T inn ami ill IBS IB ^ rami mil Mil % . ;<* ■ -Y V \° *S -'■>> # * . $ % -^ A ^ 9 V. ^ -*1 cK ^ *^ V o5 ^ v \ '^ 1 \ .<$*. o ^ o r> >\# V "> > v>^. ,0o '^. ^ V . X- ^ V "^ o x x ^. <^> * - X -c^ ,-\ 'J- S u • X- r / y X' ->. /- X* k> N X X ^. S s K %<. ^ A <' f . \ **v X A . PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? IN UNCLE SAM'S STUDY OF EXPANSION BY JAMES S. BARCUS AUTHOR OF "THE BOOMERANG" INDIANAPOLIS, U. S. A. THE BOWEN-MERRILL COMPANY PUBLISHERS NEWEST BOOKi PUBLliHED BT THE BOWEN-MERRILL COMPANY. "Che Redemption Of David Corson. Charles Fred- eric Goss. A novel notable for its strength and vivid imagery; containing an unusual study of the secret springs of life. The author's wide reading, illumined by actual personal experiences, and his rare powers of description, have produced a singularly interesting and elevating story. i2mo, $i.jo. Smiles \ohzd With Sighs. Robert J. Burdette. a book of Burdette pathos and humor, in rollicking rhyme. " Burdette the laughing philosopher, the prince of pathos — who jingles among the bells of his cap the key to every human heart." Uniform with Riley Love-Lyrics, with many illustrations by Will Vawter. i2mo y $1.23. Sweepers of the Sea. Claude H. Wetmore. Two young men, having come into possession of hidden treasures of untold value, lease an island near Chile and there build the most powerful navv that has ever sailed. War is declared on Peru, and the story is launched on a career of excitement and holds its interest strongly to the end. Illustrated. i2mo y $/.jo. Cbe Cragedy Of f>amlet. The first volume of an entirely new edition of Shakespeare. Edited by Edward Dowden. Printed in England by Methuen & Co. and published in Amer- ica exclusively by The Boiven-Mcrrill Co. An introduction of twenty pages is prefixed to the plav. In an appendix passages are printed from the Quarto of 1603. Demy, S'vo, $1.25. HmeriCan -pundit Toadstools and Mushrooms, Edible and Poisonous. Charles McIlvaine. Describing over 800 species, 750 being edible. Illustrated with thirty-eight page color plates, twenty-five page engravings and over 300 etch ings, instructions for students, how to distinguish edible from poisonous, treatment in case of poisoning, recipes for cook ing, complete glossary and indexes. Large quarto, $10. OO PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? IN UNCLE SAM'S STUDY OF EXPANSION BY JAMES S. BARCUS Author of '*The Boomerang" Indianapolis, U. S. A. THE BOWEN-MERRILL CO. Publishers £f~7/3 Copyright 1900 By JAMES S. BARCUS DEDICATION. TO WILLIAM Mc KIN LEY, The affectionate and tender husband, the brave and saga- cious statesman, the ideal type of American manhood, the lover of his nation and of the world, and therefore the true, broad, patriot, this volume is most respectfully dedicated. PREFACE. Frankly, the one aim of this volume is to stimulate thought to the end that the great truths now making for the gain and glory of our Republic, and for the progress and prosperity of hitherto down-trodden peoples, may be searched out eagerly. The Author does not assume to have spoken the first, nor yet the last word on the great subject of expansion. Indeed, facts have not been appealed to, so much as philosophy and reason, though volume upon volume would be required to relate all the facts, which crowd upon one another in justification of the enlightened policy of the United States in working out her unprecedented destiny. Public print is already laden down with scientific utterances in advocacy of our growth and our corresponding usefulness, as well as with the vagaries of obstruction doctrinaires. And so the campaign of education goes on apace with no pros- pect — or better, no danger — of abatement till our great and good people shall have reached the practical solution, which, it is submitted, generally comports with duty toward the country and the world. May this volume prove an inspiration to some — the more the better — to press their inquiry toward truth, right, and duty, is the earnest prayer of your affectionate well-wisher of the majesty, justice, and power of our peerless nation. James S. Barcus, Terre Haute, Ind., February i, 1900. CONTENTS PHILIPPINE QUESTION Page Introduction I QUESTION OF LAW 30 Constitutional • ■ • • 34 Acquisition 3 « Other Purchases— Louisiana, Florida, Texas, etc... 40 "Remoteness" 40 State Expectancy— Alaska and Philippines excep- tions 4^ Must Retain — Secession Intolerable 49 Government and Status 59 With View to Statehood 01 Permanent Territory 07 International Law ?6 II QUESTION OF FACT 81 Will it Pay? 83 Labor Competition 89 Market 9 *> Philippines 08 China and Orient 102 International War and Neutrality 114 Ownership 1 1? Protectorate 121 Regardless of the Philippines 126 Monroe Doctrine _. 130 Strong Army and Navy 140 Adequacy Discussed 144 Military Excess Impossible Under Our System 148 VI CONTENTS III Page QUESTION OF HUMANITY 154 Right and Duty 161 As to Aguinaldo 161 Who Provoked the Philippine War? 164 Status of Aguinaldo 170 As to Filipinos as a Whole 174 Had They a Government? 1 SO What is the Will of the Majority? 183 Climate, Race and Adaptability to Self-government 185 Local Self-government Aided by the United States 194 As to the World 198 Sanction for International Law 200 United States as a Member of the World Govern- ment 204 American Traditions and Precedents 206 Freedom, Equality and Liberty 210 Consent of Governed 219 Taxation and Representation 224 Declaration of Independence and " The Fathers"' .... 225 The Fact and the Kind of Colonial Government 235 Government Expediency 237 Philippine and Cuban Policy Distinguished 238 Exigencies of War 243 Territorial and Colonial Government Distinguished... 248 Effect on American Civilization 257 UNCLE SAM'S BLESSING TO ORPHAN DON.. 263 PROLOGUE, Shall selfish splendor mark our type of man? Shall liberty ensconce itself at home? This mighty nation's lustrous light should shine — The earth and sea her base, the sky her dome. If missionary work exalteth man, If "Right and Might" condition world-success, What weakling midget-soul will duty shirk? Who'll dare distort the words we speak to bless? Borne on by duty toward our fellowmen, We must, though sacrifice attend our zeal, While for our Master souls the time is ripe Perform the Master zvork for public weal. But chance, or fortune, or the will of God Prevails our arduous burden to relieve ; Such blessings promise forth our lot to be — 'Tis better that we give than to receive. What boot vile shafts by selfish critics hurled? Prosperity obtains and not distress. Though "scolds" our liberty may sore beset, No harm results from freedom of the press. Assaults against humanity and right Will prove in vain, no matter who assails ; As force meets force and weaker force must yield, So error met