Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-02-26

ing Tor that doctrine the American
people are now fighting against Il.
they are endeavoring to stiffle liberty
rather than to encourage it."
This complaint is based on a false
proposition. hence all deductions are
wrong. The declaration that the
right OF government belongs to the
governed had specific reference to
the people OF the United States, for II
made general in its application II
could only include such peoples of the
world who were morally and intel.
lectually fitted for self.government.
To be interpreted otherwise would
mean anarchy and chaos; no govern.
ment at all. What did the American
Indians know of government one hun
dred years ago? What do they know
now? Would that declaration apply
to them then? II so, why have the
whites ignored it? Did we ever ask
~ NOhocut w bo'tih tntm :
Haven't they fought the white man
from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast
and with better cause than the Fill
ipinos have for their resistance? For
over a hundred years the American
Indians have been governed without
their consent, and If natural rights
have any force they were entitled to
the country and to do as they pleased.
Rut what progress would they have
made governing themselves?
The Declaration of Independence
vas promulgated at a momentous
time. II was a formal notice to Great
Britain that the colonies would no
longer recognize British authority and
domination. 1t was made by men fit
to be free and capable of self-govern.
ment. The sentiments Of that i'm
mortal document are grand and lofty
but easily misconstrued II given uni
versal application. That instrument
also says 'all men are created equal
yet Washington, the great exemplar,
and whose praises were sung by the
"aunties" had 300 slaves. Did he re-
gard these slaves as his equals? He
did not grant them equality before the
law, saying nothing Of them socially.
President Roosevelt entertained a ne.
gro at his own table. in the White
House. Did Washington ever think
o! doing such a thing? Does this
show that we are becoming less DEM
ocratic. that we are "toadying" to
royalty? Does it not demonstrate
that the brotherhood of man is broad
ching. that the condition of the OPP
pressed and the lowly of this and all
lands are improving?
Never in the history of this nation
was their more patriotism, love of
justice. b~enevolence and charity than
at the present time. But times have
changed. We are a progressive peo-
pie in thought and action. A nation,
like an individual, must be alert and
aggressive or il will be left behind
in the race for first place. By the
accident of war. a brief war in which
we astonished the world by brilliant
and rapid achievements on land and
sea, and won the respect of powers
which formerly held us in contempt,
we fell into the possession of the Phil
irpines. Possibly it would have been
better to have left them alone to fate,
t. anarchy, to bloodshed and rapine
to a test of the natural law of a
survival of the tittest." instead of
that exalted declaration of Thomas
Jefferson's. But the government de.
cided otherwise. II decided to estab-
lish a government of law and order
and advance the people as rapidly as
possible with a view of eventually CIV
ing them absolute control of their own
affairs. In the meantime the stars
ard stripes are there to stay and this
government will derive whatever ben
eft il can in the trade and commerce
o. the east owing to the advantages
offered.