The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-16
FiIiDinos Deserve and Should
 Have Independence
SPEAKS FROM HIS VERANDA
Says Territory Incapable of Being Gov erned Under American Laws Ought Not to Be a Part of the
 American Domain.

Esopus, N. r. October 15.-Alton D. Parker today addressed two visiting del- egations on the political issues making his second speech of the campaign since accepting the nomination for the Pres idency. The delegation numbered about fifty men, a score representing the Par ker independent club and others the Avonbeach regular democratic club of Long Island. Judge Parker met the del- egations on his veranda, where few weeks ago he addressed the democratic editors, and where he had frequently well comed visitors
 When Judge Parker stepped from tho house he was greeted with handclapping- Colonel Charles R. Goldman of Boston and Prof. Henry w Hardon of New York, made extended speeches. Both speakers confined their remarks to tho Philippine island question: and discus- sion of the attitude of the republican ad- ministration that question. Judge Parker replied as follows: Judge Parker's Speech. "Colonel Goldman, Professor Hardon and gentlemen:
 .'I greatly appreciate the compliment
  | support of yourselves and those you rep- resent. The Importance of the issue to | which I refer cannot be overestimated. It is attracting the attention of the thoughtful, patriotic men all over the country Permit me to call your atten- ton to the portion of the democratic plafforn relating to it as follows: No government has the right to make one set of laws for those at home, and afi- other different set of laws. absolute ia their character, for those in the colonies.'i
 "Whereever there may exist a people incapable of being governed under Amer l lean laws in eonsonance with the Amer lean constitution the territory of that | people ought not to be part of the Amer lean domain. 1 insist that we ought to do for the Filipinos what we have done already for the cubans, and that 1t IS our duty to make that promise now and upon suitable guarantees of protection or citizens of our own and other countries, residents there at the time of our with drawal, to set the Filipino people on their feet free and independent, to work out their own destiny
 | "The declaration of independence, born in the brain of the father of democracy, says the same thing in effect, for 1t de- cares that governments derive their Just powers from the consent of the gov erned.
 May Not Disregard Responsibility.
 "I have before said that we may not disregard the responsibility imposed by | possession of the Philippines, and that 1 responsibility w.ll be best subserved by preparing the islanders as rapidly as pos- sible for self-government and give to l them the assurance that 1t will come as soon as they are reasonably prepared for 1 It. This means independence for the 1 Philippines in the fullest sense of the | ArVt A | themselves as the Cubans do, unasslsted, | unless asking help undirected, unless ask l ing advice, untrammelled by our politics, | unencumbered by our politicians and un- | controlled by us.
 'secretary Taft has said a promise to give ultimate independence will be con- strued by the more violent element, dis posed to agitation. to be a promise to 1 grant independence in the near future, and during tho present generation. The success of the experimet we are making l in the Philippines depends on having the | Filiplnos understand we are there for l their benefit, but we expected to stay l there indefinitely in working out the good we propose to do them
 Issue Ia Clearly Defined.
 'TIere we have the issue clearly de- | fined The republican party stands for the subjugation of defenseless foreign | peoples Democracy stands for freedom. 1 We relieved Spain O. this thorn in her flesh. the Philippines, to plunge Into our own. We paid and are paying enormous ly for the privilege of performing the op- eration Spain has trying to con- ouer the islands since the early decades of the sixteenth gentry. She mad never quite succeeded This Is not surprising.
 "Every true American would despfse a man who would not fight to the last gasp for the land of his flreside, and the birth place of his babes. Did not our illustri- ous ancestors in the revolution do so? For what does civilized man revere the memory of Washington Are not the | Irish still chaifing under the English | yoke2 Will the boer sympathizer refuse his sympathy to the Filipino patriot de- lending his hearthstone against the Span- ish spoer and tyrant? Do we not honor | every man who has been sacrificed al freedoms holy altar? When the battle ships of our great republic destroyed the Spanish war vessels the Filipinos hoped the freedom for which they had struggled so long was finally approaching. Our hls- tory seemed to guarantee that our fmbi- ton would be to see them free, happy and prosperous.
 Perpetually Point With Pride.
 'eWe perpetually point with pride to our love of liberty. The republican platform asserts that fifty years ago the republican party came into existence dedicated among other purposes to the great task of arresting the extension of human slavery. Arresting the extension of hu- man slavery That sounds well. But 1t speaks of the virtue of another genera ton. All the leaders of the republican party of that day have passed away. In their place have come very different men. We need not point out that which prin- cipally differentiates them. It readily suggests itself. But we will refer to one of the results of that difference
 After our utter defeat of the Spaniard, the republican administration paid to the vain oppressor of the unconquered Ffh- pino S00OO000 for this uncertain option l on these victims lands, tenements and hereditaments In the attempt to bolster the option we have wasted over s65o- 0O0OO0 more of the peoples money, and