The Elbert County tribune. [volume] (Elbert, Elbert County, Colo.) 18??-1920, 1904-11-03
A BELATED KEYNOTE
JUDGE ALTON 3. PARKER DE-
flames HIS COUNTRYMEN
Quotes unnamed Authorities and Mis-
represents History In an Attack
Upon the Honor and Honesty of He
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 n petrifed inter
probation of the Constitution, Judge
Parker parrots the imperious views of
Joseph Pulitzer, demanding the aban-
donment of the philippines to the forces
or 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 unheard-of marching clubs
led by Colonel Charles II. Goldman,
of Boston. and Henry w. Harden, OF
New York, ferveut scuttlers both, APP
penred before the judge on his porch Mt
Roscmount, and bcmbarded him with
''two extended addresses" on the infamy
of American rule in the Philippines.
Then Judge Parker unroled the speech
that bears internal evidence in every line
of having been written for him. and went
them one better in classifying the record
and misrepresenting the beneficent 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 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
rta nj he ah
rupt and despotic. The islands seem
to have succeeded in getting the very
dregs of our people" This would CLASH
fy Secretary William IL. 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 over-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 unremuncrative."
If this were true or even an approx
mately true indictment OF the conditions
existing in the Philippines as the effect
of our occupation, whit would be the
verdict of mankind? Would it not be
that the American nation was not fit to
govern itself, let alone semi-civilized
and dependent race?
| Affect. the Whole People.
| In this matter II is impossible to dis
tlnguish between the Republican party
and the American people. The former
IA merely the instrument of the latter
in the Philippines, and IL Judge Parker
were elected President In November, 1t
| 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 sclf-government."
During that period does Judge Parker
| think that he could find, in the ranks
| OF Tammany, 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 islands? The
question suggests its own answer-he
could not, though he were to draft his
own favorite counselors. David Il. Hill,
| William #. Sheehan, Charles Murphy
and Pat McCarren to assist in the diff
cult task.
l
nant premises Judge Parker proceeds to
nrraign 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 we possess. we should
guard carefully against the danger to our
| teaches that from republicnnism to imper-
| ialsm the movement is gradual and I'M
perceived Of the people; Its ominous prog
| courses-submission or resort to violence.
We can picture Colonel Goldman
and Mr.. Harden and the serried ranks
of the 'Avon Beach Regular Democratic
Club of Long Island" shivering in awe
struck unison over this horrible alterna.
tive conjured out of the miasma OF
Joseph Pulitzer's diseased Imagination
That Judge Parker should clutch at II
as drowning man at straw only
proves the desperation of his campaign
Not content with citing history to sup
port VIGOROUSLY 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 solemnly but
ignorantly averred, was doubled by the
revolt of the thirteen colonies it had cost
so much to secure. The American ex.
pansionist, following European argument
alleges that annexation OF the Philip
pines must promote progress, foster com.
merce and industry, and introduce the
leaven of civilization into a backward
and inferior race. The evidence of his
tory is to the contrary"
However such appeals to history may
have tickled the ears of the "Avon
| Beach Regnlar Demncratic Clnh Of L an