Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1916-03-10

between the Philippine Islands and the
United States government, When the
amendment becomes law the Philippine
Islands will be n foreign country, so far
ms America is concerned, An American
doing business there will stand exactly
on par with an American doing bust
ness in Mexico,
"The Philippine government may de-
velope into q monarchy or the most
tyrannical despotism; the laboring
classes become serfs or slaves, for all
America is concerned, The Philippine
government may tax away the entire
value of American investment; may
conhscate it to the State; may declare
all foreigners, including Americans, in
capable Of holding property, and twill
be none of our business.
"If seven million PHILIPPINES are
forced to forswear Christianity for
paganism; if the system OF public edu'
cation is abolished; if the present
efficient Health Department is swept
away and the islands given over to the
plague cholera and smallpox, America
will not interfere. We are through
with it. The PHILIPPINE must look out
for himself And the American investor
in the Philippine islands, even if he
went there at Americas invitation
must take his loss.
"Let us consider the Philippines
political status as fixed by American
sovereignty:
"'IIe is required to give his allegiance
to the United States. Not only have
insular office holders and voters been
obliged to subscribe to an oath of
allegiance to the United States, but
where the Filipino has rebelled against
American Federal authority he has
been treated as rebel Reciprocally
he has been given Americas protection.
Her army and navy have been on hand
to protect him from foreign invasion.
IL suppose it is claimed that the
power that has given may also take
away
81 venture to deny it. American
sovereignty may free the slave, but UNI
til American ideals perish from off the
earth American sovereignty cannot
turn free man into a slave. 1t may
enlarge citizens status, but it may
not diminish it. 1t may rescue the
victim of anarchy and msgovernment
and oppression and make him free
man under free government, but as
long as vestige of neutrality-suspicious.
remains it may not turn him back into
the miserable state from which it
rescued him. American freedom is not
temporary. American liberty is not the
gift of whimsical sovereign, to be be-
slowed to-day and withdrawn to-
morrow. Having given the Filipino an
American status, he cannot be robbed
Of that status except by most shame
full tyranny.
''Now let us consider the American
business man, who has invested his
capital in the Philippine Islands.
II suppose no one will deny that for
fifteen years the Philippine Islands have
been American territory. Americans
doing business there have been operat-
ng under the American flag on Ameri- |.
IAN soil. They have committed no crime,
lnless it is a crime to be business men.
And now, with startling precipitancy, |
hey are to be forcibly eXpatriated, |
made aliens in far-off country, with
possible anarchy, revolution and poiti-
,al decentralization ahead Of them.
81 represent and am interested in |
wo Philippine enterprises, the Manila
electric Railroad and Light Company |
md the Philippine Railway Company,
he former measurably successful, the
after struggling toward success.
Gin both cases the investment made
~ myself and associates was in re-
ponse to invitations coming from
Washington. Not one of the men who
isked his capital would have taken a
hare in either enterprise if it had been
to launch them on any but
American soil. American enterprises
n American soil are entitled to recog-
ition and protection by the American
government. If the Clarke amendment
becomes law our investments will be
uined. Our securities will not be
worth 10 cents on the dollar. The re-
ult will be tantamount to confscation
f ne-tenths of their value.
"Such legislation is in the highest
egree arbitrary and tyrannical."