by honest reason fails. Though mean and grudging souls their sloth confess, While "sullen" peoples, other powers enslave, Tn thundrous tones the voice of freemen cry "Where waves our starrv banner, let it wave." Patriot or Pessimist? INTRODUCTION, Scene : Uncle Sam's Retreat, Washington, D. C. Present: Uncle Sam and Orphan Don. Orphan Don: Uncle, I suppose I need not remind you that within a few days I shall be twenty-one years of age. You have always told me that when I should have attained my majority, you would relate to me the secret of my life. Uncle Sam: Yes, my boy, even in the midst of un- usual cares of state, I have been thinking of you, and it is with not a little regret that I look forward to the time when our relations as adopted son and foster father must cease. I have not kept you ignorant of the events referred to with any selfish motive. You well know that I should cheerfully give you the benefit of any information which would seem to me, in my greater experience, of vital importance to you. You were but seven months old the night I found you on the doorsteps of my retreat; that was a long time ago, long in years, but particularly long in the events and achievements of our country. As we seem to be alone, and are not likely to be disturbed to-night, I shall tell you the secret. Your father—- Hark ! Some one is knocking. Orphan Don : I will see who it is, Uncle* 7 8 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? Uncle Sam (soliloquizing) : My position with refer- ence to this orphan was long misunderstood by a few people, and misrepresented by others. It was thought my purpose in adopting him was sinister ; and although few knew his lineage, some people were ready to believe and suggest that I had, in some way, taken possession of him without the consent of his parents, and against what would be his will if he were of an accountable age. But, happily, time has proved that those who objected were merely self-constituted guardians, with selfish and un- clean purpose, which I well knew then, and my care of him has been such — though he has, indeed, been a care at times — that his condition is far better than any other fate then possible to him, and to his credit, be it said, he has directly and indirectly inspired me to an extent not to be calculated by his tax upon my time and means. Orphan Don : Uncle, a gentleman without craves a conference with you. I explained to him that your time was so much taken up with national and international affairs, that, much as you enjoy conferring with men — whether high or low, rich or poor, educated or ignorant — you must deny yourself that pleasure in all cases during the pendency of such weighty responsibilities as rest upon you at this time, but he insisted that he had important information for you directly pertaining to the business of state. Uncle Sam : Did you explain to him that I had been forced to adopt the rule of confining my advice to those in official position? Orphan Don: Yes, I emphasized it, but, not daunted, he persisted that the business upon which he wished to confer affected most seriously the interests of the na- tion, and that he could give you facts concerning the present government and its officials, which the officials PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 9 themselves are studiously concealing from you. At length I consented to his waiting until I could carry his message to you. Uncle Sam : Well, as it so happens that we are not discussing public matters to-night, although my mind has been thoroughly engrossed for ten long hours to-day and I would wish a respite and such diversion as the rem- iniscences of your life would afford, yet, let us postpone the matters touching you, and for this once hear what he has to say. Orphan Don : Very well, I will admit him. (Enter Pessimist.) Pessimist: Most honored patron saint of this great republic and friend of all, dear Uncle Sam, I salute you in tender love, and bear you tidings which grieve me much, and would that I could spare you the sadness of hearing them. Uncle Sam: You are welcome; speak on, but, pray you, speak to the point, as my time is occupied with mat- ters of grave importance. What has befallen our coun- try of which you would apprise me? But first of all, by what name may I know you? Pessimist: Sir, my name is Pessimist, and I have come to tell you that the President of the United States has ignored the traditions of our republic. He has fallen from the lofty purpose which once prompted him to lift up and ennoble humanity, to the low and groveling plain of a foreign potentate, conducting a war of aggression with most devastating and destructive results to the peo- ple of a foreign country, whom he is oppressing, and all at the expense of untold millions of money, to be borne by our people, and at the sacrifice of the flower of our youth, who must be forced into military life to sustain his recreant and ambitious schemes. He would, sir, es- tablish in a distant land a colonial rule such as that con- ducted by Great Britain, Germany and France. He has 10 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? trampled upon and scoffed at the Declaration of Inde- pendence ; he refuses to recognize the fact that "all men are created free and equal ;" that "governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed," and that there should be no "taxation without representation." Sir, it has come to such a pass that the greatest states- man of America — the Honorable William J. Bryan — has recently suggested in a public speech that it would be necessary for us to change the title of our executive and call him the "President of the United States and the Em- peror of the Philippines." Uncle Sam : How came you by that name? Is it sig- nificant ? Pessimist : O sir, my enemies say that I act the part, but there are those unkind enough to take the same po- sition with reference to many other people who chance to have names suggestive of opprobrium. I can imagine that the enemies of ex-Governor Hogg of Texas would, for no other reason than that of his name, call him selfish and beastly. It is true that I criticise existing conditions without fear or favor, but only my enemies claim that I am a pessi- mist in my disposition. I hope, therefore, that you will believe me when I say that I am a pessimist only in name. Uncle Sam : I should like to believe it, but what you have said so far casts some doubt upon your claim, though you may be honest. I am very loath to impugn motives. Pessimists are not all intentionally evil ; there are two kinds of pessimists, one whose designs are un- holy and dishonest from the beginning and who finds fault with everything for some selfish purpose, or be- cause of a morbid hatred of man and of the institutions of man ; the other is the deluded individual whose mind is too illogical or whose vision is too short to reach correct conclusions on economic subjects; or, perhaps the hon- est pessimist may have sufficient natural ability, but may PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST r 11 belong to that unfortunate class who illustrate the truth of Pope's rhythmic apothegm : "A little learning is a dangerous thing ! Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring." Such people are as good as anybody else. I do not recognize any superior right of any class or individual, but they mistake their province when they put themselves up as leaders to dictate the policy of government or of society. This is not an especial hardship; only a small percentage of this nation or any nation can hold positions of leadership. There is plenty of work for all the rest to do. Without venturing a final opinion as to your status it is safe to make the general observation that the honest pessimist should not seek influential positions, and the dishonest pessimist should not be permitted to occupy them. There is a plenty, and to spare, of men who have studied the great problems of government and who look sufficiently far into their intricacies to take a hopeful view where such view contributes to the welfare of our people. In short, they take the correct view,* holding up the finger of warning where necessary without chastening or re- buking those charged with the responsibilities of govern- ment upon a hasty or shallow investigation. Pessimist: I see that you are inclined to regard me as a pessimist, though you are kind enough not to clas- sify me. However, you leave me but small comfort in the alternatives, for I scarcely know which I would rather be, a designing knave or an ignorant pretender. I believe, however, I could convince you of my sincerity, as well as of my accuracy, in pronouncing upon important matters, but I see you are impatient now because of your limited time. 12 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? It has come to my notice that you intend to set out upon a journey, to confer with men of distinction in the interior, and it so happens that a large mass meeting is to be held in Fort Harrison, one of the historic spots in Indiana, next Tuesday night. The purpose is to check, if possible, what the great majority of people believe to be a course on the part of the President which is totally opposed to the best interests of American citizens. We call it an Anti-Imperialist meeting, our adversaries call it, in milder terms, a meeting of the Anti-Expansionists. I have been called upon to deliver an address upon that occasion, in which I hope to convince the hearers and those who read my speech, that the purpose of the Presi- dent and his advisers is either grossly evil or destructively erroneous. If you could find it convenient to attend this meeting I know it would give us all great pleasure to see you there, and I believe I can convince you in that address, as of course I cannot in such short conversation as your time now would allow, that I am a pessimist only in name, but a patriot in purpose and conduct. Uncle Sam: My program is so completely filled that it would be difficult for me to find the time, and yet— and yet — Is the other side to be represented? Pessimist: No, not according to the program, but I have directed my associates to give it out that all ques- tions would be answered, and that all in the audience desiring to make comments would be free to do so ; and there is a young man in our State whose interest in public affairs has been such that his friends have dubbed him "Patriot." It is thought that he will have considerable to say, and as he is friendly toward the President, both sides are likely to be represented. At any rate, if you would consent to attend and act as chairman _ of the meeting, I have so much confidence in our position that I should be willing to allow Patriot, as they call him, to use all the time he desires in his vain effort to refute my arguments. PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 13 Uncle Sam: Don, will you tell me where we are scheduled to be on Tuesday ? Orphan Don : Yes, Uncle, at Indianapolis. Uncle Sam: Very well, I shall accept your invita- tion and attend your meeting at Fort Harrison. Pessimist : Then may I announce your decision, so as to increase the crowd as much as possible? Uncle Sam : Yes ; the more I think it over, the more I am inclined to believe good will come, and I have heard so much from what I have believed to be carping critics, that it will give me pleasure to hear from the people them- selves. In fact, the purpose of my itinerary is to learn what I can of the people's wish on the important ques- tions confronting the American public to-day. Let me warn you in advance that if I attend this meet- ing I shall take the responsibility myself of commenting upon any criticism which degenerates into mere abuse, or which is couched in such intemperate language as to ap- peal to passion rather than to reason, or which may be offered by irresponsible people. Criticism of the government is to be desired always, but that criticism must have for its one and only aim the betterment of conditions, and not the destruction and displacement of conditions that are without offering ade- quate and superior substitutes. I would call your attention to the fact that nothing lends itself more readily to attack and slanderous abuse than the affairs of government. The reason for this is not far to seek. It lies in the fact that whafever is in existence in connection with government is of human origin and is directed by human minds. It is therefore subject to the shortcomings and mistakes of finite man. Who cannot put his ringer upon an error in the noblest work of man ? Andrea del Sarto could point to Raphael's 14 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? painting and say : "That arm is wrongly put and I could alter it ;" but honest Andrea del Sarto could also say : "The soul is right." And so we find critics who can point to the work of masters in statecraft, and, picking out here and there a little flaw, say, "I could better it;" but if they will be honest, like the artist, they also will say in many cases, "I could not produce the complete result ; I could not better the actual conditions." And when criticism is once unbridled and unrestrained by respect or reason, in addition to pointing out the actual errors it is too frequently willing to fabricate those which do not exist ; to warp conduct which is the best under the cir- cumstances, all things considered, into apparent error or evil. Such a critic is found in the character of the blatant demagogue who denounces with the power of oratory and always in the name of