Cañon City record., 1904-11-03
A BELATrD KEYNOTE
JUDGE ALTON q. PARKER DE-
FAMES HIS COuNTRYMEN
Quotes Unn amed Authorities and Mis-
represents Hi.tory In an Attack
Upon the Honor and Honesty of His
Own Nation.

Is that of Judge Parker, the words are
those of the hired anti-imperialist of the
New York World. Abandoning for this
occasion his stand upon the archaic plat
form of Buchanan and a petri6ed inter.
probation of the Constitution. Judge
Parker parrots the imperious views of
Joseph Pulitzer, demanding the aban-
donment of the Philippines to the forces
OF savagery and reaction from which
American civilization has rescued them.
There can be no doubt that the oc
casion for the sounding of this belated
keynote" of a fabby campaign was
deliberately planned and carried out.
Two hitherto nuheard-of marching clubs
led by Colonel Charles Il. Goldman,
of Boston. and Henry W. Hardon, of
New York, fervent seuttIers both, ap-
peared before the judge on his porch at
Rosemount. and bombarded him with
two extended addresses on the infamy
of American rule in the Philippines
Then Judge Parker unrolled the speech
that bears internal evidence in every line
of having been written for him, and went
them one better in falsifying the record
and misrepresenting the beneticent aim
OF American control in the islands res
cued from the oppression of Spain.
To justify himself in his attack upon
the American position in the Philippines,
Judge Parker quoted from an anony-
nous student of conditions there"
whose phrases also bear a striking re-
semblance to the balance of the address,
in which they were fttingly embalmed-
This unnamed malignant, in the face of
Overwhelming testimony to the contrary,
has the effrontery to say of our officials
there, AT the best they have been in
efficient; at the worst dishonest, cor
rupt and despotic- The islands seem
to have succeeded in getting the very
dregs of our people" This would classi-
fy Secretary William H Taft and his
associates and successors in Manila as
among the dregs of our people.
Judge Parker further quotes from this
anonymous defamer of American rule in
the Philippines: Alphabetically, the
country is for the time ruined. Land
is going out of cultivation; the popula-
ton is ill-fed and in some places unable
to get work. The country is ovcr-bur-
dened with taxation, disease is prevalent,
the farm animals dead. the towns in
many places in ruins, whole districts in
the hands of ladrones. the price Of prod
ucts poor and unremunerative."
II this were true or even an approx
mately true indictment of the conditions
existing in the Philippines as the effect
OF our occupation. what would be the
verdict of mankind? Would it not be
that the American nation was not fit to
govern itself, let alone q semi-civilized
and dependent race?
Affect. the Whole People.
In this matter it is impossible to dis
tinguish between the Republican party
and the American people. The former
Is merely the instrument of the latter
in the Philippines, and If Judge Parker
were elected President in November, it
would not, could not change the char
acter OF the American government in
the Philippines pending the time even
he would allow the islanders TO prepare
themselves for self-sovernment-"
During that period does Judge Parker
think that he could find. in the ranks
of Tammsny. any men better fitted to
uphold the honor. justice and liberty OF
American rule, than the men who have
established peace, order. schools. and
courts of justice in the islandsI The
question suggests its own answer-he
could not. though he were 10 draft his
own favoriie counselors. David Il. Hill,
William f. Sheehan, Charles Murphy
and Pat McCarren to assist in the dill
cult task.
Upon such absolutely false and malig-
nsnt premises Judge Parker proceeds to
arraign the American administration in
the Philippines in terms which from
the dawn OF history demagogues have
employed in their attacks upon success
full government. Here is a specimen
passage;
But aside from the duty we owe the Phil
ippines In preparation for the enjoyment Of
the blessed privileges possess. we should
guard carefully against the danger to our
selves Of an imperialistie policy. History
teaches that from rcpublicanism to imper-
iaiism the movement Is gradual aud un-
perceived Of the people Its ominous prog
ress, when discovered. leaves open but two
coarscs-submission or resort to violence.
We can picture Colonel Goldman
and Mr.. Harlion and the serried ranks
OF the Avon Beach Regular Democratic
Club OF Long Island" shivering in awe
struck unison over this horrible alterua-
tive conjnred out of the miasma of
Joseph Pulitzer's diseased Imagination.
That Judge Parker should clutch at it
as drowning man at straw only
proves the desperation OF his campaign.
Not content with citing history to sup
port notoriously false testimony against
his countrymen in the Philippines. he
also invokes its aid in support of the
generalization that there is mo instance
OF nation receiving from her colonies
anything like an adequate return for
the blood and treasure spent" ENG
lands National debt" he sosemnly but
ignorantly averrcd. was doubled by the
revolt of the thirteen colonies it had cost
90 much to secure. The American ex-
pansionist. following European argument.
alleges that annexation OF the Philip
pines must promote progress, foster COM
mcrcc and industry, and introduce the
leaven of civilization into backward
and inferior race. The evidence OF his
tory Is to the contrary"
However such appeals to history may
have tiekled the ears of the "Avon