Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-10-28
Masterful Address
Of Secretary Hay
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" N&0hNsAe~W ~
candidates we are no better off
when they do not contradict the plat
form they contradict each other and
themselves. They have been for hold
Ing the Philippines and for scuttlins
from them. They are for free silver,
to Judge by their acts; they are fcr
: gold standard. to Judge by their
words. They are for free trade--and
! fair degree Of protection. On one
point they and the platform agree.
They are In favor OF the contribution
except In the Southern States.
But whatever the platform and the
candidates may profess II Is perfectly
clear that the vast proportion OF the
Marty. as al present organized, is op-
posed to the republican principles
set forth in our platform and avowed
BY our candidates. They are oppos-
ed to the gold standard; to protection
OF American industries. TO all our
program, foreign and domestic: and
their candidate, II he should happen
to be elected. would be confronted
with chaos at the very outset OF his
administration.
He has recently made a speech
which would be a very shirt OF Mes
sus to him II he were ever called on
70 carry his words into action. He
has at last come to the point where
he Is willing to say We must abandon
the Philippines. In his speech Of ac-
ceptance he acknowledged our re-
sponsibility 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
republican doctrine and that what he
intended to a was that we had no
responsibility for them and must give
them independence. Certainly. that
was what ! meant. said the Judge
and he wrote something like II I'm
his letter Of acceptance. But v
that was not enough, and ten days
ago he revised his views again. and
now declares for the absolute aban-
donment Of the islands and for an
immediate proclamation of our inten.
ton to do 30. Among the reasons he
gives for this reckless and ill-consid-
cred utterance are some which show
m incredible carelessness OF the facts.
He Gays they have cost lis six hun
dred and seventy millions. Others
say that the annual expense Of them
to the taxpayers Is fifty millions. The
truth, accessible to him and To every
body, Ia that they have cost far less
than one-third OF what he avs and
the annual disbursement on their &C.
count Is about one-tenth OF the
amount charged. Judge Parker says
further that the Philippines have cost
US 200.0 900 lives. wherein he is wrong
to the extent OF about 1876, 900. But
these mere errors In hiss figures,
gross al they are. do not compare
with the monstrous levity with which
he proposes 10 take a step which
would cover ns with indelIble discred-
Il. which would be an a~bdicatlon OF
our position In the Pacific, the sur
render Of our commercial prestige in
the Far East. q base treachery and
betrayal Of the loyal and intelligent
Ffipinos who have trusted us. and
= direct invitation 10 intestine war
and foreign invasion. And IL he pre-
tends that we should ~relinquish con-
troll OF them, and still be responsible
Tor their acts--that we should give
up the task Of civilizing them, and
still stand between them and a hos
tile or covetous world. no matter
what they may do the snhamanity
Of snch a proposition Is only equal
led by Its want OF common sense.
II is a blnnder well-nigh incredible
Tor him TO say that we should treat
The Philippines as we did Cuba.
There Ia no analogy between the two
We have owned Cuba:
We have claimed To W Il.
The Philippines are ours by every
known to public Law: by for
.une OF war. by treaty, by purchase.
~ occupation, by undisturbed and
indisputed possession. To say that
ho cases are the same and require
he same treatment simply shows in
he man who says II a confusion OF
mind or a deliberate misrepresenta.
ion. either OF which proves him to
the words OF one OF Judge Par
Ier's most ardent admlrers-"not tit
o be president this year or any other
In this speech the democratic can
Iidate has given the measure OF his
knowledge Of large affairs. has
hown his lack OF any sense of re.