liberty. I will have none of that, and if your meeting should take that turn you must count upon me for such rebuke as the grave responsibili- ties of my position may seem to warrant. Madame Roland gave voice to a sad but living truth when she exclaimed, in the face of the awful fact to her, "O Liberty ! Liberty ! how many crimes are committed in thy name!" I have observed that those who would accomplish the destruction of our most sacred beliefs, quote with un- stinted praise in support of such destruction from the men who helped to make these beliefs. One of the in- evitable functions of a patriot is to supply quotations for demagogues. William Henry Harrison took notice of this class of people. He said : "This is the old trick of those who would usurp the government of their country. In the name of democracy they speak, warning the people against the influence of PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 15 wealth and the danger of aristocracy. History, ancient and modern, is full of such examples. Caesar became the master of the Roman people, and the Senate, under the pretense of supporting the democratic claims of the former against the aristocracy of the latter; Cromwell, in the character of protector of the liberties of the people, became the dictator of England; and Bolivar possessed himself of unlimited oower with the title of his country's liberator. ,, My attention was called recently to an article written by one Carl Schurz, in which he rolls the name of Lincoln under his tongue as a sweet morsel, quoting him to dis- credit the action and purpose of President McKinley with the evident view, if possible, of forcing from the President a declaration of his intentions in the Philippine question while the war was yet in progress. The situation, as it seems to me — though I am open to conviction at your meeting — is very much the same as it was at the beginning of the War of the Rebellion, when the same Mr. Schurz nagged and abused President Lin- coln because he, in the exercise of his war prerogative, postponed the announcement of civil purpose until the needful military administration should have come to an , end, or until such time as, in his executive discretion, it would seem wise to him to divulge his purpose. Such a man I am almost tempted to liken to a horse-fly ; he tor- ments one President until he is dead, then gives out the impression that they had always been agreed, but that his criticism, like the biting of the horse-fly, had merely helped the President along with his burden ; then he lights upon another, and another, tormenting each of them in turn, while each plods on and honestly bears the burden in spite of his annoyance. Or I would liken him to a bad, idle boy, who stands off and throws stones at a carpenter, while he, in spite 1G PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST t of the bad boy, erects a beautiful mansion, and then when its beauty is forced upon his stupid and stubborn mind, he talks about it in a manner to imply that he helped to build the house by keeping the carpenters stirred up and making them active. If Mr. Schurz lives ten years more he will be quoting President McKinley's policy in the Philippines to defame and obstruct whatever President may then be trying to accomplish some other patriotic work. It is difficult to classify Mr. Schurz, because he is a man of education, and I dislike to call him dishonest ; but that he is a pessimist I no longer have any doubt. Of course, it does not follow from Pope's suggestion that "much learning" may not also be dangerous. I am tempted to exclaim to him as did Festus to Paul, "Much learning doth make thee mad." Though Mr. Schurz comes of good German stock, he seems to have started wrong, for ever since he es- caped to America he has contributed his great ability more to destruction than to construction. "Just as the twig is bent the tree's inclined." A sap- ling which if properly trained would grow into the most splendid oak may, by being trained improperly, while growing to equal proportions, be ugly, snarly and of no use to man. And when a man of genius becomes chronic in his opposition to progress and noble, brave, manly na- tional conduct, he may be open to the comparison sug- gested by the oak ; and it is in order to introduce the history of such a man's life to impeach and discredit his testimony in a case where sound evidence is required. Such men pervert the use of language in order to mislead those who have not had the opportunity for full investi- gation. They undertake to carry conviction by clever phrase. PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST ? 11 Mr. Schurz himself, in the very article in which he attempts to cloud the issues, speaks of "Those high- sounding catchwords of which a free people, when about to decide a great question, should be especially suspi- cious." I would commend this utterance to the careful at- tention of those who may have occasion to read the re- mainder of the article by Mr. Schurz himself. As there is an admixture of evil in all good, thorns among roses, stones in the soil, sorrow close upon the heels of joy, so the English language, replete in rich- ness of expression and power, nevertheless also lends itself to the use of artful designers whose unjust purpose detracts nothing from their ability to utilize it. Let me quote you a sentence, the application of which might be used in an intellectual guessing contest: "But after the music and the march have passed by, after the dance of delirium has worn us out, there will come a time of reckoning and mourning." Lincoln might have said this of the South when they were contending for secession ; General Grosvenor might have said it in reference to the mad vaporings of Edward Atkinson and a few other Americans in their attempt to give aid and comfort to Aguinaldo and the Philippine insurgents. But, as a matter of fact, Senator Chilton of Texas used the expression in an attack against the President's effort to restore peace and order in the Philippines. One distinguished divine objects to our control of the Philippines because it will make "More places for place- hunters." This sort of phrase has a tendency to preju- dice people who would like to come to the right conclu- sion. Of course a new responsibility makes more places for place-hunters; the question is whether the places 18 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? should be made. Every step forward in government means more places for place hunters. A factory-inspec- tion law, such as many States have passed for sanitary and humane purposes, necessitates the creation of a com- mission or a bureau, and therefore more places for place- hunters. Every new postoffice is open to the same objection. The establishment of our