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The Commoner.
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ruvian govornmont, aro being paid salaries by
the v'PoruvIan government, and aTo there to as
sist In bringing the oducallonal system into har
mony with ours. I visited Bolivia next and
thoro'I found a collogo called "the American
Institute" which was founded at the request
of the r govornmont of Bolivia, and receives an
appropriation of some 14,000 Bolivian dollars
a year. I visited Uruguay, and they told mo
that tho system of education In Uruguay was
copied from ours and that it was put into oper
ation by a citizon of that country who went to
tho Unitod States, studied thore and, returning,
grtvo to his country tho same system of educa
tion that prevailed in the United States. I went
td Brazil and I found there, at San Paulo, a
normal schodl which was planned by an Amer
ican woman who took tho plans from tho state
of Now York. I found that the agricultural
collogo which had been doing such splendid work
In tho Unitod States is now being copied in
tho South American countries. I give you these
illustrations,, drawn from ray recent observations,
to show you that tho influenco of American
oducation is spreading not only under the Amer
ican Hag, but boyond tho American flag. And
if timo permitted I might show you that not
only In South America, but all through Asia,
tho American school is being planned, and that
Americans aro giving of their money unselfishly,
to plant theso schools .and thus extend tho In
fluence of popular education. In the Philippine
Islands a tremendous impetus has been given
to oducation. I doubt if thore are two other
places In tho world today that have shown as
great lncroaso in tho percentage of those at
tending school in tho same length of time as
Porto Rico and tho Philippine Islands. Nothing
is more cortaln than that tho time will como
when In ovory country in tho world there will
bo an open school door in front of every child,
and among the influences that are at work to
bring about this desired result I think I can
without boastfulness say that no other influenco
surpasses that of our country, if indeed any other
influenco equals that exerted by our country.
Why do I mention this on this occasion? That
you may accept it as evidence, as proof posi
tive, that our country is interested in the welfare
of tho peoplo of Porto Rico. I have been grati
fied that tho speakers tonight have expressly de
clared their confidence in tho sense of justiqo
in tho American heart, and their Confidence in
tho ultimate securing by tho people of Porto
Rico of all that they can justly ask. But lest
thore may bo some in this island who do not
share tho confidence oxpressod by the speakers
tonight, I cite tho fact presented as proof of
the 'desire of our peoplo to do justice to tho peo
plo of Porto Rico. If the American people had
any thought of denying justice to tho people of
Porto Rico thoy would not help to educate tho
peoplo of Porto Rico, for they have intelligence
enough to know that educated peoplo will dis
cern injustico moro quickly and protest against
it moro vigorously than ignorant people.
If I emphasize tho value of education let no
one think that I am taking issue with those who
havo spoken tonight.
EmphaslB has been placed upon tho fact that
virtue is moro important than learning but I
am sure that thero was no thought in tho minds
of tho speakers of putting virtue and-intelligence
in opposing columns. If I were compelled
to choose between a man of morals, but with
out education, and a man of education without
morals I would without hesitation prefer the
man without education but with morality If
I wore compelled to choose between a man with
patriotism, but without education, and an ed
ucated man without patriotism, I would with
out hesitation chooso tho man with patriotism
without education. But it is not necessary to
chooso tho ono and leave the other. The edu
cated man can bo moral, tho educated
man can bo patriotic. If any of you would
prefer a nation without education, but moral
and patriotic, I would prefer a nation with edu
cation, and with morals and patriotism added.
