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can Isc solved 'only "In tho spirit of courage, i com
mon s(n.e and high-minded devotion to tho right."
But ho does not say whether ho favors "such con
gressional action as shall determine whether by
special discriminations, the elective francliiso in
any state has been unconstitutionally limited."
Can it be possible that Mr. Roosevelt is afraid that
tho "forgotten plank" is not popular oven in tho
north ?
JJJ
Imperialism
Mr. Roosevelt devotes considerable space , to
tho Philippine question dnd it is plain that ho
htands for imperialism and if elected will continue
to favor that policy.
Reft J ling to the democratic promise to grant
Independence to the Filipinos Mr. Roosevelt says
that if i.iomiscd independence they will expect
independence and he adds that if the promise is
not Immediately fulfilled the Filipinos will legard
it as broken and willnot again trust to American
faith. Then he exclaims: "It would be indeed a
wicked thing to deceive them in such fashion
To be sure it would be a wicked thing to de
ceive them in any fashion and they arc not to bo
doceived in any way in the event tho American
people eloct to power an administration pledged
to grant independence.
It is strange that Mr. Roosevelt should be. so
alarmed lest the Filipinos be deceived under the
promise of independence at this time when he was
rot in the least exercised because of'tho disgrace
ful fact that after we had made allies of tho Fili
pinos wo turned our backs upon them and wrested
their country from them. There is something
wicked about that.
Mr. Roosevelt insists that "even if the promise
of independence were made to take effect only in
the distant future, the Filipinos would bo thrown
into confusion thereby." Ho explains that "in
stead of continuing to endeavor to fit themselves
for moral and material advancement in the pres
ent they would abandon all effort at progress and
begin factional intrigues for future power."
During our occupation of Cuba .and under .our
solemn pledge to deliver the island into the- keep
ing of its people it was charged that "factional
intrigues for future power" existed among the
officers and politicians. , If we remember history
correctly, there were "factional intrigues for fu
ture power" before the ink was dry upon our own
declaration of independence; and so long as human
selfishness exists, so long as men are ambitious to
obtain public place, so long will there be "fac
tional intrigues for future power" during a gov
ernment's constructive , period, as, indeed, there
is in all of the old established governments of
tho world.
JJJ
. Self-Government
Mr. Roosevelt objects to giving independence
and self-goVernment to the Filipinos on the
ground that they art not qualified for self-government.
Ho says that to give independence and self
government to the Filipinos would result in "a
frightful calamity to tho Filipinos themselves and
in its larger aspect would amount to an interna
tional crime. " He adds: "Anarchy would fol
low and the most violent anarchic forces would
bo directed partly against the civil government,
partly against all forms of religious and educa
tional civilization. Bloody conflicts would inev
itably ensue in the archipelago and just as inev
itably the islands would become the prey of the
first power which in its own selfish interest took
up the task we had cravenly abandoned." Ho
further says, "every effort is being made to fit the
islanders for self-government." t
The very best answer to this proposition made
by Candidate Roosevelt is provided in the state
ments of Author Roosevelt. The same man who as
a candidate for president says that tho Filipinos
must not bo given self-government until they
have learned to govern themselves wisely1 'accord
ing to the view jof their masters, wrote! ,a book
entitled "The Winning of the West." In vol. 4,
page 217 of that work it will be. found that Theo
dore Roosevejt said-:
The Jeffersonlans believed in the acquisi
tion of territory in tho west and tho federal
ists did not. The Jeffersonlans believed that
. the westerners should be allowed to govern
themselves precisely as other citizens of, tho
United States did, and should bo given .their
. full share In the management of national af-
-fairs, Too many federalists failed to. see that
these positions were the only proper ones to
The Commoner.
take. In consequence, notwithstanding all
their manifold shortcomings, the Jeffersonlans,
and not the federalists, Were those to whom
the west owed the most. Whether the west
erners governed themselves as wisely as they
. should have mattered little. The essential
point was that they had to be given the right
of self-go vernmont. They could not be kept in
pupilage. Like other Americans they had to be
left to strike out for themselves and to sink
or swim according to the measure of their own
capacities. When this was done, it waff cer
tain that they would commit many blunders
and that some blunders would work harm not
only to themselves, but the whole nation.
k Nevertheless, all this had to be accopted as
part of the penalty paid for free government.
" It will be Ijeen that in his "Winning' of the
West," Mr. Roosevelt said that it was of little Im
portance whether men govern themselves as wisely
as they should; the essential point is that they
must be given the right of self-government; they
can not be kept in pupilage; like other builders
of government they must strike out for themselves
and sink or swim according to the measure of
their own capacities; of course they would natur
ally commit many blunders', and some of .these
blunders would work harm not only to themselves
but to the whole nation; nevertheless all this' must
be accepted as part of the penalty paid 'for 'free
government! ,
JJJ " .-
Parker and Roosevelt
Mr. Roosevelt does not appear in a creditable
light when in his letter of acceptance he misrepre
sents his opponent's attitude. upon the question
of imperialism. Mr. Hoosevelt undertakes to make
it appear that the democratic party and the demo
cratic Candidate have occupied several different
positions. He says that the democratic platform
"declared for independence apparently, for their
language is a little obscure, without qualification
as to time," and that "in later and equally official
utterances (Judge Parker's speech of acceptance)
the term 'self-government' was substituted for in
dependence, the words used being so chosen that
in their natural construction they described pre
cisely the policy now being s carried on." T$r.
Hoos&velt' says that "this "caused trouble in their
own 'ranks and in a still later although less' formal
utterance f Judge Parker's letter to Mr. Mliburn)
the self-government promise was recanted, and in
dependence at some future time was promised in
its place. They have occupied three entirely dif
ferent positions within fifty days. Which is the
promise they really intend to keep?"
