The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1911-07-07

: ticipate in the annual Declaration of |
Independence celebration, listened to |
the eloquent plea of Manuel L.. Quezon |
resident commissioner of the Philip. |
pine Islands, for the freedom of his |
country and his eight million country |
men. Either give my country its in
dependence, or else cease celebrating !
the anniversary of the signing of the
Declaration of independence" was the
pith of his address.
rs it an irony of fate, that | a
Filipino belonging to and represent
ing a people subject to the United
States" he queried SHOULD address
an American audience on the cele-
bration of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence?"
From the Filipino viewpoint, Com
missioner Quezon said, the Declara-
tion of independence is a solemn
pledge of American national faith and
honor 1T is the baptismal vow of
this country" he exclaimed, and then
: continued:
"Since the Declaration of Independ-
ence, and by the overwhelming infiu-
ence of its doctrines, republics have
been founded upon the wrecks of des-
potism and constitutional govern
ments are finding their way in both
t ,hemispheres, even in countries where
I oIs1 Il ~,
7 ly rooted. In the Philippines itself, the
|, cry of the people for freedom so deep
ly felt because of the born desire in
I every human heart to breathe the
: healthy air of liberty is argued with
y the very words of the Declaration" "
He contended that American oceu-
e patton of the Archipelago is inconsist-
[, ent with the Declaration of Independ-
0 'ence, which" he said, "is the bed
rock of American republican institu-
tions, and the spirit and soul of which
the constitution is but the body and
y letter" He made bold to declare that
e thirteen years ago immediate Filipino
+ independence would have met not one
s dissenting vote in this "land of the
Free"
! Strange as it may seem, however
II he continued, you will find today
u learned citizens and distinguished
statesmen who, with the very bes
u faith, will tell you that there is moth
ing in the Declaration of Independ
e ence which forbids this country from
T governing, against their expressed will
I. a foreign people. They will tell you
II as former Senator Beveridge, from
"a Indiana, said in the senate, that thu
II Declaration was written by self-gov
II erning men for self-governing men
u That there are races, trustees unde
W God, of the mission to thrust thei
ideas, all over the world, by force,
there needs be!
81 am not, of course, speaking nov
of Imperialists who frankly confes
that in considering colonial problem
" ciples. That their only concern is tn
question of dollars and cents The
are not to be dealt with on this occs
ne sion. This is too sacred a day to dis
be cuss with those whose supreme cod
81 of action is the balance of trade. T
III them the Declaration of independence
is wornout paper, worthy only c
dreamers whom the theoretic worl
ne has boasted with the meaningless
ng name of patriots"
ST "The Islands are source of you
ed national weakness" he declare'
oy "They are costing you, they have COS
SIX you, hundreds of millions of dollar
es and their retention has not droppe
nj one single cent in the pockets of ii
vic American people who are bearing I'll
nd burden of this expense. Very few me
na- in this country are the only ones be
ng Gifted by. such nenterprise, As
business proposition, therefore, or
on matter of national profit to you Il
ill Philippines are, as Congressman Fo
ert ter has said, "a lemon
les Let us turn from thls view OF u
lay question, which is not my concern
i'm this time.
est How could any one sustain th
ub- any country on the face Of the cart
me no matter how strong, no matter no
lde advanced, no matter how altruist
the and noble its motive may be, has Il
,ak right to govern foreign people wit
ize out their consent, according to Il
is principles proclaimed in the Declar
for tion of Independence?
hts "The consent of the governed is Il
ere base of all just government. the DC
ac- Iaration says. 1t is, therefore, in utt
contradiction of the letter and spii
try of the Declaration to impose by for
by a government upon a people.
Ute "That the Filipinos are not willir