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3
-( i-i i"t iTt T$ '
might "bo wcll to adopt a new method in our
effort to subjugate the Filipinos.
Let us keep them so busy laughing that
they will not have time to light.
Lot us substitute for every ammunition
wagon now in use in the Philippine Islands a
furniture van loaded with American literature.
1 'i Instead of scattering bullets among them,
let; us'scattcrjifor instance, copies of the Declar
ation of Indepbndence. If the average Filipino
is "full of fun,'? if "he can detect a joke quicker
than many Americans," if he is "always ready
to laugh," how he will bubble over with merri
ment' when ho reads that declaration of princi
ples adopted July 4, HlQ.
! ' Ho will haVe no difficulty in detecting the
joke, or in responding with a laugh when ho
reads in that declaration that it is a self-evident
truth that all men are created equal, and that
they are endowed by their Creator witlr certain
inalienable rights, among which are life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness.
All of his thirst for blood, all of his inclin
ation to war, will disappear in the immensity of
his mirth, when he reads that to secure these
rights, governments are instituted among men
deriving their just powers from the consent of
the governed.
Then, when the Filipino has read through
the list of abuses and usurpations against
which the American - colonists revolted, and is
about to -bo sobered up by the realization
that after all this is not so much a joke as it
eeemed, it may be necessary to once more
arouse his merriment. '
It will then be necessary to supply him with
fresh material, but the libraries of America are
full of such material. It will be well then to
distribute among the Filipinos copies of those
songs whioh for years have made the American
heart beat quicker. It will be well to supply
him with copies of our school books, which are
full of splendid tributes to liberty, tributes
made by American leaders whose memory wo
love to revere; tributes made not to the liberty
of kings, but to the liberty of men; tributes
mado not to the right of one individual or a set
x of individuals to govern another set, but trib
utes made to the rights of men according to
the laws of nature's God.
Send them the words of "Washington, of
Jefferson, of Adams, of Franklin.
Let them read the immortal speech of Pat
rick Henry, wherein he exclaimed "Give mo
liberty, or give me death!"
Send them the present day novels, so popu
lar among our own people, in which the strug
gles of the American colonists for freedom
against the despotism of a king are so graphic
ally pictured.
Send them the history of Lincoln and the
men of his time.
Send them copies of the republican plat
forms from the days of John 0. Fremont to the
year in whioh William McKinley was nomi.
natcd. Lot them read there the eloquent trib
utes paid to a liberty that shall includo all
peoples everywhere. Let them read there the
proud boast that the very party which is now
imposing upon them the policy of imperialism
was brought into being under the pretense that
The Commoner
it was to be the party of human liberty, and
grew and thrived under tho claim that its devo
tion to liberty and to tho principles of tho
Declaration of Independence had never abated
one jot or tittle.
Let them read tho platform of 1890, on
"which William McKinley was first nominated
to the presidency. Let them read tho republi
can protest against tho massacres in Armenia,
"which have aroused tho deep sympathy and
just 'indignation of the American people." Let
them read the declaration there, that even in
Armenia the United States "should exercise all
tho influence it can properly exert to bring
these atrocities to an end." Let them read in
,the platform the statement that the republican
party '-hopefully looks forward to the eventual
withdrawal of tho European powers from this
hemisphere, and to the ultimate union of all the
English speaking parts of the continent by the
free consent of its inhabitants." Let them read
there the declaration of "a deep and abiding
interest with the heroic battles of the Cuban
patriots against cruelty and oppression." Let
them read there thaff the promise of tho best
hopes of the republican party go out for the
full success of tho Cubans, determined contest
for liberty.
Let them read the speech of Lincoln on the
battle field 'of Gettysburg.
Let them read the declaration of President
McKinley, made in his message to Congress,
April 11, 1808, wherein he said "I speak not
of forcible annexation, vfor that cannot be
thought of. That by our code of morals would
be criminal aggression." j
Let them read tho declaration made at
Minneapolis, October 12, 1Q99, by Mr. McKin
ley, when he said "that Congness will provide
for them (the Filipinos) a government which
will bring them blessings, which will promote
their material interests as well as advance their
people in tho paths of civilization and intelli
gence, I confidently believe." And when they
are reading this, do not forget to hand them a
leaflet on which is printed the proclamation
issued by Georgo III in 1770, when in speaking
of tho American colonies, he said "I am desir
ous of restoring to them the blessings of Taw
which they have fatally and desperately ex
changed for the calamities of war and the arbi
trary tyranny of their chiefs."
Let them read tho republican platform of
.1900 wherein it is proposed to give to tho Fili
pinos all the liberty they are capable of enjoy
ing; and at the same moment let them read the
speech delivored in Chicago, July 10, 1858, by
Abraham Lincoln wherein he said "Those ar
guments that tho inferior race are to bo treated
with as much allowance as they are capable of
enjoying that as much is to be done for them
as their condition will allow, what are these ar
guments? They are the arguments that kings
have mado for enslaving tho people in all ages
of the world."
And ,when tho Filipinos have read these .
things, wo may well imagine that they will im
mediately detect tho joke, quicker even than
many Americans have done and that they will
bo ready to laugh, oven as many Americans
have'laughed. Wo may imagine these Fili
pinos, after having perused the history of this
country, its Declaration of Independence, its
songs, its poems, its orations, its political plat
forms and its political handbooks laughing as
never men laughed before.
Then, when they have been quite over
whelmed with mirth, when the Philippine
Islands have resounded with the laughter of tho
natives who have bo long smuggled, even as
our own forefathers struggled; it might be well
to bid them all rise as ono man and join in
singing '
"My Country, 'tis of thee, '
Swcot land of liberty,
Of theo I sing."
Nothing would- better complete the .Fili
pino's day of fun than an invitation to .join in
the singing of that song.
W
No Private Entrance.
Prior-to the Iowa Democratic state conven
tion, the Des Moines Leader printed an inter
view with Judge Thayer of Clinton, in which
that gentleman said: "There can be no private
entrance to the silver question. The Demo
cratic party cannot get in without being seen
going in." The Leader commented approv
ingly, on this statement and said that it con
tains "a solid kernel of wisdom." On its own
behalf the Leader declares: "There is no side
entrance to the silver question. If the demo
cratic party goes in, every one will see it go.
It docs not seem possible to compromise.
Either the silver idea must be clung to or it
must be discarded. It is not possible to let
loose and liold on at the same time."
No advocate of the Kansas City platform
has ever urged, as a reason for his position,
that that platform concealed the. purpose of his
party. On the contrary, the champions of the
Kansas City platform point with pride to the
fact that when the voter reads that platform, he
needs no diagram to ascertain the position of
the Democratic party.
It is true, there is no "private entrance" to
the question of bimetallism. The Democratic
party cannot get in on tho affirmativo of that
question without being seen going in. But the
same may be said of the single gold standard
question. The Democratic party cannot get in
without being seen going in. But the purpose
of the gold Democrats is to do the very thing
with respect to the gold question which Judge
Thayer and the Des Moines Leader say is im
possible of accomplishment with respect to the
question of bimetallism. They want to discard
the principle of bimetallism; they want to cut
tho Democratic party completely asunder from
tho ties that have bound it to tho money of tho
constitution. At the same time they have
built a "private entrance" to the gold question,
and they are bending every energy to coax tho
Democratic party through that entrance. Once
past the portala of that entrance and tho Dem
ocratic party will become a mere auxiliary or
ganization to the republican party, an advocate
of the single gold standard, a champion of the
trusts, and an abettor of all tho vicious policies
which tho advocates. of class privileges seek to
fasten upon this country.
If it is true that tho "silver idea must bo