rural-delivery sys- tem, which bids fair to have far-reaching results in edu- cating and enlightening farmers, makes more places for place-hunters ; but who shall say that the American farm- er does not deserve this service? I merely refer to this matter in this way to show you that it is always possible to couch a phrase thus for the purpose of appealing to the passion and prejudice of men, and this fact must be taken into consideration in your forthcoming discussion, else I shall not hesitate to re- mind the audience of the unfair design. Many critics are fond of the sensation produced by the power of our language for antitheses. Rev. Henry Van Dyke of New York City says : "Three and thirty years have rolled away since we gave thanks for the ending of the Civil War ; never since that time has our national religious festival been observed under such brilliant sunlight of prosperity or such por- tentous clouds of danger massed along the horizon." This sentence, read in connection with the rest of his sermon on "The American Birthright and the Philippine Pottage," reads very much as though it had been cast and rounded out with a view to literary effect. He seems equally fond of alliteration, and seemingly for that pur- pose he makes the irresponsible allusion to the President's policy as one of "duty," "destiny" and "desperation." Pessimist: I beg pardon, sir, but it is my purpose to quote from Rev. Van Dyke's sermon in my discussion at PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST f 19 Fort Harrison, and really, I think his arguments are very able. Uncle Sam : That being the case, we will say no more about him just now, but I think you will find that his forte is the pulpit, and not the governmental forum. I would not have the people understand that I discourage the co-operation of preachers in political affairs, but I do wish they would confine their teachings to questions of morality, general expediency, and appeals to the com- mon sense of the people, and not attempt to lay down fundamental rules in political economy which tend to upset healthy and well-established principles. For exam- ple, Rev. George C. Lorimer recently said : "Ideals are great things, and parties are rubbish." Without going into a lengthy discussion, I may assume that you, and all the people in the main, understand that parties are an inevitable, as well as an essential, concom- itant of republican government. The checks and balances in the Constitution would be of but little value were it not for the potential competi- tion between parties which establishes a restraint by one upon the other in all its conduct of affairs. Thus, I say, Dr. Lorimer made the mistake of stepping out of his pulpit into the political forum without first mastering the subject to which he addressed himself. I deprecate this trick of oratory to which some of the ablest preachers and lawyers resort by clever phrase-making for misleading purposes. Pessimist : But, sir, how can one argue a case without resorting to the artful figures of speech ? Uncle Sam : Do not misunderstand me ; I discourage no proper use of illustrations — it is the abuse of them, the seemingly premeditated purpose to mislead, to which I 20 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST.' object. For example, Mr. Bryan, in a speech delivered at Washington Day banquet given by the Virginia Dem- ocratic Association here in Washington Feb. 22, 1899, said: "The hour of temptation is come, but temptations do not destroy, they merely test the strength of individuals and nations. They are stumbling blocks or stepping stones ; they lead to infamy or fame, according to the use made of them. Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen served together in the Continental Army, and both were offered British gold. Arnold yielded to the temptation, and made his name a synonym for treason ; Allen resisted, and lives in the affection of his countrymen. Thus far this is a beautiful period of oratory, and thus far I congratulate Mr. Bryan, for it cannot be denied that he is a powerful orator ; but see the vile use to which he puts the figure. He goes on : "Our nation is tempted to depart from its 'standard of morality' and adopt a policy of 'criminal aggression/ but will it yield?" Is it not Mr. Bryan's evident purpose in this to create in the minds of the people a belief that the keeping of the Philippines by the United States, and by the advice of the President, would be equivalent to such an act of trea- son as that committed by Benedict Arnold, who plotted to deliver an army of American patriots into the hands of America's enemy, and does any reasonable man believe that Mr. Bryan would have the temerity to say such a thing outright? It is this misuse of figures or phrases to create an impression by indirection which the orator would not dare express directly, which I deprecate and regret. I cannot discontinue this conversation on the propriety of speech and discussion without directing your atteii- PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST f 21 tion to another fault, for, mind you, I desire to save you embarrassment if possible, and I also desire, if possible, to prevent your doing - the administration an injustice ; for I believe it to be honest and capable, and shall continue so to believe, unless you can convince me to the contrary. Some orators on your side, and some newspapers as well, are attempting to cast odium upon the proposed con- duct of the United States in the Philippines by the use of opprobrious terms, and also by the opprobrious use of proper terms. For instance, the word "Imperialism." Now this word might come under either class, i. e., for certain reasons it may be considered an opprobrious term ; viewed in another way, it is a proper term, and the use of it to express a condition contrary to American condi- tions is a perversion. Our ancestors used the term freely in connection with our country. Chief Justice Marshall, for instance, in the case of Loughborough vs. Blake, and in other decisions frequently speaks of the "American Empire." Pessimist : But I propose to show, sir, that "empire," as used by our people, has reference to such dominion over territory as that of Great Britain over India, for instance. Uncle Sam : Then you will probably define your term, and not use the word empire for a misleading purpose. Of course, it will be in order for "Patriot" or whoever speaks on his side, to define his understanding of the word. Other catch words and phrases used in this man- ner are "criminal aggression, " "colonial rule," "land- grabbing," "subjugation," and the like. Then they take up words applied properly by the President, and use them derisively, as for example, "benevolent assimilation." This sort of thing proves nothing, and