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ri&!jjaul
Commoner
WILLIAfl J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR,
The
Vol. 2. No. 43.
Lincoln, Nebraska, Nov. 7, 1902.
Whole No. 94.
SAME OLD SERPENT
Governor Taft recently said that the admin
istration's Philippine policy was to hold the islands
indefinitely so as to educate the Filipinos up to a
stage where they would he qualified for self-gov-ernment
In other words, the Filipinos are to be
given, in the 'language of the republican national
platform of 1900, "The largest measure of self
government consistent with their welfare and our
duties."
The Chicago Tribune says:
The "anti-imperialists" will argue that the.
United States has no right to set itself up as a
""judge of what constitutes ability for self-government
in others, and no right to educate
Filipinos up to such a state without their con
gent if they have not reached it The "anti
imperialists" regard it as a crime to do good to
others against their will.
The Tribune also sounds this high note:
The disinterested arid lofty policy of' the
American government as to the Filipinos will
commend itself to Americans. But it is a pol-
icy which, to be successful, must be patiently
and steadfastly carried on through long, labor
ious years. - It requires the continuous ser
. vices and unremitting exertions of men of abil
' " ""consclentlbn'sness, and endurance. "Labor--conquers
all things," but it will take an in
finite amount of unwearied labor to reach the
goal marked out by Governor Taft
This proposition to "do good to others against
their will" is by no means a new one. King
George claimed that he was endeavoring to do
good to the American colonists even against their
Will; but when Benjamin Franklin appeared be
fore the British ministry and was catechised on
the subject of American taxation, he protested and
on being asked who was the best judge of the nec
essity and propriety of a tax, Dr. Franklin replied:
"Those who feel may best judge."
If the anti-imperialists argue that the United
States has no right to set themselves up as judge
of what constitutes ability for self-government in
others, then the anti-imperialists occupy solid
American ground. The preamble of our own Dec
laration sustains them in this position and the
speeches and the writings of some of the greatest
statesmen uphold them.
The Tribune's reference to the "disinterested
and lofty policy of the American government aa
to th Filipinos" would have commended itself to
Ki-g George, for In his speech to parliament, Oc
tober 31, 1776, the king said: "One great advant
age, however, will be derived froi the object of
the rebels being openly avowed and clearly under
gtood we shall have unanimity at home, founded
in the general conviction of the justice and neces
sity of our measures. In this arduous contest I
can have no other object but to promote the true
interests of all my subjects. No people ever en--joyed
more happiness or lived under a milder gov
ernment, than those now revolted provinces; the
improvement in every art, of which they boast,
declare it, their numbers, their wealth, their
strength by sea and land, which they think suffi
cient to enable them to make head against the
whole power of the mother country, are irrefrag
able proofs of it My desire is to. restore them to
the blessings of law and liberty, equally enjoyed
Jy. every British subject, which they have fatally
and desperately exchanged -r the calamities of
war and the arbitrary tyranny of their chiefs."
The ar,ument'of the anti-imperialists that one
people has no right to set itself up as tho judge
of what constitute ability for self-government in
others is clearly upheld by no less an authority
than that great Illinoisan, Abraham Lincoln; and
one of Mr. Lincoln's speeches serves so clearly as
an arraignment of the" republican national platform
of 1900, wherein tho luiiplnos aro promised "tho
largest measure of self-government consistent with
their welfare and our duties," that that speech
might seem to have been written for the very oc
casion. In that speech, delivered at Chicago, July 10,
1858, Mr. Lincoln, said:
"Those arguments that are made, that tho
inferior race aro to be treated with as much
allowance as they are capable of enjoying, that
as much is to be done for them as their condi
tion will allow what aro these arguments?
They are the arguments that kings havo made
for enslaving the people in all ages of tho
world. You will find that all tho arguments
in favor of king-craft were of this class; thoy
always bestrode the necks of tho people, not
that they wanted to do it, but because the
people were better off for being ridden."
JJJ
J.HES1ND1V1DUAL'S PART.
