The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-06-13
SENATOR HOAR
Honorable and Eloquent, Sees
Through a Glass DarkIy.
There is Nothing In Our Treat
ment Of the FilIipinos.
That Is Not Honorable and In Accort
With the Principles of Our
| Government

Senator Hoar Is wise and good man.
His patriotism nor his Republicanism
are questioned by any fair. intelli-
gent man. Yet Mr. Hoar cannot agree
with the policy OF our Government in
It's treatment of the Philippines and
votes against the measures freed upon
by the majority OF his party for the
government Of these islands.
His objection Is, that these people |
are not given their independence, nor
any promise of independence; that the |
government is not government OF
their choice, and is not government
OF the people, for the people, by the
people; and is therefore \ government OF
force, and contrary To the genius Of our
Constitution, and contrary TO the Dec
lsrstion Of Independence. He there
fore charges, that In our treatment OF
the Fiiipinos, we are going contrary 10
our fathers, and TO the principles upon
which our Government was formed.
We have great respect for Mr.. Hear,
and his views, but we say with al due
respect that his views upon the Philip
pine question are more visionary than
practical, and II carried out would only
be harmful for those whose cause he
espouses.
In the abstract, our fathers were hon.
est in their enuucistions made in the
Declaration of Independence. Yet
Washington, Adams and jefferson
knew that there were limitations to
this principle Of independence and acted
accordingly. They recognized slavery,
they denied the slave vote, they denied
suffrage TO women and men under Il
years of age, and To foreigners. They
provided for the acquisition of territory
by purchase and conquest, without the
consent of the Inhabitants annexed
They denied the right of the Indians
who were here before they were, to gov
ern their own country.
Jefferson annexed Louisiana by pur
chase, against the wish of the inhabi
tants, just ss President Mckinley An
uexed the Philippines by purchase
|, And the United States set up its gov
ernment over the people Of Louisiana
without asking their consent, just q
we have set up q government in tn,
Philippines without their consent.
We annexed New Mexico, CAlifornia
ETC., by conquest and purchase from
Mexico, and set up our own govern
ment over them, and when some of tn
New Mexicans objected, tried them 70
treason.
We annexed ''the Gadsen purchase,
and never once asked the buzzard
whether they were willing TO come i
or not.
We purchased Florida against tn
protests of the Spaniards and Indian
living there, and set up our govern
ment over them.
We purchased Alaska of Russia, an
set up our government over its inhab
tants without any body protesting tbs
we had no right TO do so. And we has
held the country for more than q qua
ter Of q century without giving its PEI
pie q government of their own, or eve
q promise of one.
The people of South Carolina and te
other States claimed that they had
right to throw off our government al
set up q government of their Own-n
essaying 10 destroy our gOvernmen
but TO set up government of the pc
pie, for the people, by the people,
> their own States. We denied the
right to set up such government. "
:. set up the sovereignty of our COVER
ment, a sovereignty recognized by Il
nations of the world, and we waged
. four years war to maintain that so
! ereignty, and by doing 80 we did mo
to secure liberty and the rights of me
q Thousand times over, than we wou
have done If we had recognized Il
Is right of secession.
10 1t is too late, therefore, for Mr.. Ho
to quote the Declaration of Indepen
40 ence and the principles of our fsthe
~ as against the policy of our governme
~ in the Philippines.
We were called to the Philippines
&c protect our commercial rights al
'e maintain the security of our Navy,
our war with Spain. The Philippin
belonged to Spain. There was no OF
~ er Government there, nor any preten
e of one. Aguinaldo. himself was in e
10 lie, and went back to Manila, under t.
d protection OF Dewey's guns. Y
u whipped Spain, and gave her $40, OO
II 900 for the islands. We hold them, theI
Z fore, by right OF conquest and purchas
= the right by which we hold four-6ft
IL of the United States. And we have s
D. up our Government over those islam
10 just as we did over Louisiana, Florid
vi the acquisitions from Mexico, and ov
Alaska. Every territory we ever q
quired was governed by Congress as
~ saw fit, without asking the consent
+ the people, and no state has ever be-
H. admitted to the Union till our COVER
y ment decided whether 1t was best
those people and for the Union, tn
s they should come in. We are treatil
10 rho Eilfninas iust "a ue hava traat