Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-03-20

ltAdt liAC Evil llAdt lLcI QO lives dIlGl
them
No love for him, however intense: ne
admiration for his virtues, however sin
cere; no regret for his tragic death, how
ever profound; no eulogism upon his char
acter, however fervid, can alter or palliate
the fact that by recanting his first opinion
and by throwing the weight of his great
name in favor of the Philippine propa-
ganda he involved the country in dire diff
fculties and placed our institutions in i'm
minent deadly peril.
For 1875 years we have vaunted ourselves
as the propagandists of the idea of gov.
ernment of the people, by the people anG
for the people. Now we are engaged iT
crushing people 1000 miles away whose
only offense is that they desire to practice
the theory which we have preached from
the housetops.
Nor have we preached in vain, for, fol-
lowing our example and hearkening to oul
voice, twenty-six nations have shaken of
their royal masters, broken their shackles
and established for themselves govern
ments modelled upon ours.
At this very moment the Beers of South
Africa, inspired by the words of Jefferson
and the deeds of Washington, are max.
ing the most heroic fight for freedom re-
corded in the entire annals of the human
race. To our ineffable shame be it said
those brave little republics we have stood
by consenting like Saul at the stoning OF
Stephen.
Wherefore? Because we are engaged in
the same sort Of bloody business in the
Philippines. We appear to have entered
into sort of tacit agreement with John
Bull that if he will not interfere with oul
foreign conquests we will not raise our
voice against his foreign conquests.
on &c fr-IIn Clr14 ho rt1a icesr1 Of
manently retaining the Philippines and
ruling them by the sword Democrats
would have swept the land from sea to
sea, for let it not be forgotten that in 1906
it was in the east that we made substan-
tial gains, and it was in the east that i'm
perialism was most exploited as the domi-
nant issue.
The same per cent of gains spread all
over the Union would have given us the
victory. If we hope to win, we must ex
necessitate rel secure recruits from the
Republican ranks. That's plain as the
nose on ones face
Are Republicans a unit on this ques-
tion?
By no manner of means. True that not
long since "Uncle Joe'' Cannon, chairman
of the committee on appropriations, in the
heat of debate with frantic gesture, yelled
at the top of his voice, 1--WE intend to
keep the Philippines forever and a day"'
but it must be remembered that on that
occasion "Uncle Joe" was in a hole and
fighting to get out.
Republics are cons-itutionally unfit to
successfully or economically administer
colonial affairs.
Proconsular government has been noto-
riously corrupt, unjust and tyrannical
since the world began and will continue
so till the end of time. All history, sacred
and profane, demonstrates the truth of
that proposition. 1t matters nothing
whether the proconsuls are Romans, Brit
aims, Spaniards or Americans. The cor
ruption, injustice and tyranny grow inev-
itably out of the proconsular system
1t is written that "evil inventions re-
turn to plague the inventors and the
corruption, injustice and tyranny which
we inflict upon the Filipinos by our pro-
consular government will at last be prac-
ticed upon ourselves We are progressing
after the manner of the crab-backward
Already one of our military satraps in
the Philippines has said: ''The constitu-
tion is played out. There is no use to dis
cuss it, Another has declared that men
have been sent to prison in the Philippines
for such utterances as those of Professor
Schurman in his Boston speech.
Yet another has pronounced the Declara-
ton of Independence to be damned in
uOCuI16nl, WHICH is precisely
the opinion of it entertained by George III.
and Lord North.
Considered for military purposes, the
Philippines would be a source of weak
ness, just as they were to Spain. Were
we engaged in war with a great power
as we at any time may be-the Philippines
would be the place of attack, and we
would be compelled to do our fighting
1000 miles from our base of supplies,
which would place us at a great disad-
vantage, doubling the cost and quadru-
pling the chances of defeat.
Why should we run such desperate risks
when we have all to lose and absolutely
nothing to gain?
The basic principle of repubics-"gov-
ernments derive their just powers from
the consent of the governed"-is true OF
we as a nation have no raison detre.
II that proposition is not true, Washing
ton and the other Revolutionary heroes
were rank traitors If it is not true John
Hancock, old John Adams Patrick Henry,
Thomas Jefferson and their compeers were
pestilent disturbers of the peace of George
III.
If it is not true, Theodore Roosevelt is
exercising powers usurped from King Ed
ward VII. and the congress of the United
States consists of 451 rebellious brawlers.
This miserable Philippine business IA
miliarizes the American people with the
idea of a large standing army.
General Chaffee says that we will need
$4,000 soldiers in the Philippines alone for
five years. Judging the future by the
past, we will need that many there till
the judgment day.
We are told that, waiving the quantum
of the sin of subjugating distant people,
we must hold on to the Philippines be-
cause we want their trade. 1t is not de-
MED that trade with the Filipinos and ev-
cry other people is desirable.
Democrats are as anxious for trade as
are the jingoes, but they place liberty and
good conscience above money.
Democrats do not believe that we must
own a man in order to trade with him.
The dollar argument is the most sordid
Of ALL but let's take it on that low basis
and see how the matter stands.
The Philippines, to say nothing of the
loss of life and the huge pension load we
are fastening on our children and our
ehildren's children, have up to date cost
us nearly $500, 600 900 in cold cash.
During the fiscal year ending June 30
1901 we expended in the Philippines $780,
OO0, 000
During the same period our profits from
trade with the Philippines, allowing for
ourselves 20 per cent profit on all we ex-
ported to and imported from those islands,
were only the beggarly sum of 81, ,0S5. .541.
Expending 800 year to get 81 profit
may be solarwalk craftsmanship, but to a
plain man who understands arithmetic II
appears to be stark idiocy.
The only reason such an insane policy
does not bankrupt the United States is be-
cause the United States is so rich Nc
other nation on earth could stand it, and
we can't stand it long without disastrous
results
Our institutions were indeed bought with
a great price. Shall we now recklessly
jeopardize them through greed or by rea-
son of vainglorious ambition for foreign
conquest? do not believe that the Amer
lean people will SO decide.
1t surely cannot be that the spirit OF
'76 is entirely dead in the American heart
To that spirit and that heart Democrats
confidently appeal in this crisis of our
country's fate
The State of jefferson.
If congress backs up Judge Moon of
Tennessee and his committee on terri
tories, the new state of Jefferson will
soon be added to the rare and radiant
sisterhood, a fitting but tardy recogni-
tion of Thomas Jefferson's stupendous
service to the republic and the world
in making the Louisiana purchase
Judge Moon and his confreres propose
to erect the Indian country into a ter.
ritory of Jefferson, which will speedily
become the state of Jefferson, and a
great state it will be-one of the finest
in the Union. There is no monument
SO durable as geographical monu
ment Bronze and marble will at last
wear away brlt states are hTilf moi