Hutchinson gazette., 1902-02-20
LEVY UNJUST TAXES.
OUR ACTS IN THE PHILIPPINES ON
A PAR WITH ENaLAND'S.
Vital Principle OF Taxation without
Representation" IL Inyolyed-Thls
Bamo Injustice Drove the American
Colonies to Revolt


Colonies to Revolt
The Outlook OF Dec, Z seems to ind
cause for congratulatlon In the fact
that the Philippine tarll bin provides
that tho money collected on goods Inn
ported from tho Philippines to the
United states shall be held as q sep
Orate fund and paid into the treasury
OF the Philippine Islands 10 be used
and expended for the government and
benefit OF said islands" The editor OF
the Outlook reminds his readers that
his paper insisted upon this provision
In a previous issue, and ho rojoIces
that the demand was compiled with
Before our esteemed contemporary
Iubiates too much over this provision
II would bo we'll for him to read the
protest against English rule written by
John Jay and approved by the colonial
congress, Oct 2l, 177i, As this protest
Is reproduced In the Worlds Best Ora
tions as well M In many other publ
cations, the editor Of the Outlook will
have no difficulty In finding It, Ills at
tentlon is called especially to the fol-
lowing words, which appeared In that
protest.
"These, and many other imposltlons,
were laid upon us, most unjustly and
unconstltutlonally, for the express pur-
pose Of raising a revenue, In order to
silence complaint, II was indeed pro-
yided that this revenue should be ex-
pended In America for It's protection
and defense, These eXactions, how
ever, can receive no justification from
q pretended necessity Of protecting and
defending us, They are laylshly
squandered on court favorites and min
isteral dependents, generally avowed
enemies to America, and employing
themselves by partial representations
to traduce and embroll the colonies"
Here Is an English precedent for the
provision inserted by Republican
congress and gleefully indorsed by a
great religious periodical, 1t Is not
strange that colonial policy such as
England enforced against the Amori-
can colonies, should, when adopted
here, bring with 1t all the hypocrisy
and false pretense that characterized
Its administration against our fore
fathers, but nevertheless 1t Is humili-
ating that our nation should be doing
to-day exactly the same things against
which earnest and effective protest was
made a century and a quarter ago,
ITO silence complaint now, as then,
the revenues are TO bo turned over to
the colonies, but what Of the principle
of taxation without representation?
What Of tho theory Of government
without the consent Of the governed?
The revolutionary patriots were not
willing to surrender the right Of self
government merely because the Eng
lsh turned over to them the proceeds
VI UltOuhlllUlluHdl AhNbNibh'
There Is another parallel between
Jays protest and present conditions In
the Philippines, 1t was complained
that the revenues collected without au-
thority and then turned back to tho
colonlsts ito silence complaint were
'lavlshly squandered on court favor
ties and ministerial dependents" While
we have no court favorites as yet, we
have ministerial dependents, men ap-
pointed by the President, who have
fixed for themselves larger salaries
than are paid for the same kind Of
work in this country. Complaint was
made that the salaried officials appoint
ed by England were "avowed enemies
to America" and employed themselves
in "traducing and embroiling the col
onies." II any one will read the official
reports that come from the Philippine
Islands he will be convinced that the
Fllipinos are being governed by
"avowed enemies" Of their principles,
however they may profess friendship
for the Fllipinos themselves.
Step by step the doctrine Of imperial
ism is advancing, and unless the Amer
lean people are prepared to adopt the
European idea Of government there
must be a protest that will rescue the
Republican party from It's present ten
dencies or drive 1t from power,--The
Commoner,