism OF the fathers and for the true and perpetual
glory Of the country. They shall sing of industr,
rather than waste, of social equity rather thar
war, Of self government rather than arbitrar,
power.
Noble Peroration.
The peroration is as follows:
Sir, this new policy 10 advocated by some mel
because, q they contend, we need the disciplin,
Of war. deny it. / affirm, on the contrary, ant
I appeal in confirmation Of my statement to al
/ past and present histAy, that war in and of it
self 10 an awful and unmatched calamity and II
no respect more 70 than in its effect ON the char
-acter and morals Of men. Mere slaughter ID neve
glorious Only the justice Of the cause for which
/ men have fought when liberty has been at stalk
has redeemed the horror Of it. The noble senti
nent aroused BY such Cause has glorifed ever
the awful means BY which It has thus far been
found necessary to support and defend it. Thos
means have always been deplored BY humane ant
Just men who have been compelled to use them.
How true this 10 may be seen In every single cas-
where war 10 waged for greed Of power and whel
the soldiers engaged in It are not sustained AMI
animated BY lofty enthusiasm or generous senti
ment. They will either shun the service q the,
will become ''subdued to what they work in, lik,
the dyer.s hand" war;" declares vereschagin
who painted 1t % truly that Won Noltke com
manded his soldiers not to look upon the artist
canrases, war 10 the opposite Of humanity. >
War. aid General Sherman. sis hell" All IT
fepulslve features are magnined by an ignobl,
cause. Whiting from the unblessed fields Of th,
South African campaign, British ofacer has said
Zone Of the greatest calamities Of war, espe
cially prolonged war. 10 the moral degenerate,
that sets in arnong the combatants. and feal
that this IL sometimes even more marked amons
the victoss than among the vanquished, for. nush