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Jan, 16, 1903.
The Commoner.
Out of 1,300 School
Tenchern 1,392 Give As
sent totlie Democratic
Method nf Dealing
with tho Philippines.
'Wyw
1 I '
v
foifsas City Platform endorsed
Jacob G. Schurman, president of Cornell uni
versity and formorly president of the Philippine
commission, delivered an address before the Ne
braska State Teachers' association at Lincoln on
tho evening of January 1. Mr. Schurman's subject
was "Our Philippine Policy." The Lincoln Jour
nal, a republican paper, says that there wero in
Mr. Schurman's audience l',300 school teachers.
From the Journal's report of tno Schurman. ad
dress this extract is taken:
President Schurman said that there wero
three ways left for the treatment of the isl
ands in the future.
"Filipinos who want American sovereignty
are known as the federal party. Their tfunda
mental plank is incorporation into the Ameri
can union. Do you want that? I don't be
lieve that one; in a thousand wants it. If we
do not our duty is to indicate it to the federal
party so they Cannot charge us with double
dealing. If they were incorporated into tho
union the result of a presidential election
might bo settled in Manila. We are a federa
tion of American people and we want no part
nership with the people of any other race. '
"In tho second place we may keep them in
subjugation fc :ver. That is ono solution and
is favored by imperialists and jingoists. I don't
believe that a feasible solution. It is not in
consonance with our traditions. It violates
our ii.eal as expressed in the Declaration' of
Independence. The American people are the
last people on earth that would force any
other people into subjection."
The third solution, that of ultimate inde
pendence, he believed to be the only feasable
one. He said: "I not ask that it be done
tomorrow. I do not quarrel with what has
been done in the past. I opposed the turning
over of the government to Aguinaldo because
I did not believe that 'he represented the Fill-
pino people. I would turn it over to tho
Filipino.nation after it had been organized un
der the protection of the United States.
"I have no doubt about the final disposi
tion of the islands because I have abounding
faith in the honor and the political sagacity
of the American people."
Tho Journal report further says:
"At the close of his address practically tho
entire audience rose in response to his call for
those who indorsed tho plan of giving the
Philippines ultimate independence, as has been
done in the case of Cuba. Only eight of the
audience declared their adherence to the pol
icy of keeping the islands permanently."
The policy advocated by Presf1ent Schurman
directly, conflicts with the Philippine policy of tho
republican party.
It is in line with the plan proposed by the plat
form adopted by the democratic national conven
tion held at Kansas City in 1000. in that plat
form tho following plank appeared:
"We condemn and denounce the. Philip
pine policy of the present administration. It
has involved t e republic in unnecessary war,
sacrificed the lives of many of our noblest
sons, and placed the Unitea States, previously
Known and- applauded throughout tho world
as the champion of freedom, in the false and
un-American position of crushing with mili
tary force the efforts of 1 :r lormer allies to
achieve liberty and self-govprnmcnt. The Fili
pinos cannot become citizens without endan
gering our civilization; they cannot become
subjects without imperiling our form of gov
ernment, and we are not willing to surrender
our civilization or to convert the republic in
to an empire; we favor an immediate declara
tion of the nation's purpose to give to tho
Filipinos, first, a stable form of government;
second, independence; ana, third, protection
from outsido interference such as has been
given for nearly a century to the republics of
Central and South America."
In his speech delivered at Indianapolis, August
8, 1900, the democratic nominee for president said;
"If elected I should convene congress in
extraordinary session as soon as I am inaugur
ated and recommend an immediate declaration
of the nation's purpose:
1. To establish a stable form of govern
ment in the Philippine islands, just as wo are
now establishing a stable form of government
in the island of Cuba.
2. -To give independence to the Filipinos,
just as wo have promised to give independence
to the Cubans.
3. To protect tho FlUplnoa from outaldo
Interference while they work out their destiny,
just as we have protected the republics of
Central and South America, and are, by the
Monroe doctrine, pledged to protect Cuba.
4. European protectorate often results in
the exploitation of tho ward by tho guardian.
An American protectorate gives to tho nation
protected the advantage of our strength, with
out making it the victim of our greed. For
three-quarters of a century the Monroe doc
trine has been a shield to neighboring re
publics, and yet it has imposed no pecuniary
burden upon us."
It is significant that in an audience comprising
1,300 school teachers only eight persons were found
who declined to indorse the Philippine policy pro
posed by tho democratic party.
Rich Rewards.
An -interesting article, written by William J.
Gibson, formorly a lawyer in the United States
treasury department, appears in a recent issue of
the New York livening Post Mr. Gibson directs
attention to" the tariff on mica. Paragraph 184 of
tho Dingley law is as follows: "Mica, unmanufac
tured or rough trimmed only, 6 cents per pound
and 20 per cpnt ad valorem; mica, cut or trimmed,
12 cents per pound and 20 per cont ad valorem."
