"V
The Commoner
FEBRUARY, 1919
SCHOOLS IN THJB PHEtilEPINES AND
PORTO BICO
AshevMe; North Caroling
December p, 1918.
Hon. Finis E. Garrett, '
House of Representatives,
Washington, D. C. ' ' '
Mydear Mr.Oafrett: ; ;;: '; '
Referring to the subject of. schools In the
Philippines and Porto Rico, I beg to lay before
you in writing the plan we discussed: when to
gether. .
The true measure of responsibility I3 oppor
tunity, and we have opportunities which lay upon
us an obligation which wo cannot In good, con
science ignore. Our presence Jn the Philippine
Islands brings us into close- geographical con
nection with all the Orient, and the importance
of our political connection with Asia Is largely
increased by the spread of democratic ideas.
Having promised ultimate independence to the
Filipinos, we are In a position to give instruction
in the principles ot popular government and, as
a result of the war, the world looks to us more
nnd more for advice In governmental matters.
I respectfully submit that we ought to havo
at Manila, unless there is more available place
on the Islands, a university iully prepared, to give
to the educated Filipinos and students, from
China and other parte of: the Orient the best pos
sible statement of the principles of free institu
tion and the fundamental things In the civil
ization which we are developing-. I know of no
greater service that we can render to the,pcoples
of the Orient than to place before .them the
Ideals that have guided us- and the principles
upon which we have built. .
We could also include instruction, in history,
literature and language pf the Oriental countries
so that Americana desiring te visit or to fit
themselves for work in, the Orient could, finish
their course at the Manila ualverslty where, in
addition to special training, they cold add to
their knowledge by association with students
from these countries.
This, in general, is the plan, which, it seems
to me we ought to adopt, and this is an opportune
time for its inauguration.
WntPrt iR!c? W,e replL otier. Pact ofr-the
world, namely; Latin America. Pprto Rico ia the
SSKft n he B0Uth' and university there
would draw young men from, Latin America, who,
l? t1lea7lng Q SpanIsl1 groundings with
selves with all that is best in our life and cus
Zll ?? AmerIcan siring to carry ouV com
flr?w Cen,tr?1 and South Amiea could
and th nt,afaUaJnt themsa with the language
Thl nvnSt0mS Sf Vuther neighbors!
tJinL VQ??l f mafnining these, two insti
ZZiZ101 MW4 with the
well f thnl167 wouId Urin-to US, as
It mif In U110?1 we are trnsi to reach;
facultv nrnrSrnr to ,nclude to t&e university
iona uJ5!S?e?KrepreaentatlvM of theeduca.
to rlJ T the natina which we are trying
China TUCat? tne Philippine islds!
educators trof Mf ersxty, and
univwsity America at the Porto Rico
sue" aLn0?1"6?11 sure th adoption' of
Rico the win ? Sfcnrpptae lands and Porto
Zone which on11 t0 the Canal
seminatfnr, f Aght ,toe a ceater r the dis-
Sbtii A5lert?n infh and ifwould
Sar instituHnniate to, thQ development of sim
hich come0nn ai, PIntE te the UnIted states
"Peaking Teon t n St C(?ntact with Spanish
would 8oem ? SUth YUr commlttee
Binning"eem to be in Position to make the be-
tath?maBipt-wu have Men
very truly .yours,
, ,, , , TV".,J." BRYAN.
STILL VI1VDICATING BB&AN ' ' '
thai IhiSS neY that comes from Varis
"am J BrvS?1 J 1S t0 Ufcilize a Plicy- o Wil-
Nations to in vra,mlngr nfe plan for a LeaSe
Wen Mr RmvkfUtUre ws dimcttlt
fiet himself i J,eam Secretary of State he
tato an Lln, ? 0f brfa8tae the nations
Jghtar?agelehent '?, arbitrat differences that
The funaamSntrieen em and the XJnted States.
h negoSntiI cdition of numerous treaties
deputes Bhoni118 th a year's investigation of
Mr. Lvan iPFec,ede a declaration: of war.
result oXW tnat wars often were the
ot mood --. sometimes they -resulted
nnrn?80 "V011' fooi " oottor pre-?SS'-2?d0rt?k
I? Btrlk0 beforo lta opponent
2S iffi fdy Wara would raroly reJSlt, he
said, if the disputes could be submitted to twelve
months' cool and deliberate analysis
Jon, tQnt beon Bald that If theso Bryan
KS h htd 0Xi8ted bctwoon a11 thc naons be
fore tho European war it could not have oc
curred, assuming that no nation would treat
them as scraps pf paper.
Germany, however, spoiled what was regarded
as Mr. Bryan's Utopia. Most of tho other larger
rfcn2 agrtLe,d ,t0, thcso trcatlc3' But Germany
5?S d ? nbind. hcraelC even wltu tho United
States to follow Mr. Bryan's formula. Her excuso
was that she could not refuse to sign similar
treaty with England, perhaps with other nations,
and that she might discover herself in a straight
jacket which would prove fatal.
The real reason was of course that she was
even then contemplating war feverishly hast
ening her preparations against the pay when
she found tho excuse to strlko and, a wc
know now, her Idea waa to catch her enemies
at d disadvantage and crush them swiftly and
decisively. '
Hindsight Is bbttcr than foresight especially
Gorman forosight. If tho Bryan formula had
boon In universal offect the world would lmv'
boon spared tho frightful four ycarB' tragedy and (
Germany would still be going forward by leaps ..
and bounds toward the economic mastery of thc
world. Now she Is broken, bankrupt, ruined "
with no moral prestige anywhere.