is meant to mis- lead. 22 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? One more point to which I would commend your cau- tion ; that is the irreverent manner in which men of dis- tinction, Mr. Bryan, and even dignified senators of the United States, have sneered at the President's reference to the God of our universe. Now, the effect of this kind of reflection against due reference to the Deity in all public utterances is to discourage sincere Christian men from indulging in it. I do not believe our country has ever suffered, but on the contrary believe that it has always been strengthened by that sincere and oft-repeated reverential deference paid by such men as Washington, Lincoln, and McKinley to the Maker of us all. Pessimist : Will you let me explain at some length my view upon these questions? Uncle Sam : The hour is growing late, and I prefer to postpone any further discussion until we meet at your gathering at Fort Harrison. Pessimist: Very good, but remember, I shall con- vince you. I bid you good night. (Exit Pessimist.) Scene: Compartment in palace car en route from Washington to Fort Harrison. Present: Uncle Sam and Orphan Don. Orphan Don: Uncle, you were just about to relate some facts which interest me when Pessimist called the other night and interrupted us. Since that time you have been so busy that I have scarcely had a word with you. I am curious to hear the story, and can scarcely control my patience, though I have had occasion to learn many lessons of patience by observing your dealings with all kinds and conditions of men, some of whom have insisted PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 23 upon misunderstanding your motives from time to time. On many occasions I could scarcely refrain from advising you to say things which, in your wisdom, you withheld, maybe for a long time. Uncle Sam : I am not withholding the story of your life to try your patience, but the time is barely ripe for you to hear it, and the opportunity has not presented itself, nor does it even to-day, for me to tell it. If I may tax your patience a little further, I should like to conclude the work of the present trip before taking up your per- sonal matter. Possibly before it is concluded some res- pite may come ; if so, I shall gladly avail myself of the chance to relieve your anxiety. . You will find enough diversion in our journey, as you have found in many other such journeys, to occupy your mind, and I hope, to keep you happy; but the work in hand is unusually onerous, and must have my undivided attention for the present. I am not seeking the advice of the people upon one question merely, as it was in 1896, when Sound Money was the all-prepondering issue, but this campaign it is Sound Money, Philippine Policy, and the Trusts. I hope to obtain a concensus of popular opinion, as well as a good analysis from the standpoint of skill and learning upon all these issues before I return to Washington. The order of investigation and the ar- rangement of data is but partly completed, and I shall busy myself for the rest of the journey with this task. Orphan Don : I most cheerfully accede to your wishes, Uncle, and shall employ my time in reading and observa- tion. The adversaries of the Administration policy have declaimed so much about the traditions of the Fathers, and have quoted so freely from former Presidents, that I think I shall review The Federalist, and perhaps read a few of the messages of Monroe and other Presidents, 2\ PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? that I may learn for myself what they said, and under what conditions their wise sayings were spoken. Uncle Sam: That is well. Scene: Prairie House, Fort Harrison, Indiana. Present: Uncle Sam and Orphan Don. Orphan Don : Uncle, the crowd at the meeting place is something almost indescribable. It will be utterly im- possible for any orator to make one-tenth of them hear. It has been advertised widely that you are to be present, and the people have come in droves from far and near, not only citizens of Indiana, but from Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio, and the hotel clerk says that quite a number have come from practically every State in the Union. Uncle Sam : I am glad so much interest is shown ; let us repair to the meeting place. Scene : Fort Harrison, Indiana. Present: Uncle Sam, Pessimist, Patriot, Orphan Don, and seemingly a countless multitude of citi- zens, made up from every class, every profession, every trade. A Citizen: The meeting will please come to order. Fellow citizens, I have the honor of presenting to this magnificent audience, as 'chairman of the meeting, the patron saint of America — Uncle Sam — who will now take charge of the meeting. (Long and continued applause.) Uncle Sam: Friends, at the solicitation of Pessimist I have joined you here for the purpose of listening, and not for the purpose of talking. I might dilate at length upon many questions which concern the government and PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 25 this great people. I might exhort you as to your duty along certain lines, but as I fancy the opportunity will come from time in the course of Pessimist's remarks and the discussion of them by you, for me to say what I like, I shall for the present give way to the orator of the evening, Pessimist, who needs no introduction to an American audience. Pessimist: Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen — It is with great pleasure that I proceed with the endeavor to place before you the facts and reasons for my belief that the present crisis in the United States stands second in importance to no event which has commanded the atten- tion of historians. We are standing to-day upon the brink of a mighty precipice; we are about to depart from the traditions of the Fathers, who laid down as the foundation princi- ples of our governmental structure the equality of man, the freedom of all individuals, and that governments de- rive their just powers from the consent of the governed, and that there shall be no taxation without representa- tion. The President of the United States, who, in his mes- sage before the Spanish-American war voiced the most lofty purpose conceivable to free institutions by disclaim- ing any purpose of criminal aggression, has degenerated into a land-grabbing, colonial-governing agent for the monopolistic rings and combinations of Wall Street. I have been adjured by Uncle Sam to confine myself to temperate language, but I submit that it is difficult to find suitable language of mild degree to characterize the seditious and treasonable efforts so assiduously in- dulged in by the President. Just think of the condition which confronts us! That patriot and friend of the peo- ple — William Jennings Bryan — says : "Our people defended Cuba against foreign arms, now they must defend themselves and their country against a foreign idea — the colonial idea of European nations. Heretofore greed has perverted the government and used its instrumentalities for private gain, but now the very 26 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? foundation principles of our government are assaulted. Our nation must give up any intention of entering upon a colonial policy, such as is now pursued by European countries, or it must abandon the doctrine that govern- ments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed." In another speech he says : "If we adopt a colonial policy and pursue a course which incited the revolution of 1776, we must muffle the tones of old Liberty Bell, and commune in whispers when we praise the patriotism of our fathers. We cannot afford to destroy the Declaration of Independence; we cannot afford to erase from our constitutions, State and Na- tional, the Bill of Rights; we have not time to examine the libraries of the nation and purge them of the essays, the speeches and the books that defend the doctrine that law is the crystallization of public opinion rather than the emanation of physical power; but, even if we could destroy every vestige of the laws, which are the out- growth of the immortal document penned by Jefferson, if we could obliterate every written word that has been inspired by the idea that this is 'a government of the people, by the people, and for the people,' we could not tear from the heart of the human race the hope that the American republic has planted there. The impassioned appeal 'Give me liberty or give me death' still echoes around the world. In the future, as in the past, the desire to be free will be stronger than the desire to enjoy a mere physical existence. The conflict between might and right will continue here and everywhere until a day is reached when the love of money will no longer sear the national conscience, and hypocrisy no longer hide the hideous features of avarice behind the mask of philanthropy." Patriot: Mr. Chairman, if I may be allowed a sug- gestion, it seems to me that the language quoted from Mr. Bryan is largely an attack upon conditions in America regardless of expansion, and is therefore largely irrelevant in a discussion that purports to deal with the Philippine question. If Pessimist believes, as does Mr. PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 27 Bryan, that "the love of money" now sears "the national conscience/' and that "hypocrisy" now "hides the hideous features of avarice behind the mask of philanthropy," we might easily arrange for a discussion as to the fact of that charge; but the allegations made against the American policy in the Philippines will contribute quite enough material for the discussion of one evening, and in addi- tion to this fact, the minds of the hearers are not so liable to be confused as if we confine ourselves strictly to the question which we have met to hear elucidated. Uncle Sam: It would conduce to the better under- standing of the issues if only arguments germane to the question are presented, and these arguments themselves should be presented in a systematic manner, and not at haphazard. The quotations from Mr. Bryan raise several points, any one of which ought to be dwelt upon more or less at length. Time will not permit us here to discuss all the charges possible to make justly and unjustly against mankind. In the interest of fairness, I sincerely trust that nothing in the way of general charges of bad faith and impure motive will be resorted to. If the conduct of any individual or set of individuals be reprehensible, the fact is easily come at by logical reason and presentation of the truth. I should like to see an orderly method pur- sued. Pessimist: If it may please the audience, I should like to ask a suggestion of Uncle Sam as to the order in which the subject shall be discussed. Uncle Sam: Have you any particular outline? Pessimist: No, except that I propose to show that the conduct in connection with this war is against the interest of humanity. Patriot: May I submit a suggestion? 28 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? Pessimist : Certainly. Patriot : You will agree that the conclusion to be ar- rived at from a humanitarian point of view, must be the result of facts — a correct theory based upon the facts. Assuming that this is true, we have to deal with two great questions : First, the question of fact ; and second, the question of humanity. But it has been contended by some of the adversaries of the administration that the pro- posed plan in the Philippines is in contravention of pub- lic law. If that be true, and can be conclusively shown, our time would be wasted in disputing over the questions of fact and humanity, for in that event we have recourse to the court. It also appears to me that unless the facts relied upon by the administration in support of its policy can be successfully controverted by its adversaries, no time need be spent upon the purely ethical or sociological question of humanity. If, therefore, my suggestion will not inconvenience the orator in the arrangement of his proposed address, the logical sequence, as it seems to me, is to discuss, first, the question of law ; second, the ques- tion of fact, and third, the question of humanity. Uncle Sam : It would seem proper to defer to the wish of the orator of the evening in the matter of topical arrangement. I take this opportunity to interject that I have made no suggestions to Pessimist save that he should be fair and temperate in his discussion, and that he should freely and cheerfully yield the floor to any member of the audi- ence desiring to ask questions or to comment upon his propositions. I therefore refer the question of order to him. Pessimist: The order suggested by Patriot will not confuse me, but I fear the arrangement, though logical to be sure, will prove somewhat uninteresting, because PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 29 the question of law, however popularly discussed, is neces- sarily a little tedious and insipid. The only apprehension I have in the matter is that the audience will grow weary of this portion of the discussion, and may partially dis- perse before we conclude. Patriot : While it is true that all of us are now fully employed — a condition which I cannot refrain from re- minding you is different from that which prevailed during the campaign of 1896, — yet the fact that to-morrow is a holiday constrains me to the belief that we will all stay throughout the discussion, even though the first portion may not prove especially inspiring. Voices : That is right ; we will stay if it takes all night. Pessimist: Then I shall proceed