The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-27

Philippines. In his speech of accep-
lance he acknowledged our RESPONSE
bility for them and said we should
give them self-government. His
friends, in great distress of mind, cried
out to him that that was the Repub-
lican doctrine and that what he in
tended to say was that we had no re-
sponsibility for them and must give
them independence. Certainly, that
was what 1 meant, said the judge
and he wrote something like it in his
letter of acceptance. But even that
! was not enough. and ten days ago he
revised his views again, and now de-
clares for the absolute abandonment
of the islands and for an immediate
proclamation of our intention to do So.
Among the reasons he gives for this
/ reckless and ill-considered utterance
are some which show an incredible
carelessness of the facts. He says
they have cost US six hundred and
seventy millions. Others say that the
annual expense of them to the tax
accessible to him and to everybody.
is that they have cost far less than
one-third of what he says. and the
annual disbursement on their account
| is about one-tenth of the amount
charged. Judge Parker says further
that the Philippines have cost us 200.-
| 600 lives. wherein he is wrong to the
extent of about $4,000. But these
mere errors in his figures, gross as
they are, do not compare with the
monstrous levity with which he pro-
poses to- take a step which would
cover us with indelible discredit, which
would be abdication of our posi-
| ton in the Pacific, the surrender of
our commercial prestige in the far
east. a base treachery and betrayal
| of the loyal and intelligent FilipinoS
who have trusted us, and a direct in
vitation to intestine war and foreign
invasion. And if he pretends that we
should relinQuish control of them,
| and still be responsible for their acts
that we should give us the task of
| civiliZing them, and still stand between
them and a hostile or covetous world.
no matter what they may do-the in
| humanity of such a proposition is only
| equalled by it's want of common sense.
| 1t is a blunder well-nigh incredible
for him to say that we should treat the
Philippines as we did Cuba, There is
no analogy between the two cases.
We have never owned Cuba; we have
never claimed to own it. The Philip
pines are ours by every sanction
! known to public law; by fortune of
war by treaty. by purchase, by occu-
| patton, by undisturbed and undisputed
possession. To say that the cases are
the same and require the same treat
ment simply shows in the man who
| says it a confusion of mind or a de-
| liberate misrepresentation, either of
which proves him to be-in the words
of one of Judge Parker's most ardent
| admirerS-"not fit to be president this
year or any other year"
| In this speech the Democratic candi-
! date has given the measure of his
| knowledge of large affairs. has shown
! has introduced another element of
doubt and danger into the problems
which would confront his administra-
ton if he were elected.
This, gentlemen, is the crux of the
situation. If you vote the Republican
| ticket you know what you are doing
The Republican record and the Re
publican professions are at one. They
avow what they have done. They
make no apologies, no excuses, for it,
| They say that under similar circum-
stances they will do the same again.
| Whether right or wrong they are clear.
explicit. straightforward. They ask
mo mans vote on false pretenses. On
| the other hand-and I wish to speak
with respect of great party which
embraces so many good citizens. so
many of our valued friends-no wiz
| ard son of a seventh son can tell what
their policy is, what they would do
with the government if they were
given it. Their platform is set of
turbid and evaSive phrases. The ut
terances of their public men are shifty
and self-contradictory. They talk OF
a policy of adventure have yet to
hear of an adventure SO reckless and
wild intrusting the fortunes of the
republic to an aggregation ike the
Democratic party of today fortul-
tous concourse of unrelated prejudices.
We can say tonight, what has so often
been said before in times of far more
danger and stress than these, that the
Republican party is the sh1p-all else
is the sea. It is the only certainty in
sight.
But we are told he is dangerous to
the peace of the world, he is a fire
eater war lord-he wishes to en-
broil US in a policy of adventure.
What does the record say? He and his
predecessor have done more in the in
terest of universal peace than amy
other two presidents since our govern
ment was formed. They have done
more for the cause of arbitration than
all the rest put together. They have
composed more difficulties by frlendly
negotiation; they have settled more
questions that threatened our peace;
they have made more treaties, and
more mutually advantageous ones,t than
Theodore Roosevelt gave to The
Hague court of arbitration the breath
of new life when death threatened It.
His influence, constantly and quietly
exerted among our sister nations, has
often dissuaded from violence and led
to peaceful solutions.
He is now preparing set of arbl-
tration treaties with all the countries
which desire them. In compliance with
the call of the interparliamentary un-
ion--who had confidence in his discre-
ton and his love of peace-he is try
ing to induce the powers to come to-
gether once more in conference at The
Hague to concert measures for the
peace and welfare of the world. And
yet would not ask you to believe that
the president holds peace higher than
all other considerations. Sacred as the
word is to him. there are others more
sacred still-Honor and Duty. So long
as the millennium delays he will stand
by American interests and American
rights, keeping his sword well sharp
ened and his powder dry.
A Waste of Time.
1t sometimes seems a waste of time
to meet these wild and whirling
words of calumny. The men that ut
ter them do not themselves believe
them. Each man of them knows very