Arizona republican., 1902-06-08

Senator John c. Spooner's speech on the Philippine bill was a masterpiece.
 In full. it should SENSIBLE. form part Of the li- ELOQUENT hrary of every stu SPOONER. dent of the Philippine
 question. Speeches of great merit, both by democrats and re publicans, are not infrequent in the United States senate. but seldom do we ind common sense and moving clo- quence so blended as in this extract from Spooner's great address.
 This is our policy: We do not pro pose to make any foolish professions to the Filipinos. We do net propose to do anything to promote agitation there We want the mind Of the Filipino 10 be on upbuilding his government, to be on the education oi his children, tc be on the excellence of our institutions, to feel that we want them to go ahead. To do this we want all the wisdom that We can command. We want your help to do it. We are entitled 10 it. If we cannot get it we will get along without it. What is your policy? l. is express ed in this substitute bill When the Filipinos have established q gcvern- ment, (why omit the word "stabla?'D we are to sail away. Then God help the Filipino who has surrendered to ,;s God help the women and children who have been kindly and friendly to our soldiers and schoOlmasters. This na- tion, if it did that. would earn the new title. and the world would give that title to it, and fasten it forever upon us. We would be the coward nation Of all the world. I would not for any thing cn earth turn over the thousands and hundreds of thousands of Filipinos to the tender mercies of the govern nent that would be established under this subs stitute bill. This substitute bill would abandon them to their fate Sod forbid. The people o: the United States will never do that thing My idea is that under this substitute bill the Philipine archipelago would gc back to Spain. l think that most of the nations sympathize with Spain and would favor the occupation and control of the islands by Spain. What d con- summation, What d beautiful working out of the great idea with which we in- augurated the war!
 Mir. President, there is only one thing to do. If the democratic party were again in power. would it adept such fanciful and cOwardly scheme as this substitute bill? Not at an It would do just exactly what we are doing. The democrats would say they did not like it, that as an original proposition they were used to it. but that was impossible with honor to with draw from the islands. We are going along with our duty. I hope that the senator from Massachusetts (Mr Hoar) will be able to write: We went to war with Cuba. We drove Spain from the island. We acquired Porto Rico and gave it the institutions of lib erty and the blessings of prosperity We took Reluctantly, because by the fortune Of war we were tl1ere) title to the Philippine archipelago. We sub dued resistance to our authority. We | planted schools all through the islands We established a school of government. in which that people were taught the | lessons of liberty restrained by law. We enancipated the peasants from 1 feudaism. We protected that people | from a scourge which for 300 years had oppressed them. We made them fit for self government. And whon the time came. consulted their wish as to whether we could give them indapend- ence and sail away, or leave our flag with them-a flag not vulgarized, a flag ennobled by our victories in peace as well as in war;
 | What will they say? I believe they will say Leave the has there. Leave it there until the republic, the only re- public in Asia, shall be stronger-able | to go by itself" 1 believe that it will work out in that way, and we wish tc be helped to work it out. without re- 1 gard to party.