The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1902-02-07
THE DEMOCRATIC PHILIPPINE
POLICY.

Philippine Tariff bill. drawn and pre-
scented by Senator Carmack. and adopte'
by the Democratic Senators as thei
party policy. foreshadows the para
mount issue between the two grea
parties in the next national campaign
1t ought not to receive any more at
tention than the trusts. but doubles
will. 1t is well enough, therefore, u
begin to read and think upon the ques
ton.
Following are some of the salient
features. or more pungent paragraphs
of the minority report.
'Ne the signers of the minority
report) oppose it 1.-THE Philippine Tariff
bill because it violates constitutional
rights and transcends the limits of con-
stitutional power. Our objections 60
to the whole policy of colonial empire,
to the arbitrary government of vassal
provinces, to the spirit of military
aggression, and of war for the sake of
spoils. +.
1.-THE men who framed our system of
government were i1npelled not alone by
desire to secure the blessings of
liberty for themselves and their chill
dren. They evolved our constitution
out of broad and generous conception
of rights common to all mankind.
They had themselves passed through
bitter experience as colonial de-
tendencies, and they knew WI at it
was to be victim of arbitrary power
at the hands of master beyond the
sea- 1t is inconceivable that they
ever intended that the government they
established should WELD a like
arbitrary power over the lives and
fortunes of a subject people.
st does not satisfy our constitutional
objection to be told that recent de-
cision by divided court has sustained
the contrary view. We must accept
that decision as settling the rights of
litigants in the particular lawsuit, but
IL uOtS uOU lOllOW tIldb IL lIluSU DCCODIC
an article of faith and a rule Of con-
duct for a co-equal and coordinate
department of the government. 1t is,
at last, the duty of congress to keep
within the bounds of the constitution,
and to firmly reject any judicial |
grant of arbitrary and unlimited
power. :.
1.-The present court has, in one case,
stripped the government OF an impor-
tant power which it had possessed for
more than a hundred years. In
another it clothed it with important
powers. which for more than hundred
years it had been denied. In both
cases it reversed long accepted inter-
pretations of the constitution. A court
which shows so little respect for the
opinion of its most illustriou5 pre-
decessors cannot expect to command
unlimited confidence in the soundness
''To say that we cannot govern inferior ,
races, in far distant seas. in accord
ance with American maxims and prin .
ciples of government is simply an un-
argument against attempt
ing to govern them at all. . .
IF the exercises of arbitrary and un ,
restricted power, if to govern people {
chiefly for the benefit of the governors
and with little or no regard Tor the s
welfare of the governed, if this be the ;
essence of Imperialism then the policy 9
upon which we have embarked in the
is imperialism in its most
vicious and most demoralizing form.
We cannot believe that this government
IS finally committed to policy so !,
-epugnant to its history and traditions, :
10 full of perils and SO barren of profit.
The very authors of this policy have
declared that it is wide departure
rom American principles its leading
advocates admit that it involves
serious shock to our constitution and
orm of government; those who have !,
,een most active in launching the
nation. upon this vast experience con- :,
ess that it is dark with doubts and :
hick with perils. Yet it's foremost
loudly proclaim that oui = =
enture in the Philippines is but :
he beginning of a policy Of extensive I,
onquest in foreign lands; that we y
ave seized the Philippine islands
imply as vantage ground from which 4
70 may plunge into the thick of the =
European struggle for world wide =
mpire and domain. That such u policy
ill sacrifice forever our position of
eaceful security. and that it will bring
pom us all the strifes and contentious,
le military burdens and dangers of
ar that vex and Cypress the nations
the older world, seems to us so self
,ident proposition that we can app
,al with confidence..to the sober second I'd