13be Conservative.
Under the cap-
KKYAN AND tioii "Jefferson
IMPKRIALISM.
and Imperialism"
Mr. Bryan , in the New York Journal ,
discusses the Philippine problem. He
says :
"Imperialism as it now presents itself ,
embraces four distinct propositions :
First. That the acquisition of terri
tory by conquest is right.
'Second. That the acquisition of re
mote territory is desirable.
Third. That the doctrine that gov
ernments derive their just powers from
the consent of the governed is unsound.
Fourth. That people can bo wisely
governed by aliens. ' "
Any proposition of public policy must
be based upon the action of that body
which represents the popular will. In
our own country the national legislature
is the only body that can speak authori
tatively for the American people. When
we speak of the policy of our govern
ment we mean the policy fixed by con
gress. Therefore whatever our policy
may be in regard to the Philippines it
must be that which congress has indi
cated. The only action , relative to the
Philippines , that has been taken by the
congress of the United States , was the
ratification of the treaty of peace with
Spain , whereby we acquired sovereignty
over this remote territory. The propo
sitions given out by Mr. Bryan must
have their inspiration in this treaty.
With the ratification of the treaty , then ,
the policy of imperialism was inaugu
rated.
If , as Mr. Bryan says , in imperialism
is embodied the propositions he has laid
down , then , as the
Favored Conquest.
one who favored
the ratification of that treaty , who was ,
according to the assertion of his staunch-
eat friends , responsible for its ratifica
tion , he cannot escape whatever oppro
brium may belong to the policy the
treaty inaugurated. If ratification
meant to assert that , "the acquisition of
remote territory is desirable" he is com
mitted to this proposition. If it meant
that "the acquisition of territory by
conquest was right" he espoused this
principle , and so for each of the imperi
alistic propositions to which he refers.
He has endorsed every one of them.
All those who favored the ratification
of the treaty and endorsed the policy
embodied therein ,
Estopped.
are estopped from
denouncing the consequences of it.
Senator Allen of Nebraska , in the
debate pending ratification , said :
"Mr. President , I have been impressed
since the acquisition of this new terri
tory as a result of the war with Spain ,
with the overshadowing necessity of
considering the question with faultless
accuracy. What we may do is not to
be the work of an hour , nor can it be
undone by subsequent legislation or
executive order , but it is to stand for all
time and involves for final weal or woe
the present inhabitants of the United
States and those of the new territory , as
well as those of countless generations to
succeed.
"Mr. President , the news haa come to
us within the last few hours of a conflict
between the American army and navy
and the Filipinos. To my own state has
fallen much of the loss of life and limb.
Ten out of twenty of the young men
who lost their lives in the battle that
has been fought in the last forty-eight
hours were members of the first Nebras
ka infantry. There is mourning in Ne
braska today ; there will be weeping at
the hearthstone of may a Nebraska
home tonight. Mr. President , this
ought to be a warning to us. I can not
condemn too severely the assault , the
treacherous assault , made on our troops.
We wore dealing with savages as blood
thirsty and incapable of being reconciled
as the Ogallala Sioux. They precipitated
this conflict of their own volition.
' 'I uphold the general and commander
of the navy in repelling the attack. We
are in the Philippine islands as a con
quering military power. We hold them
today by virtue of the power to make
war , and in no other sense , and there
those islands and those people must
remain respecting the law , respecting
the dignity and the sovereignty and the
flag of this nation until their status
among the nations of the earth shall be
defined by congress , the sole power to
deal with the question. They must be
taught as long as we deal with them
that submission to the constituted au
thority is the first duty of the citizen
and the inhabitant. "
If , as the senator says , to oppose the
temporary authority of the United
States in the Philippines , was a "treach
erous assault , " how much more unpar
donable the resistance after he had
made this authority permanent by the
terms of the treaty ! That the responsi
bilities attaching to our government
after ratification were appreciated in
the senate at the time the vote was
taken ; that it was understood to mean
the establishment of a policy for all time ;
is evident from this speech of Senator
Allen as well as those of other senators.
Senator Money thus portrayed the
effects of ratifying the treaty as it was
written :
1 'Another thing. We are told that we
want peace ; that we want to get the
volunteers home.
Menus War. _ _ . , , _ .
We all do. Every
body wants peace. I want the volun
teers brought home. They have that
right. They did not enlist for garrison
duty. They did not enlist for a subju
gating war. They enlisted for freedom.
The struggle is over , the cause won , the
banner flies triumphant , and they have
a right to come home and be dismissed
from the military service. They are
not professionals pursuing a vocation ;
they are the citizen soldiery , who have
other business.
"Does any man say we are going to
have peace by ratifying this treaty ?
Yes ; we will have peace with Spain , but
we will begin war with the Filipinos.
A.I
We had a war with Spain that lasted
three months. I stood right hero and
predicted on the 28th of March that we
were about to engage in a war that
would last sixty days , which would be
a naval engagement , and that the ships
of Spain would bo swept from the sea.
I am not a prophet , but I believed what
I then said , and it has been justified by
events. Now I say , standing here , that ,
in my opinion , if we ratify the treaty
with no declaration in it that we dis
claim any right to enslave these people ,
or to hold them in subjection , or use
language which does not mean giving
them their liberty , we have already em
barked in a war that will not release the
volunteers , but which will call for fresh
volunteers , and thousands of the bust
American youth will lay their bones
upon the plains and in the jungle of
Luzon and in other parts of the Philip
pines.
"Mr. President , there are several res
olutions for the consideration of the
, . , . . . senate supposed to
Resolutions Useless. , fr
bear on the treaty.
These resolutions are simply declara
tions of opinion. They have no effect
upon the decision of the controversy
which we are about to engage in with
the Filipinos , and that is the matter
we are to consider now.
"If we pass any of these resolutions ,
of what avail is it ? Does that de
termine our relations with the Fil
ipinos ? Does that induce them to
come in and make terms with
us ? Does that disband the army ? These
resolutions are .simply the text for dis
cussion in open sessions of the senate ,
and they are worth that and little more.
As a solemn declaration of the opinion
of the sonata they may move some fu
ture legislation by their persuasive in
fluence , and not otherwise. If it weie a
joint resolution , a new congress could
be convened to repeal it in less than six
weeks. So we who object to the condi
tion as it has been under the phraseology
elegy of the present treaty must declare
our opposition to it unless it is modified
in the way indicated by the resolution
of the senator from Missouri [ Mr. Vest ] ;
and that , I think , would make it ac
ceptable to every man on this side of
the senate , at least.
"Every man here holds his conscience
in his own keeping ; he is responsible for
his ° wn act and I
. . . . ,
„ * . .
Patriotic Duty ,
for one will feel
recreant to myself , recreant to my high
office , recreant to my duty to humanity ;
recreant to my duty to human liberty
everywhere , if I fail to give my negative
to a treaty that sold away the liberty of
10,000,000 human beings who , after a
struggle of one hundred years , demon
strate through blood and suffering and
sacrifice their worthiness for a better
fate than is proposed. These men have
struggled under every disadvantage.
The Malay character has been developed