The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-07-13
DEMOCRATIC EXPANSION.

With capitalists opening up vast agri-
cultural interests In China and the Philip
pine Islands, with the sleeping millions of
China aroused to industrial activity, you
will find our agricultural products abroad
confronted with the agricultural products
produced by the cheapest labor in the
world. Nay, more. you will find our manu-
featuring interests met abroad by compe-
tition from manufacturing plants there and
compelled to struggle at home with such
a competition. The Philippine Islands will
afford breeding ground from which
cheap labor will be brought here to COM
pete with our own labor. When we talk
about trade with those countries, 1t must
mean an exchange of products, as they
have no money worth speaking of, and
in such a contest the American citizen
must go TO the wall" The raw cotton
of the South can be taken TO such a mar
ket and brought back as the finished
product cheaper than we can make it at
home.
When we oppose policy that threatens
commercial disaster TO us, we are charged
with opposition TO expansion. The demo-
cratic party has always been a party of
expansion. Every foot of soil fitted for
the habitation of white men that has been
added to the original thirteen colonies has
come to us under democratic adininistra-
tons. But every foot of that soil was
contiguous, suited to our wants, and in
line with our best interests. There the
best of American citizenship, the lawyer,
doctor. preacher, farmer or mechanic,
could 60 from the crowded centers of
population to r sparsely settled section and
find opportunity under a sun congenial 10
Anglo-Saxon blood make his home, rear
his family, and worship God as his con-
science impelled him.
The Philippine Islands can never be
thus Americanizcd, By such a policy we
abandon the Monroe doctrine and the mis-
sion OF our republic. True to that mis-
sion We have seen flag after flag 20 down
upon monarchial holdings upon this conti-
nent to give way to liberty loving repub-
lies. From the throes of the civil war we
emerged, waved our hand at an emperor
seeking throne in Mexico, and his as
pirations vanished. We have Just wrested
from Spain the last of her possessions up
on this hemisphere. Not only that, but
our institutions have invaded Europe, and
where republics have not supplanted des-
potisms kings and emperors have been
compelled to surrender to their subjects
many privileges and concessions Instead
OF embarking upon policy of colonial ag-
grandizement. had We but been true to
ourselves ana inc memory OF those VINO
established this great republic, by the
sheer force OF Our example and the in
huence Of our institutions we might, and
may yet, If we have the courage to re-
turn 10 them, Command the peace and
shape the civilization of the world Gap
plause.J
/ am not going to discuss the capacity
Of the Filipinos for self-g3vernment.
believe that every people axe capable of
giving themselves better and more salts
factory government than that OF any alien
government forced upon them against their
consent If the testimony of many is TO
be believed, they are capable OF self-gov-
eminent. II they are, they are entitled to
have IT, If they are not, then they are
not ht for citizenship and ought not 20 he
added to our people as degradation of
the high standard OF citizenship we have
heretofore had. We can not govern them
as subjects and hope 10 preserve our own
government in its integrity. Soicitude for
the welfare OF our own people Is far more
potent than regard for the interests of the
Filpinos in shaping my opposition to any
policy locking to their retention. Cen
tlemen say that il will embarrass MS to
make them any promises OF freedom, even
though it be our intention to give them
ultimate independence. Our experience in
Cuba is the answer to that question.