The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1902-12-26


return from the Philippines While
there the executive took occasion 10
exploit anew the convenient theory Of
destiny, which has been urged as an
excuse for the permanent retention
OF the Philippines He said, among
other things: Whether We are glad
or sorry that events have forced rs TO
80 there is aside from the question
The point is that as the inevitable re-
suit Of the war with Spain, we found
ourselves IN the Philippines, and that
we could not leave the Islands without
discredit"
The statement that events have
forced Us" TO exercise dominion over
the Philippine islands IS not true The
demand made by this government for
the islands was not forced one so
far as we were concerned II was
purely voluntary, and the demand was
made because Of the supposed pscuni-
airy advantage that the islands would
be 10 US Immediately after the VIC
tory OF Manila the president began in
curing about the resources OF the IS
lands and influential expOnents OF the
fmDerialistic doctrine have constantly
paraded the financial advantage Of
~our new possessions"
The treaty with Spain should have
provided for the independence Of the
Philippine islands as IL provided for
the independence Of Cuba The fail
ure TO make provision for indepsnd-
ence wOs the first mistake on the part
Of the administration. but that mistake
could have been cured by declaration
Of the nations purpose 70 give inde-
pendencs to the FiliDinOs- The rati-
icatiOn OF the treaty did not compel US
Ill 81 g-n- 70
after the ratification OF the treaty,
came within one vote Of passing a
resolution promising independence It
required the vote OF the republican
vice president to defeat this resolution
Then the McEnery resolution was sup
ported by nearly all the republicans
who voted Tor the ratification Of the
treaty. and that resolution declared
that the. Question Of disposition was
left to the future dissemination Of
cOngTess.i
Ever since that time the opponents
Of Imperialism have been endeavOTing
to secure a declaration of purpose on
the part of congress, but the republi-
cans have refused to disclose their
plans or admit that they had any. I'm
der the excuse that we were cOerced
by events, our government has pro-
ceeded to kill thousands Of FilipinOs,
and to dispose OF their land. Because
they have asserted the doctrine set
forth in our own Declaration Of In
dependence and refused to recognize a
title based upon purchase or force. they
have been called insuTTectiOnists and
have been put to the sword.
when Spain, under compulsiOn. Ceded
US the Philippine islands she gave US
only a quit claim deed; she simply re-
linquished her claim upon them, but
could no more convey title to them
than the king Of Spain could convey
to an American citizen a valid title
to 4 Spanish subject. When the Unit
ed States. accepted title it accepted it
in trust for the FilipinOs, Just as a man
who takes a stolen horse away from
a thief holds it as trustee for the real
I owner. If a man catches a horse thief
in the act of leading away a horse
from a neighbor's barn and resources
the horse he can not say to his neigh
Dor that, finding the horse valuable
he feels forced by events to keep it.
And yet if he did so his conduct would
Re no mO-e abz-rd or indefensibIe than
the cOE5lut of the administration in
trying to lay upon circgs07sta7ess the
responsibility fCT- th5 establishment Oi
"a cOtoniaI spolicy. The pFeSiden& lays
sgTe5t stress upon strenuOusness. and
is credited with much physical cOu-
rage IL he has the moral courage ID
/ announce and defend the principles
/ which underly imperialism let hin
cease to hide behind manufactured cir
/ euRns tRlces& let Kim boldly condemn
/ the G0ctTihe=0f government by the con
I sent of the governed. Let him saw
/ We are bigger than the FilipinOs an;
Iecan whip them, therefore We are en-
Il t{tTed 10 anything that they have" Anj
4 when be. has applied the doctrine o
II highway robbery to nations. let hiu
/ draw the line between such a prince
/ pie applied to governmental affairs AM
/ the. same principle applied to indi
| VgFla8.s When he attempts to distin
| gIiish between force as the foundation
l of national expansion and force as tn
I foundation of individual acquisition b
viii. begin 70. realize what imperialism
I means.
5s} .ZES.08 aE=-
Il is reported in the newspaper dis
| patches from Washington that SON
7efzthesstatehOOd boomers are aOW-urg
I ing the extraordinary strength of Pres
ident Roosevelt in Arizona. OklahOm
and New Mexico; they say that thi
4 streHgth HnsuEes ten electoral votes 70
the republican ticket in 1904. Thes
statehood boomers have hit upon tn
Z 'sTgGnent' that VIII most appeal {
republican leaders Anything that vi
contribute to the success Of the Teput
sk-iiesaz parry sliRseEpEeted= by hese lead
l-eFs as being good for the nation"
- reader Of the Commoner. calls Al
EentiOn to the decision Of the supTem
cOJFt =t6- the effect that the silver do
lar isan unlimited legal tender exceI
E VAefe eontraeted against. This law ha
s EssA lius eject since 1873. althOug
many advOcates OF the gold standaT
/ seem ignorant Of the fact
A. the president has sent a silve
watch chain and medal to his 10y;
subjects. the chiefs of Tutuila, v
may assume that ne considers 16 to
about the ratio existing between a CT
izen and subject
One reason Why the daily newspt
pers print ten columns about a COLES
football game and ten lines about a co
lege debating contest is that mar
people think more Of feats Of the fe
than they do Of contests between Ger
bruins. Newspapers are made for Il
sane purpose as the Frenchman