The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1904-08-19

Of Magma Charta which has become
incorporated, in substance and effect,
into the constitution OF every state,
as well as into the fourteenth amend.
ment TO the constitution Of the United
States?
Can we hope for the respect Of the
civilized world while proudly guaran-
teeing to every citizen Of the United
States that no law shall be made or
enforced which shall abridgo the priv.
!leges or immunities Of the citizens
Of the United States, or deny to any
person the equal protection Of the
laws, and at the same time not only
deny similar rights to the inhabitants
of the Philippines, but take away
from them the right of trial by jury
and place their lives and the DISPOSE
ton Of their property IN the keeping
Of those whom We send to thom to be
their governors? We shall certainly
rue it as a nation if we make any
such attempt.
Viewing the question even from the
standpoint OF national scIiishness,
there is TO prospect that the twenty
millions of dollars expended in the
purchase OF the islands and the six
hundred and fifty millions said to
have been since discussed, will ever
come back to us. The accident Of
war brought the Philippines into our
possession, and We are not at liberty
to disregard the responsibility which
thus came to us. but the responsibility
will be best SubSeryed by preparing
the islanders as rapidly as possible
for self-goyerDment, and giving to
them the assurance that it will come
as soon as they are reasonably pre-.
pared for it. There need be TO fear
that the assertion so often made Of
late that we are now become world
power will then be without support.
Ours is a world power, and as such
it must be maintained
This County a World Power That
Must Be Maintained.
But l deny that it is but recently
that the United States have attained
that eminenCe. Our country became
a world power over q century ago,
when, having thrown off foreign dom
nation, the people established free
government, the source Of whose ALL
thOrity sprung and was continuously
to proceed from the will of the people
themselves. It grew as q world pow
er as its sturdy citizens, to whose
natural increase we added immigrants
from the old world seeking to obtain
here the liberty and prosperity denied
them in their own countries, spread
over the face Of the land, reduced the
prairies and forests TO cultivation,
built cities. constructed highways and
railroads, till now a nation, which at
the formation Of the government mum
bered only 100000 in population has
become 100000, and from ocean to
ocean, and the lakes to the gulf, the
country is the abode Of a free and
prosperous people, advanced in the
highest degree in the learning Of arts
ana OF ClVlllZauOn.
1t is the liberty, the advancement
and the prosperity of its citizens, not
any career Of conquest, that make
the country a world power. This con-
dition we owe to the bounty Of PrOvi-
dence, unfolded in the great natural
resources Of the country, to the wis
dom Of our fathers, manifested in the
form of government established by
them. to the energy, industry, moral
character and law-abiding spirit of
the people themselves.
We are not military people, bent on
conquest or engaged in extending our
domains In foreign lands. or DESTROYS
Of securing natural advantages, how
ever great, by force; but a people be-
lieying in peace, not only for our
selves, but for all the nations Of the
earth.
The display Of the great military
armament may please the eye and
for the moment excite the pride Of
the citizen, but it cannot bring to the
country the brains, Drawn and muscle
Of single immigrant, nor induce the
investment here Of a dollar of CAPT
tai. Of course, such armament as
may be necessary for the security Of
the country and the protection Of the
rights Of its citizens, at home or
abroad, must be maintained. Any 9TH
er course would be not only false
economy, but pusillanimous.
Protest Against the MsddIina IN the
Effairs of Other Peoples.
protest, however, against the feel.
ing now far too prevalent, that by
reason Of the commanding position
we have assumed in the world, we
must take part in the disputes and
broils of foreign countries, and that
because We have grown great, we
should Intervene In every important
question that arises in other. parts of
the. world. 49,, ... W. ,~ 49, Il
Il also protest against the erection
Of any SUCH military establishment as
would be required to maintain the
country in that attitude. We should
contlne our International activities
solely to matters in which the rights
Of the country or of our citizens are
directly involved. .....,. ..
The government. of the United
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