The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-09-17
and malt liquors.

| and malt liquors.
I find of that amount that nearly all
of it was transported in English yes
sells. That even all the intoxicants
were not carried in American vessels,
and l turn to the remaining side and
I find there has been imported into
J our country from the Philippine ISL
aDds nearly eleven million dollars of
goods of which ten million was Ma
Mia twine and nearly all this carried
in foreign vessels.
This is not all; if we are the owners
of this country as well as the people
why do we not have it's entire trade?
| find for the same period of time that
the foreign countries obtained from
these islands over eighteen million
dollars of trade find that over eight
million was carried to England in
English ships, and they have not a
dollar invested in the islands. We
are the poSsesscT of the country, and
with our army and our flag we are
eign trade of these islands. say to
you sir. that the time is opportune
and ripe that the American congress
should announce to the Philippine peo-
pie that we wish a republic organized
and maintained in the Pacific ocean
to be kown as the philippine Repub-
lie of the East" and when it's people
have organized and declared a consti-
tuition then the American flag will de
part in love and peace and harmony
and the American soldiery will be I'M
known
Constitution asd Flag.
You hear that where the American
flag goes up it must never come down.
This is but the statement of men who
are themselves the originators and
formulators and eXploiters of subjuga
ton and Of trusts. When Senator
Beveridge uttered in the senate of the
United States that the Philippine isl
andS were ours, and ours forever, he
certainly did not realize what the
great American heart desired. that
u.
trade of the world but we wish it as
friends, not as enemies. We wish our
flag to enter every port, but we wish
il to be welcomed. not driven at the
mouth of the cannon or maintained al
the point of the bayonet
The correspondence had with sol
diers as well as civilians from tbs
Philippine islands has demonstrated
beyond dispute that these people arc
able to govern themselves. They ha,
churches and colleges prior to the day
OF our entrance. They may not have
the American civilization. they ma.
not have the attributes we have fol
government, but such as thny have
they are better and more able to gov
ern themselves than any foreigner /!
to govern them. We contrast ON
government with the Philippine isl
ands. We do not contrast OH
government with any other nation OF
earth, because we are superior to all
: and yet these people in the Philippine
islands, that may not have the adyant
! ages that our great people have had
are compared with us to their condem
nation.
To my mind it is preposterous tt
) announce such proposition. The pa
: master of the army in a written re
$ port to the secretary of war stated il
I, the year 1900 that he travelled throug
' a great portion Of the islands accom-
/ panied by but a single individual ant
$ at no time or place was molested il
I life or property.
The constitution formed by 1h
| Philippine people for their own gov
! eminent is one worthy Of tribute AM
respect. They are able, ready AM
3 willing to govern themselves. TIL
+ American Republic must protect It
G institutions first and therefore cannc
e become an imperial government 1t
& net a question what we will do Wit
t the Philippine islands. The suprem
n question is what will become OF tn
! American Republic, if the irnperia
j. policy now inaugurated is maintained
i, The constitution Of my country say
) to me that every man is protected il
? his life, his liberty ard his property
+ l. grants to him the right of a trial b,
, jury, freedom of speech and press; tn
/ right at ell times and places to peti
i ton his government for wrongs tina
: he believes exist.
, Today we observe that a peopi