The Commoner;
'Vol. a, No. 34.
I
pago and tho Bllont oxamplo of this republic, true
to its principles in tho hour of trial, will do moro
to extend tho aroa of Bolf-govornmont and civili
sation than could bo done by all tho wars of con
quest that wo could wago in a generation,
Tho forciblo annexation of tho Philippine isl
ands is not necessary to make tho United States a
world r owor. For over ton docades our nation has
boon a world powor. During its brlof oxistonco it
has exerted upon tho human race an influence moro
potont for good than all tho other nations of tho
earth corabinod, and it has oxortcd that influonco
without tho use of swords or gatliug guns. Mexico
and tho republics of Contral and South Amorica
testify to tho bonlgn influonco of our Institutions,
whilo Fhiropo and Asia givo ovldenco of tho work
ings of tho lcavon of self-govornmont. In tho
growth of domocracy wo obsorvo tho triumph
ant march of an idea an idea that would bo
-wolghted down rather than aided by tho armor
and weapons proffered by imperialism.
Much has been said of lato about Anglo-Saxon
civilization. Far bo it from mo to detract from
tho sorvico rendered to tho world by tho sturdy
raco whoso language wo speak. Tho union of tho
Anglo and tho Saxon formed a now and valuable
typo, but tho process of raco evolution was not
completed when tho Anglo and tho Saxon met. A
still later typo has appeared which is superior to
any which has existed heretofore; and with this
now typo will como a higher civilization than any
-which has preceded it. Great has been the Greok,
tho Latin, tho Slav, tho Celt, tho Teuton and tho
Anglo-Saxon, but greater than any of these is tho
American, in "whom aro blonded tho virtues of
them all.
Civil and religious liberty, universal educa
tion and tho right to participate directly or
through representatives chosen by himself, in all
the affairs of governmentthese givo to the Ameri
can citizen an opportunity and an inspiration
which can bo found nowhere else, , '
.. Standing upon tho vantage ground already
gained tho American people can aspire to a
grander destiny than has opened before any other
race.
Anglo-Saxon civilization has taught tho indi
vidual to protect his own rights; American civili
sation will teach him to respect tho rights of
others.
Anglo-Saxon civilization has taught the indi
vidual to take care of himself; American civiliza
tion, proclaiming the equality of all before tho
law, will teach him that his own highest good re
quires the observance of the commandment: "Thou
flhalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
Anglo-Saxon civilization has, by force of arms,
applied the art of government to other races for
the beneflt of Anglo-Saxons; American civiliza
tion will, by tho Influence of example, excite in.
other races a desire for self-government and a do
termination to secure it.
Anglo-Saxon civilization has carried its flag
to every clime and defended it with forts and gar
rlsons; American civilization will imprint its flag
upon the hearts of all who long for freedom.
To American civilization, all hailt
"Timo's noblest offspring is tho last!"
MS
i Watterson on Cleveland.
If any reader of Tho Commoner thinks that
this paper has been sovero in its criticism of
Grover Cleveland let him read-what Henry Wattef
son, a gold-standard-Palmer-and-Buckner-reor-
ganizer says in tho Courier-Journal:
Mr. "Watterson has but two ends In view, l
to scotch a movement wholly dangerous In
character and to vindicate the truth of his-
tory. He has never had the slightest private
quarrel with Mr. Cleveland. ' Mr. Watterson '
is tho last man in the world to make an indi-: '
vidunl grief tho basis of a public attack. Ho '
would despise himself if ho were capable of it.
His opposition to Mr. Cleveland rests upon
tho specific statements he has made; that Mr. '
Clovoland Is an ill-tempered, self-willed man,
having neither tho intellectual training nor ;
the moral and political Inspiration for demo- t
cratlc fellowship or leadership; that he knows
littlo, and cares less, about tariff reform; that
such sympathies as ho has aTe not on tho -side
of tho plain, common people, and still less with
tho lowly and tho poor, but on the side of tho
strong, tho mighty and tho great; that ho, is
personally an ingrato and a glutton; that be
cause of his solflshness and his brutishness he
alienated ovory democrat of consequence in
congress who would not serve him blindly;
that, in short, ho found the party a noble unit
and left it a wreck, Where he Is best known
ho fs most detested.
Seeing these things, sometimes at long
range and sometimes at short range, Mr. Wat
terson stood aghast and appalled.
And this is tho man whom Mr, Hill eulogized
and whoso sentiments ho indorsed! Now that Mr
Wattorson has given us his opinion of Mr. Cleve
land ho ought to givo us his opinion of David
Bennett Hill. '
JJJ
Fusion in Nebraska,
Tho democrats and populists mot at Grand
Island last week and united upon a state ticket
one of tho best over presented to the voters of tho
state. The following is tho personnel:
For Governor ' '.' W. "H. Thompson
, (Democrat, Hall county.)
Lieutenant; Governor -. E. A. Gilbert
(Populist, York county.)
Secretary of State John H. Powers
(Populist, Hitchcock county.)
Auditor '. . .C. Q. De Franco
(Populist, Jefferson county.)
Treasurer J. N. Lyman
(Populist, Adams county.)
Attorney General J. H. Broady
(Democrat, Lancaster county.)
Com. Public Lands and Buildings.. J. C. Brennani
(Democrat, Douglas county.)
Superintendent of Schopls Claude Smith
(Populist, Dawson county.) ,.
