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SEPTEMBER 9 1904
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to govern themselves. To Jise, plain English this
is arrant humbug if it is intended to bo a' pledge
of independence to the Filipinos. 'The judge says
ho is 'still unable to understand how it can bo
said .that .a people enjoy self-government while an
other nation may in any degree whatever control
their action.' This is in criticism of the present
position of the United States government in the
islands, but in ,the very next sentence ho favors
promising self-government to them 'as soon as it
can prudently' be granted to tHem. It is a matter
of surprise to us that a man accustomed to, deal
with principles of law and justice as is, presum
ably, Judge Parker, should fail to see that he is
guilty of conlplete inconsistency in these two state
ments. The only difference between bis attitude
and that of the republican party seems to bo that
while the farmer favors fitting the .people of the
Philippine islands for self-government with the in
tention that they shall ultimately enjoy it, but
meanwhile makes no promises- to them, Judge
Parker favors making them the promise in ad
vance. This in spite of the fact clearly established
by Judge Taft and his associates, that the holding
out of such a promise at this time tends .to defeat
the ultimate object aimed at and greatly, hamper
the restoration of order and the education of- the
people. As we have' said, the thing, as Judge
Parker states it, is plain humbug."
It is strange that the Journal has any difficulty
in understanding Judge Parker's position because
'he says he favors treating the Filipinos precisely
as we did the Cubans. In the war resolutions it
.was declared that "The United States hereby dis-
claims any disposition or intention to exercise sov
ereignty, jurisdiction, or control over said island,
except for the pacification'' thereof, and asserts its
determination when that is completed, to leave the
government and control of the island to its people."
Did this plain pledge to the Cubans defeat the
ultimate object aimed' at? Did this promise ham
per the restoration of order in Cuba?
In our war resblutions we declared that "the
people of Cuba are, and of right ought to be, free
and independent." If the people of Cuba "of right
ought to be free and independent," why are the
people of the Philippines not entitled to the same
privilege?
There is no more humbubg' about Judge
Parker's statement On this question than there was
in the declaration made in the war resolution
which gave assurance to the people of Cuba that
no imperialistic program would be carried out.
Judge Parker on Imperialism
In his speech accepting the democratic nomi
nation for president, Judge Parker said: "'The ac
cident of war brought the Philippines into our
possession, and we are not at liberty to disregard
the responsibility which thus came to us, but that
responsibility will be best subserved by preparing
the islanders as rapidly as possible for self-government
and giving to them the assurances that It.
will come as soon as they, are reasonably prepared
for it."
There has been some criticism of this speech
based upon the fact that Judge Parker used the
words "self-government," rather than the word
"independence."
In the same speech Judge Parker referred to
the democratic platform as an "admirable" plat
form, and it will be remembered that that plat
form, referring to the Filipinos, said: "We insist
that we ought to do for the Filipinos what we have
dope already for the Cubans, and l is our duty to
make that promise- now, and, upon the suitable
guarantees of protection' to citizens of our t ow.n
and other countries resident there at the time .of
our withdrawal, set the Filipino people upon. their
feet free and independent to work out their own
destmy." . . ,.-.. m f , -. m,c.i
But there is no longer, ground for criticising
The Commoner
Judge Parker on this point.
Recently John G. Milburn of Buffalo, N. Y
addressed to Judgo Parker the following letter:
I have noticed in some quarters a dispo
sition to criticise the words "self-government,"
used by you In connection with the futuro of
the Philippine Islands, as meaning something
less than independence; and I veuturo to ask
- you if I am not right in assuming that "solf
1 government," as you used the phrase, is iden-
- tical with independence, political and terri
" torlal?
The following Is a complete reply to this let
ter: R'osemo'unt, Esopus, New York, August
22, 1904.T-My" Dear Milburn: You are entirely
right in. assuming that as I employed the
phrase, "self-government," it was intended to
bo identical with independence, political and
' territorial. After noting the criticism roferred
to by you, I am still unable to understand how
it can be said that a people eulov solf-cov-
ernment, while another nation may in any de
gree whatever control their action. But to tako
away all possible opportunity for conjecture, it
shall be made clear in the letter of acceptance
that I am in hearty accord with that plank in
the democratic 'platform which advocates treat
ing the Filipino's precisely as we did the
Cubans; and I also favor making the promise
to them now to -take such action as soon as it
can pruduently be done.
Thanking you for your letter, and with
Jbest wishes for you always, I am, very sin
cerely yours, . ALTON B. PARKER.
Judge Parker could not have made his state
ment any stronger than he did ln the letter to
"Mr. Milburn. Even in advance of his formal let
ter of acceptance, he stands thoroughly committed
to the democratic doctrine of self-govornment,
which, according to. his explicit interpretation,
means independence
Judge Parker's position on the question of im
perialism is directly In line with the Kansas City
platform. That platform declared:
We condemn and denounce the Philippine
policy of the present administration. It has
Involved the republic In unnecessary war, sac-
. rlficed the lives of many of our noblest sons,
- and placed the United States, previously known
and applauded throughout the world as the
champion of freedom, in the false and un
American position of crushing with military
, force the efforts of our former allies to achieve
liberty and self-government. The Filipinos
' can npt become citizens without endangering
our civilization; they can not become subjects
i without imperiling our form of government,
and we are not willing to surrender our civ
ilization or to convert the republic into an
empire; we favor an immediate declaration of
the nation's purpose to give to the Filipinos
first, a stable form of government; second,
independence; and, third, protection from out
side interference suci as has been given for
nearly a century to the republics of Central
and South America.
In his speech of acceptance delivered at In-
dlanapolls, the democratic nominee for president
in 1900, said:
If elected I should convene congress in ex
traordinary session as soon as I am inaugu
rated and recommend an Immediate declara
tion of the nation's purpose:
1. To establish a stable form of govern-
ment in the Philippine islands, just as we are
now establishing a stable form of government
in the island of Cuba.
2. To give independence to the Filipinos,
just as we have promised to give independence
to the Cubans.
3. To protect the Filipinos from outside in
terference 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. "
A European protectorate often results in
4 the exploitation of the ward by the guardian.
. An American protectorate gives to ,the 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-4
trine has been a shield to neighboring repub
lics, and yet It has imposed no pecuniary bur
den upon us.
Those who Imagine that the American people
have grown Indifferent to the evils of imperialism
have not made thoughtful survey of the situation.
Judge' Parker's position on that question is thor-
r '
pit
oughly democratic and those who arc opposed to
thoun-Amorlcan doctrines that have been foisted
upon ho people by the republican party may cast
their votes for Alton B. Parker, convinced that ho
will cmplpy all of the executive's power and influ
ence in the effort to make our national policies
responsive to Abrnham Lincoln's oloquont appeal:
"Return to the fountain whoso waters spring elcso
by tho "blood of the Revolution."
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