The sun., 1904-08-29

discussed the subject orally or with the
pen. The truth, Of course. 10 that the
philosophical assertions dogmaticaily
made in the famous Declaration are pre-
cisely what RUFUS CHoATE called them
fifty years ago-glittering generalities,
which had no root in historical or scien-
tific truth--in a word, no semblance OF
foundation beyond the dreams Of RoUs-
sEAu. The assertion touching the con-
sent of the governed was, as Judge TAFT
reminds us, glaringly false at the time
and in the place OF its utterance. Not
only were all slaves and all white women
and children then governed without their
consent, but a large proportion OF the
adult white males in every one OF the
thirteen colonies were excluded from
voting by property and educational
qualifications, were not consulted as TO
the organization of an independent
government and did not consent to it.
1t was not true then, and it is not true
now, that all people, however ignorant,
are capable of self-government, or that
all governments, in order to be just,
must depend on the consent OF the gov
erned 1t ia, as Judge TAFT added, par
ticularly absurd for Mr.. JOHN SHARP
WILLIAMS to PROFOUND the glittsring
generality, in view Of the fact that he
represents in Congress the Yazoo dis
trict of Mississippi. having been elected
thereto by the votes Of 1,A63 persons out
of total population Of 10000. Judge
TAFT does not critioise the acceptance OF
the office under such circumstances;
but he submits that Mr.. WILLIAMS, by
accepting it, is estopped from averring
that the consent of the governed is an
indispensable condition precedent to the
establishment of just government.
Another objection to our Philippine
policy to which much attention has been
given, was put forth by ex-Secretary
OLNEY, who maintains that there Is no
constitutional warrant for the Govern
ment of the United States to expend
part of the national revenues in the al
truistc business of helping alien peoples.
In other words, the charity of the United
States must be dispensed at home.
Judge TAFT is, so far as we have seen,
the first Republican leader to answer
ex-Secretary OLNEY out of the latter's
own mouth. We are reminded that no
man has ever laid down with more en-
phasis than did Mr.. OLNEY in the Vene-
zuela affair the essentially altruistic
doctrine associated with the name Of
President MONROE. The additional fact
is recalled that in an address delivered
by Mr.. OLNEY in Sanders Theatre, Cam
bridge, on the foreign policy Of the
United States, he declared that the time
had come for our Federal Government
to depart from the attitude of aloofness
enjoined by WASHINGTON in his Fare
we'll Address, and to take part as a World
Power in the deliberations OF other
World Powers as to matters OF interna-
tional interest. The country, he said.
was once poor and could not AFFORD to
spend money on outsiders. Now, on
the other hand, it was rich, the richest
among the Powers of the earth. 1t
behooves US, therefore, Mr.. OLNEY
argued, to recognize the changed con-
ditions, to accept the commanding posi-
| ton which we have attained and to
assume it's burdens while We profit
by its advantages. The mission of this
country, he concluded, was not only to
pose as an example, but to act as bene-
factor and to forego no fitting oppor-
tunity Of furthering the progress OF
civilization by deeds as we'll as words.
These two primary objections to the
Philippine policy Of the Administration
needed to be answered squarely and
deoisively. Judge TAFT has thus an
| swered them.