Mr. Gibson points out that more than one
half of tho world's production of mica is used in
the United States. He quotes from the prospectus
oC a mica mining company the following:
Mica-Rich rewards of a protected indus
try. Tho mining of mica in tho United States
is protected by a tariff of 150 per cent. This
company has tho added advantage of cheap
freight and low labor cost Hero is what
operating a protected industry means. . . .
The total cost of producing first-class mica
in our mines and delivering it in New York is
?50 a ton. The selling price is from 40 cents
to $8 a pound. This means that you can sell at
from $800 to $1G,000 a ton a commodity that
costs you exactly $50 to produce not a cent
ore.
Vlr. Gibson then says that "for every dollar
spent in taking out the mica $10 in return is ob
tained." Ho cites a decision relating to mica
waste, which decision was made by tho board of
general appraisers. Under the law, waste, gen
erally speaking, is assessed at 10 per cent ad
valorem. The board of appraisers, however, as
sessed the mica waste as manufactured mica and
one of the members of that board presented a dis
senting opinion in which he said:
. It appears from the evidence-In this caso ,
that if the mica waste under consideration
should be classified for duty under said para
graph 184, an article valued at $3 per ton
would be made dutiable at $120 per ton or at
tho rate of 4,000 per cent.
The Chicago Record-Herald, a republican pa
per that has become weary of carrying tho tariff
barons' burden, commenting upon Mr. Gibson's
articlo, says:
Though this country is such a large im
porter it has some of the most valuable mica
mines in the world, and as the promoter inti
mates their owners are enjoying tho rich re
wards of an ovorprotected industry."
The mica industry promoters are only a bit
more candid than those of other protected con
corns. If Mr. Gibson could obtain the facts rela-
ing to some other protected Industries, ho would
doubtless bo ablo to show that tho owners of tho
mica mines arc not tho only ones who are enjoy
ing "tho rich rewards of an over-protected in
dustry." The Blockade.
It would hardly bo in keeping with tho spirit
of arbitration for tho British-German alliance to
maintain its blockade during tho arbitration pro
ceedings. Neither would it bo in harmony with
that spirit for tho blockado to bo maintained af
ter the agreement has been formally made that tho
controversy bo submitted to Tho Hague.
A rule that would govern theso European pow
ers in their controversy with a powerful nation
should prevail In their contention with Venezuela.
It is not at all likely that if Great Britain and
Germany wore contending with a formidable pow
er, rather than with a weak and helpless ono
like Venezuela, theso European governments
would insist upon a continuance of hostllo action
after a plan of nmicablo adjustment had been
agreed upon.
The very fact that Venezuela is weak makes
it all the more Important that these powerful Eu
ropean governmonts should adhere rigidly to cor
rect action. The causo of peaco and tho prin-
ciple of arbitration will gain much whon tho pow
erful governments of the world show thcmsolvea
ever ready to conform to the rules growing out of .
earnest efforts for tho adjudication in peaceful
ways of differences between nations.
Under the most advantageous circumstances
Venezuela, should tho decree bo against her, will
bo greatly embarrassed in tho effort to pay tho
European claims. Tho maintenance of the block
ado would inter "to with "Venezuelan commerce.
The creditor and tho debtor would thereby suffer
loss; and there are eminently practical reasons
why the blockade should bo discontinued. It would
seem that these reasons" -would" appeal to' tho
European ministers in their capacity as creditorn'
oven If tho suggestion that tho powerful, statb '
owes to tho cause of peace at least tho benefit of a
good example falls to reach them.
JJJ
Constitutional Amendments.
As somo discussion has arisen as to the right
of tho states to compel an amendment to the con-,'.
stitution, The Commoner prints below a copy of
Article V. of the constitution which sets forth tho .
two methods of amendment; first, the .submission
of an amendment by two-thirds of both' houses; '
and, second, the submission of an amendment by
a constitutional convention called at tho request
of tho legislatures of two-thirds of tho states:
ARTICLE V. ,;.
"The congress, whenever two-thirds of both
houses shall deem It necessary, shall propose
amendments to this constitution, or, on tho appli
cation of the legislatures of two-thirds of Jiie sev
eral states, shall call a convention for proposing
amendments, which, in either caso, shall be valid.'
to all intents and purposes, as part of this const!-
tution, when ratified by the legislatures of three- '
fourths of tho several stages, or by conventions In
three-fourths thereof, as the ono or the other modo
of ratification may be proposed by tho congress;
provided,- that no amendment which may be mado
prior to the year ono thousand eight hundred and
eight shall in any manner affect the first and
fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first ar
ticle; and that no state, without Its consent, shall
be deprived of its equal suffrage In the senate." i
Dr. John Bascom assails Mr. Rockefeller's unl-.
versity bequests an ' declares that money obtained
at the expense of tho people cannot bo used for
the benefit of the people. It must be that Dr.
Bascom is not to be blinded. to the right by the
smoke of any amount of kerosene.
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