Now that tho campaign is over it may be well
to call attention to tho fact that, important as
good government is, much remains for tho Indi
vidual to do. No government however good can
save a citizen from the punishment which follows
evil doing and no government however bad can
entirely rob a citizen of tho reward which meritor
ious conduct earns. Under any government, how
ever good, the citizen who is idle and slothful will
lag behind the one who is diligent and attentive
to business; under any government, however good,
the citizen who destroys his strength by dissipa
tion will fare badly as compared with the one who
leads a temperate life; under any government how
ever good the citizen who wastes his substance in
riotous living will come at last to husks while the
one who economizes and saves is laying the foun
dation of a fortune. While, under any government
however bad, those who havo high ideals, who ex
ercise self-restraint and who persevere in their
labors will surpass thoss who live from hand to
mouth and surrender to appetite and passion that
supremacy which should be held by head and
heart
Government may raise or lower the general
level, but the position which any given person
occupies with relation to his fellows depends, as
a general rule, more upon himself than upon any
law.
Then, too, reform legislation can only be se
cured by co-operation among many, while each
one can reform himself without asking the aid
or consent of any one else, just as any one can
throw himself away In spite of all tliat others can
do.
Without abating his Interest in political re
forms, without abandoning his efforts for social
reforms, each one can resolve to make the most of
every talent and opportunity and, under the in
spiration of a high purpose, devote every energy
of body, head arid heart to the work of life, finding
pleasure in usefulness and compensation in the
consciousness of duty done.
STOP THE LOTTERY
According to law a lottery is not allowed to
use tho United States mails, yot certain news
papers aro openly violating the spirit of that law,
If not tho letter. Roferenco is made to tho guess
ing contests which havo been started from tlmo to
time to catch tho loose change of thoso who can be
induced to invest in a gamo of chance. At first a
guess was given with a prepaid subscription, but
tho Salt Lake Trlbuno has dropped that little for
mality and boldly offers to sell guesses at so much a
piece, and as many guesses as a porson has monoy
to pay for. The following advertisements taken
from tho Salt Lako Tribune of Friday morn
ing, October 24, illustrate tho methods pursued:
Can you use an extra $1,000? If so, don't
wait another day, but send In your .estimate
before October 25. To tho subscriber register
ing tho correct figures on or before that date,
an additional $1,000 will be paid, making pos
sible $11,000 in all for tho correct figures.
$10,000 are posslblo on a CO-cent estimate.
Bright-minded people should take Imme
diate advantage of tlie Salt Lake Tribune's
distribution of prizes for correct estimate ion
the total vote which will be cast in Utah,
'"-Idaho and Wyoming November 4 next"
.
Quick calculators should estimate without
dolay on tho congressional vote of Utah,
Idaho and Wyoming in competition for the
$35,000 In gold which the Salt Lako Tribune
has set aside for distribution among tho near
est guessers Immediately after the result of
-tho election Is known.
An easy way to get Thanksgiving spending
money Is to risk b) cents in tho Salt Lako TrI-
buno's guessing contest Tho paper is offer
ing $35,000 In 1,490 prizes to the persons who
make tho nearest estimates on what the total
vote will be in Utah, Idaho and Wyoming.
The details are published on another page.
Read them.
DO YOU KNOW THAT
THE EASIEST WAY TO
GET RICH QUICKLY
Is to send to the Salt Lake Tribune 50 cents
with an estimate as to what the total vote for
congressmen will be in Utah, Idaho and Wyom
ing on November 4 next? There is $35,000 in
coin to be distributed in prizes ranging from
$2 to $5,000 and if the exact vote is predicted
tho author pf the prediction will realize $10,000,
and If that prediction is filed with us by an
advance-paid subscriber by Saturday, the 25th
Inst, a premium of $1,000 making $11,000 in
all will bo paid to the exact estimator.
$35,000
IN 1,490 CASH PRIZES
will be paid l.y the Salt Lake Tribune to the
nearest estimators. v
To the one making the nearest correct' ;
estimate of the exact total vote $ 5,000
To the second nearest 4,000'
To the third nearest 3,000
To the fourth'nearest 2,000
To the fifth nearest 1,000
To tho next 5 nec-est ($500 each) 2,500
To the next 10 nearest ($100 each) 1,000
To the next 20 nearc t ($50 each) 1,000
To the next 50 nearest ($20 each) 1,000
..To tho next 100 nearest ($10 each)..... 1,000
JTo the next 300 nearest ($5 each) l,50f
To the next 1000 nearest ($2 each) 2.0&9
In all 1,490 prizes, amount to, $26,000
And if anjr subscriber estimate the ex-