The distinguished speaker referred, and truly
to the fact that tho Nazareno waB not a gradu
ate of a school, and he might with equal truth
have added that those whom Ho choso for His
disciples wore not, for tho most part, chosen
from among tho learned. But I need hardlv
remind you of tho fact that tho educated peoplo
of this world aro as a rule found anions tho
followers of the Nazarene, and that the educa
od nations of the world aro tho Christian nations
I need hardly romind you that the Christian
peoplo, and they only, are pushing education
out into tho countries that havo it not What
nohChristian organization is raising money and
planting colleges far away from the people who
jmbscribe the money? x "uu
But I need not dwell upon this, for the
speaker himself gave us proof that he. did not
think for a moment that education would lower
the moral level.' Ho gave us proof positive that
education is appreciated in this island and de
sired by tho people of Porto Rico. Ho told us
that, when the council, a majority of Its mem
bers from the United States, asked for $600,000
for education, tho house, made up of representa
tives of Porto Ricans, voted $800,000. Ho told
us that when tho council asked for $800,000
tho Porto Rlcan branch of the legislature voted
$1,000,000.
And I am sure that these speakers who aro
so heartily in favor of education, do not for a
moment think that the morality or patriotism
of the people of Porto Rico, will be less when
their education is greater." Let me, therefore,
leave this branch of the subject with the sug
gestion that the fact that education is helpful
to a people and strengthens them in the secur
ing of their rights, coupled. with the fact that
our peoplo are helping to extend education in
Porto Rico, is proof conclusive that they intend
that absolute justice shall be done to Porto
Rico on every subject.
But let me give you another word of encour
agement. Not only is education increasing
throughout the world, irresistibly so not only
are the people through increasing intelli
gence increasing their strength to resist
injustico and to secure justice but the
doctrines of popular g overnment are grow
ing also. The doctrine that governments derive
their just power from tho consent of the gov
erned is much stronger in the world today than
it was fifty, twenty-fiv or even ten years ago.
It will be stronger next year than it is this,
and each succeeding year stronger than the year
before, until there is no spot on this earth where
arbitrary power can find a foothold. There is
not a civilized .nation in the world in which
there is not a struggle of the masses against
the classes, a struggle of democracy against
aristocracy; and there is not a civilized nation in
tho world in which the people are not winning
victories day by day.
Since the American constitution was adopted
morq than two hundred constitutions have been
adopted, and several within the last five years
Persia has secured a constitution within five .
years; Russia has established a duma within"
six years. Even Turkey has within three years
established a legislative body. And in. the last
election in Great Britain, where the issue was
whether an hereditary body should have a veto
over the acts of a representative body,, a ma
jority of tho members elected to the new parlia
ment were pledged against tho theory that the
house of lords should have the veto power.
Now this progress towards popular govern
ment is not confined to the nations outside of
oiirs; the progress is going on in our nation as
well, if time permitted I could give you illus
trations drawn from my own observations I
have been in national politics now about twenty
years; that is not a long time, and yet it is
long enough for me to have. seen a number of
very important changes, and all indicating
progress towards more popular government Let
me give you just one illustration. Until" eigh
teen years ago there was no legislative protest
against the present method of electing United
States senators. No prominent party had ever
declared against it in a national convention
Eighteen years ago the house of representatives
adopted a resolution proposing the necessary
amendment for making the election popular
Sipce that time that resolution has passed th
popular branch of congress four times mor
five times altogether. Within the las? eighteen
years one of the great parties has three times
in its national conventions demanded that re
form and in the last campaign the candidate
of the other party ,tho party which hnfl A?
endorsed it in its platform--exprVSsed hL nr
sonal belief in it. The reform will come- I have"
no more doubt of it than of the rising of tomJr- t
row's sun. I can not fix the date of 1t A?J??
but I know that the trend of sentimon! H5&
aiid more in favor of it, and that iiiHrnSS!!
public opinion will control. And akin !??
to be that our parties had conventions and ?h
conventions were often controlled by bosses
but in state after state both parties have St
eel a primary law that permits the voters to con
trol the nominations and the platform Thin ?