'it is difficult to conceive of a public man, oc
cupying Mr. Roosevelt's position, making such a
plain misrepresentation of an opponent's attitude.
Bear in mind that Mr. Roosevelt says that the
language of the democratic platform is "a little
obscure," also that Judge Parker deliberately sub
stituted the term "self-government" for 'tinde
pendence," charging that the words were so used
in order that Judge Parker might convey the im
pression that in the event of his election the
Roosevelt policy would be his policy. Also that
because of "trouble in their o.wn (the democrats')
ranks, Judge Parker recanted the self-government
promise and substituted" independence." Also that
the democratic party and "its candidate "have oc
cupied three entirely different positions within
fifty days."
One glance at the record will convict Mr.
Roosevelt of marked lack of candor in dealing with
his opponent' position on this great question.
The language of the democratic .platform on
this subject is not at all obscure. It plainly de
nounces the policy of imperialism and insists that
"we should do lor the Filipinos what we have al
ready done for the Cubans," and it adds that "it
is our duty to make that promise now and upon
suitable guarantees of protection to citizens of
our own and other countries resident there at
the time of our withdrawal, set the Filipino peo
ple upon their feet and free and independent to
work out their own destiny."
In his speech df acceptance Judge Parker said
that the "admirable platform" adopted by the
democratic cbnvention ''clearly states the prin
ciples which were condensed in the first inaugural
address of President Jpfferson and points out with
force and directness the course to be pursued
through their proper application In order to insur
needed reforms in both legislative and administra
tive departments of the government." He nointmi
out that that platform guaranteed the enforcement
for the benefit of all of man's inalienabhTSs'
among which, as said in the Declaration of Ind
pendence, are life, liberty,, and the pu?su It 5
ZZfF 4 NUMBER 35
happiness.' " Ho said' hat it was difficult to nn
d.erstand "how any citizen of 'tile United Stat?
much less a descendant of revolutionary slock ra
tolerate tho thought of permanently denyine tim
right of self-government to the Filipinos" it
admitted that we are not at liberty to disregard th
responsibility we have in the Philippines but tm
added that that responsibility will be best sub
served by preparing the islanders as rapidly as nos
slble for self-government, giving them the assur
ance tha; it will como as soon as they are rea
sonably prepared for it,
... , In hJfr letter to Mr. MUburn, Judge rate
did- not change his position. He simply cleared
iaway ell doubt that might have been entertained
-concerning his positipn, and so he said:
' You are entirely right, in assuming that as
;; I mcyed the phrase, elf-government," it
. was intended to b.o. identical with indepen
dence, political and territorial., After noting
the criticism referred, o by you, I am still
unable to understand ho)V it can be said that
,' a people enjoy self-government whlfe another
nation may fn any degree whatever control
their action. But to take' away all possible op
portunity for conjecture, it shall be made clear
;in the letter of acceptance that I am in nearty
afceord with that plank'n..the democratic plat
form wnich advocates treating the Filipinos
"' precisely as we did tlie Cubans; and I also
' r favor making the promise to them now to take
such 'action as soon as it can prudently be
'. done. ' '
JJJ
Russia's Awakening
The czar has made thb birth of his first son
and heir the occasion for inaugurating a number
of important reforms.
1. He grants a general amnesty in the case of
all political offenders except those charged with
murder.
2. He abolishes corporal punishment among
rural classes and for the first offense for sea and
land forces.
3. He remits arrears due the state for the pur
chase of land. -
4. He grants amn'estyto those Finlanders who
have emigrated without authorization.
J. He remits the fines imposed 'on the rural
and urban communes of -Finland' which refused to
submit to military conscriptioit in 1902 and 1903.
6. He Sets apart one million -and a half from
the state funds for the purpose of forming an in
alienable fund for the benefit of landless people
of Finland.
J. He remits the fines imposed on Jewish com
munes whose inhabitants avoided military duty.
8. He provides for a general reduction in sen
tences for common law offenses.
It will be seen that the, reforms announced are
of vast importance. They point to radical change
in "policy and can not fall ttf effect a tremendous
-influence upon the country. Jt indicates an aban
donment of the policy of exiling political offenders
a policy which K has done much to arouse the
criticism of civilized nations. The abandonment
of flogging as a punishment for the peasants is a
great step in advance and will be hailed with de
light throughout the empire. The cancelling of
the debts due for theland is equivalent to an
enormous donation to the former serfs. The re
lief granted the Finns and the, Jews is as important
for what it promises as for what it does. Russia
has her face toward the light and her czar and his
infant son will share the blessings which will flow
from the reforms just instituted. The benedictions
which follow their announcement may draw forth
other and more sweeping, measures.
What Russia needs most, and will some day
have, are constitutional government, free speech
and a free press. It is strange that any ruler can
be blind to the advantages of constitutional gov
ernment. Certainly Nicholas must And the re
sponsibility and the burden heavy enough to mace
him wish for assistance. Self-government is the
panacea for discontent. The people will bear witn
patience evils for which they are themselves re
sponsible, but will complain bitterly of evils or
no greater magnitude when those, evils are brougnc
upon them by the arbitrary action of a monarcn.
Paradoxical as it may sound, a monarch increases
his authority as he shares it with the people. Tne
lear that the people may not be capable of Partlcl"
pation is an ungrounded one. The very desire
to participate indicates capacity and that capacity
is still further developed by exercise.
A ruler is likewise shortsighted if he """
agines that he can increase his own security oy
silencing criticism. Opposition expressed is less
dangerous than opposition suppressed, just a
powder is Jess harmful ioose, than when its pent-
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