Mr. Thompsdn; the candidate for governor, is
a democrat i'rock-ribbed and ancient as the sea,", i.
at least i' dates from his birth and has withstood
all attacks. On two occasions he has Deen the
democratic candidate and stepped aside in order
to secure fusion between the reform forces and
now he has received his reward. Mr. Gilbert, the
Becond man on the ticket, was one of the most
prominent recruits of 1896 and has already served
as lieutenant governor for one term. Mr. Powers
is ono of the pioneer populists and a man of con
spicuous integrity. Mr. Do France and Dr. Lyman
are men of probity and character; Mr. Smith is ono
of the most popular educators of western Ne
braska. Messrs. Broady and Brennan are demo
crats and both favorably known throughout the
state and add strength to the ticket.
The democratic platform (to bo found on an
other page) is sound on both state and national is
sues and appeals to the patriotism as well as to
the pecuniary interests of the people of the state.
Tho harmony and enthusiasm which prevailed
at the two conventions presages a victory for the
entire ticket.
JJJ
Dodging and Misrepresenting.
The following editorial appeared in tho Kansas
City Journal of Juno 16:
A QUESTION OF THE FUTURE.
Quoting certain expressions from Tho
Journal and other papers of the country, tho
Literary Digest notes what it calls "a slight,
but perceptiblo change of helm lately by a
number of republican journals in their course
of thought on tho Philippine problem." This
change of helm is with reference to "possible
independence for the Filipinos which has not
heretofore been openly considered by the jour
nals that support the republican Philippine
policy."
If there has been little discussion of pos
sible independence for tho Filipinos it is be
cause the republican papers have felt that it .
was not a timely subject under conditions
which have existed in the. islands during tho
last four years.
Tho title to these islands came to the
United States in an honorable manner.. Ther
has never been a transfer of domain and do
minion in the history of tho TvoiQd which kept
closer to the law of .nations. To tho natural
title growing out of our conquest of Spain, wo
added the title which goes with a purchase in
fee simple. Under the usages of the world we
rightly held dominion over all tho Philippine
people. These people plunged into rebellion
without pausing to ask our government or tho
American people what was" proposed for their
future. So long as that struggle tested it was:
as unwise as it was unpatriotic .to -talk of.
yielding" to tho demands of rebellion. Tho
democratic party mad a presidential cam
paigh'on the issue that we should grant th
demands of rebels in arms against our govern-j.
mont. That campaign prolonged the war -and
cost u 'much in life and treasure. And 4t
drove the patriotic press of the land into an
attitude which has been mistakenfor a -settled
conviction that we must hold the islands for
ever. In reality tho greater part of the repub
lican press felt that the future of the islands
was not a proper subject of discussion whilo
war was going on that the proposed inde
pendence could not be rightly taken up for
discussion until rebellion had been put down
and the sovereignty of our government was
recognized.
' Those who followed the speeches from the
republican side during the recent debates in
the senate need not be told that the republican
party regards the future of the Philippines as
an open question. Now that the war has ended
and this future becomes a proper matter of
discussion, it is found that neither the repub- -lican
press nor the republican .statesmen aro
of one mind with respect to what may happen.
In the democratic press President Roosevelt
has been presented as one who is for keeping
the islands under every possible circumstance
or condition. Yet President Roosevelt has
never declared for such a policy. In his Decor
ation Day address lie showed that he regarded
the future of the Filipinos as an open ques
tion, saying:
"We believe that we can rapidly teach ,.
the people of the Philippines not only "how to
enjoy, but how to ma"ke good use of their free- '
dom; and with their growing knowledge, their '
growth in self-government shall -keep 'Steady"-;
pace. When they have thus shown their .capac-. , .
ity for real freedom ny their power of self- ,
government, then, and not till then, will it lie
possible to decide whether they are to exist '
Independently of us or bo knit to us by ties
of common friendship and interest."
Here is the beBt thought of America in a
nutshell. It is impossible to decide at this
time what shall be done at a period -which at
best may bo many years away. Yet our demo
cratic friends have already made two decisions
with respect to the Philippine situation. First,
they declared that the only right and patriotic
course was to haul down our flag and como
away immediately. In less than a year they
had confessed the -error of this position. Dur
ing the recent debates In congress all of the
debaters on the democratic side abandoned
the policy of "scuttle and run" on which their
party had made tho campaign in 1900. In fact,
they gave full support to the policy being pur
sued in the islands by the republican adminis
tration, save as they wished to give the pledge
of the United States for ultimate independence.
They are as wrong in this position .as they
-were confessedly wrong in their position of
1900. They are as wrong aB they were when,
with a few republican associates, they tried to '
force congress into the fatal blunder of rec
ognizing the Cuban republic. Indeed, it is so
obviously wrong 'to promise something in ad
vance of the development of conditions per
taining to it, that it is inconceivable that such
a wish could bo had hy men laying claim to
statesmanship.
The democratic party has Deen trying to
use this Philippine problem for political pur
pose. Yet, with their usual blundering pro
clivities, the democratic politicians started
wrong and continued wrong in appealing to
the people. From the start it has been the .
Filipino that was prominent in the democratic
eye. It was a question with democracy how
best to serve the Interest of tho native in our'
new Islands. To this day the democratic press
is lauding the rebel Filipino and denouncing
the patriotic federal army. Democracy has
never chosen to take into account the interests
of the United States in the Philippine situa
tion. It has striven to effect a political heglra
by working up sympathy for a lot of ..devilish
black men 10,000 miles away. Now, the Amer- -lean
people aro as just and tender-hearted as
V...