Meantime tho inclusion of the Bryan formula
in tho Wilson League of Nations plan will be
another vindication of the farBightcd statesman
who conceived it. It Is remarkable how many
of his policies, once derided and denounced as ,
vagaries of a dreamer and as impracticable, are .
coming to be regarded as the creations of sano ,
statesmanship. New Orleans (La) SJatosf
Luncheon to Mr. Bryan
The proclamation issued at Washington on
January 29 by Acting Secretary of State, Honor
able Frank L. Polk, announcing the adoption of
the eighteenth amendment to the federal con
atitution forbidding the manufacture, sale, trans,
portation, importation and exportation of all
alcoholic beverages after January 16 next was,
indeed, a notable event.
After the signing of the proclamation in the
presence of a company of leaders including
United States senators, congressmen and heads
of various, temperance organizations, photographs
of the cbmpaay were taken in: the room where
the daca merit waus signed and. a luncheon was
given, in the Lafayette Hotel in. honor of Colonel
William Jeaalngs Bryan, fry the- National Dry
Federation ot which he is President. Seldom, if
ever, in. proportion to the mbrs; preseat, was
a more .distinguished, of representative company
of temperance workers assembled than gathered
at thia luncheon. Among them were a cabinet
officer, heads of government departments, United
States senators; congressmen and. others of na
tional prominence in the reform, together with
the wives of many of the men. Charles Scanlon,
general secretary of .the Presbyterian Board of
Temperance aa& of the National Dry Federation,
waa the boat of the occasion and presided. At
his right was Colonel Bryan, tho guest of honor,
at hia left, Hon. Josephus Daniels, secretary df
the navy, who has done so much for temperance.
To the right of Mr, Bryan was Mrs. Daniels and
on the left of Secretary Daniels was Commis
sioner Roperof the internal revenue department.
Others at the head of the table were Assistant
Secretary of Labor Louis P. Post and Hon. Catp
Sells, commissioner of Indian affairs. On both
sides of the long table completing the "U"
shaped arrangement came United States senators
and. their wives, congressmen, and their wives
uid other notable guests.
PRESENTING THE CUP
After a brief address of high merit by Sec
retary Daniels, who was compelled to leave a
little early to attend to important official affairs,
Mr. Scanlon spoke In part as follows:
"Ladies and Gentlemen: The National Dry
Federation, under whose auspices his luncheon
is given and of which Colonel Bryan Is president,
welcomes you to this board and appreciates tho
honor of your presence.
"We may be either too close or too far away
in anpreclate the magnitude of a mountain or
the significance of an event. It Is entirely pos
sible that we may be too close to ratification of
the national prohibition amendment to realize
either its present or prospective importance. A
sociological revolution has taken place the like
of which has not before occurre " in any nation
comparable to our own. For the first time In
history a great free people have of their own
sovereign will arisen and cast off this evil thing
which runs away In Alpine ranges to the very
ends of tho earth and almost to the beginning
of mankind. . t
"For more" than a hundred years the struggle
has been in progress. Many factors have con
tributed to the presont and final triumph. Some
of the more important organizations which have
been in continuous existence to the present tlma
taken iti chronological order are the Sena of
Temperrncc, founded In 1842, the Independent
Order of Good Templars, established in. 1851,
the National Temperance Society, founded in
1856, the Prohibition Party, In 18GD, the Na
tional W. C. T. U., In 1874, tho Presbyterian
Board of Temperance, in 1881, the Anti-Saloon
League, In 1893, tho International Reform
Bureau, in 1895, and various other denomina
tional agencies, some earlier and some later, all
of which contributed to tho final result. Finally
came the National Dry Federation, a nnloa of
thirty-eight religious, reform and civic organ
izations, representing in. aggregate more than
twestty millions of people. While the Federation
is one of the yoangest of the organization, it
furnished a plan of co-operation for waay organ
izations which woald have been lew effective
actiag separately than in union, with others and
demonstrated the potency of united religious
influence. The Federation now merges into tho
International Prohibition Confederation and
takes its placo in history with, others that are
entering the world conflict.
"The battle .of the ages has been fought and
won. We enter upon a new era in the history
of the race for never before has there been a
fair demonstration on a large scale of what a
high civilization can do and be freed from the
degenerating influence of alcoholism. Henco
forth, children of our nation will not only have
the right to be well born,, but tboy will be better
born than those who have preceded them with
the fiery taint of alcohol In their blood.
"One of the great leaders: in this holy crusade,
a prophet, a statesman and a reformer Is our
vguest of honor today
"In the Valley of the Zermott In Switzerland
long before the morning light can be seen else
where, the glow of the coming day is foretold In
the fiery glow that gilds the majestic crest of
tho Matterhorn. There are souls who live on
such lofty levels of good 'will to their fellowmen,
that to them in advance to others seem to be
given intimations of the desire and purpose of
Providence to accomplish something of good to
the human race. Such a man we call a prophet,
and .in that sense our guest of honor today is a
prophet.
"A statesman Is a man of broad vision, deep
sympathy, Intelligent understanding, unselfish
purpose and patriotic desire td serve his country
In a large way In civic affairs. In this high sense,
our guest of honor today i& a statesman.
"In the far west of our own country I have
seen turbulent streams that once carried ruin
In their wake as they rushed in violence down
the mountain Bide but when reformed by the con
structive genius of man, made music In many
mills and clothed wide deserts in living green.; A
reformer, therefore, is not one who desires to
deprive his fellowmen of something they have
and enjoy, unless the possession or enjoyment is
injurious to themselves or to others. Rather, he
is a man who labors to direct the energies jof his
country and his countrymen into channels ot
usefulness and blessing. In that sense our guest
of honor today is a reformer.
"Colonel Bryan, on behalf of the Dry Federa- '
tion, It, is ?ny duty and privilege to present1 to
you this loving cup of gold and silver in tho
I;.
' .nB,.'iiaL
iiwjMJfctfiAatt 4 - ',,.