another evidence of progress toward?1 more re
sponsive government. Let this growth towards
democracy throughout tho world, and in ou
m?.ntiry',b6t0 Tou an asSurance 'that tho Po
litical situation here is not a permanent but a
temporary one, and will ultimately g?ve p&ce
to one which is really in harmony with our own
You say that I may be of service to you In
' ' ' VOLUME 10, NUMBER. 21
tho United States; I amnot sure but I-can be of
as much service to you here as in the United
States. If in tho .United States you expect mo
to preach' greater speed, forgive me if, whilo
here, I preach less haste. I am possibly as good
a person as could be sent out as an apostle of
patience. Certainly no one who lives" in tho
states could better illustrate the fact that "ono
can fail to secure that which he thfnks is right
and yet still have hope. I have been contending
for things in which I felt a deep interest, and I
have been been encouraged by the support of
so many people that my contests can not bo
called personal contests. No one has ever been
more firmly convinced than I have been of the
righteousness-of the things for which I contend
ed, and yet I have met defeat after defeat .
hope has been deferred time and time again.
Do I say that the men who voted against me and
against the things for which I contended aro
not patriots? By no means, I have as much
faith in. the patriotism of republicans ag I have
in the patriotism of democrats. Do I say that
because they did not act as I would like to havo
them act, therefore they do not mean well to
wards their country? No, I believe that their
purpose is as good and that they are as well
meaning as those who support me. Do I accuse
them of lacking 'intelligence because they do
not see things as I see them? No, I simply say
they are not well informed oh some subjects.'
Aitd then what? I shall try to inform them.
And what if education is slow; what if some
seem strangely blind to what I regard as very
necessary? Do I ask whether mine eyes shall
see the victory? No, I believe, with our great
poet Bryant, that those who contribute to a
good cause will have their share in the credit
whether they live to see the results of their
labor or not:
"Yea, though thou lie upon the dust '
When they who helped thee flee in fear,
uie iun or none ana manlv trust ' - . -.
Like those who fell in battle here;
Another hand thy sword shall wield,
' Another hand the standard wave,
'Till from the trumpet's mouth is pealed
The blast-of victory o'er thy grave."
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I have liyed to see a number of things that I
advocated taken up -and advocated by those who
called me all sorts of' names when I advocated
them, and I will not congeal from you the, fact
that I find a great deal of pleasure in being able
to walk on the main streets of a number of cities
which were not entirely safe, a few years ago.
Even in defeat one may find pleasure in see
ing progress made in favor of his ideas, and you
who have spoken so eloquently, in voicing -what
you. believe to be the wish 'and thq interest of
the people of Porto Rico, must find some pleas
ure in the progress already made.
When you first came under the influence of
our government, the law did not permit the free
access of your goods to our market. I have no
doubt that some of you ventured to express the
opinion that the conclusion was not just. I
SSStiIS8!!? imafgine the eloquence with which the
Kit fP?rt ?Ico would protest against the
hnd ,inomeriCan,markets afer annexation
had closed the Spanish markets to them, and
acfofmia nSTSV0"0 wh0 regarded that
act of the United States as an evidence of un
friendliness, as evidence that injustice would
but'wha?"!; t0 the People of th S
put what has happened? The iniustice has
been remedied, the law has beeS cWed yoS?
SSft0?, ?W, enter the portB of th! United
to another'nnlf Prducts Paes from one state
onlv of rJpi L !?n n?I Ieceive tUe benefit not
of a ?ire? tS2eWlth thQ Unlted States but
or a larger trade than you could have had in
the beginning had it been free When you
SBeUinwTote yU ?Sked f0r pdvilege
S i is 70'000 tons of suga.r annually: now
you sell us something like 300,000 tons Let
the justice done you in this case be to you the
assurance that justice will be dope you inev
Suggestion has 'been made tonlo-h timf ,
promise of. citizenship inZ ni wthat th
gross is- net sufficiency liberal Yon nT St ;
understand it, that all shall be broSt in J
cept those who desire to eavm,! S ?"
bill keeps out all excent tSn2 If. The,reas the
come in T sinii of SP nose that desire to
. . (Continued on Page 10)
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