in the order sug- gested by Patriot: First, the question of law. Second, the question of fact. Third, the question of humanity. I. QUESTION OF LAW. Pessimist: The Federal Government is a government of delegated powers, and it must be plain to everyone that unless there is found in its constitution some authority for acquiring territory beyond the seas, no such authority exists. The implied power claimed by some of the apologists of the Administration has its existence only in the imagination of those whose ''wish is father to the thought." Constitutional grants and limitations should be con- strued in the light of # events and professional opinions contemporary with the adoption of the Constitution. Thus, courts have always looked with the utmost respect to the principles set forth in the Declaration of Independ- ence as guides in the interpretation of difficult constitu- tional problems. That it is against the spirit of the Declaration of Inde- pendence for us to acquire territory by conquest, and to rule it like foreign princes rule colonies, can admit of no doubt. It would be useless to attempt to controvert this proposition in the minds of the American people. What better authority do we want on a question of public law than the great lawyer, statesman and Democratic leader, the Honorable William J. Bryan? And has he not said, as quoted in my preliminary remarks, "The very founda- tion principles of our government are assaulted"? If it is not unlawful to assault the foundations of our government, what respect can we hope to command for our Constitution and our laws? And if you will recall carefully his words throughout, you will observe that he implies in every sentence that there is a persistent deter- mination on the part of the Republican Administration to 30 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 31 undermine the Constitution and to ignore entirely the principles so ably laid down in the Declaration of Inde- pendence. Patriot: May it please the Chairman, and fellow-citi- zens, it seems to me that Pessimist is confusing the three main topics — Law, Fact and Humanity. If he will con- fine himself to the question of Law proper, it will be easier for us to follow his arguments, and he will un- doubtedly be left free to discuss at any length the ques- tion as to whether the action pursued by the United States is right and honorable and patriotic, after we shall have first determined that we have legal sanction for the course pursued. Pessimist : It seems to me that we have a perfect right to call into our council such opinions as that of Mr. Bryan. Of course, we have no law on the statute books which specifically says we shall not acquire territory, but the claim I make is, that in the absence of a statute, or a con- stitutional grant explicitly giving us the power, the au- thority does not exist, because, as before stated, our gov- ernment is a government of delegated powers, and as I understand it, where this is the case, the rule of construc- tion is that what is not granted is denied. The individual States, in adopting the Constitution, reserved all that was not expressly granted to the Federal Government. Hon. Charles A. Towne, ex-Representative from Min- nesota, in an address delivered at the University of Mich- igan on Washington's Birthday, 1899, expressly denies the title of America to the Philippine Islands. He calls attention to the Peace Protocol, signed Aug. 12, 1898, in which it was provided that "The United States will oc- cupy and hold the city, bay and harbor of Manila pending the 'conclusion of a treaty of peace which shall determine the control, disposition and government of the Philip- pines." He then adverts to the capture of Manila and the capitulation on August 15, and shows clearly that the capture, having occurred after the signing of the protocol, should give no title in law. He says : 32 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? "Whatever under other circumstances might have been the effect of the capture of the city of Manila upon the sovereignty of the entire group of islands, and whether or not it would have passed that sovereignty to the United States, it is clear that after the execution of the protocol the capture could not possibly confer any rights beyond the provisional occupation of the city, bay and the harbor of Manila. When, therefore, the President of the United States says, as he recently has said, that our possession of the Philippines rests upon the 'right of con- quest/ he is certainly in error. When he signed the pro- tocol he expressly bound this country to determine the ultimate fate of those islands by negotiation." Patriot: May I ask Pessimist to whom we were obligated by the protocol ? Pessimist : To everybody. Patriot: I shall venture to show the error of Pessi- mist's answer. The protocol was a contract between two nations, namely, Spain and the United States; the considerations moving from one to the other respectively, were recited, and among the mutual considerations was that the Treaty of Peace should determine the control, etc. The signatories alone could legally enforce these consid- erations. I submit, as a matter of primary legal construc- tion, that since we were bound by this promise only as between Spain and the United States, our title as between the United States and the Philippines was made doubly secure by capture, in accordance with the well-known and incontrovertible law of nations. I perceive an advantage in the division of the question of law under two heads, and suggest that it be treated in that order: ( i ) The law as laid down by the Constitution of the United States. (2) International law. PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 33 Pessimist : I am free to confess that my study of the legal details concerning this question has been limited. I do not believe it should be decided by technicalities of the law so much as by the law in the broader sense, such as laid down in the quotations I gave from Mr. Bryan, where he says : "Even if we could destroy every vestige of the laws which are the outgrowth of the immortal document penned by Jefferson," and so on, "we could not tear from the heart of the human race the hope which the American republic has planted there." Of course, he refers here to the laws in a popular sense, just as I think they should be referred to in the discussion of this question, which touches so closely the common sense and vital interest of the unprofessional masses. All through Mr. Bryan's speeches you will find it plainly suggested that as between the two, the Declara- tion of Independence represents better law than the Con- stitution of the United States. Why, then, should we not talk about the law in a common-sense way before these people and not attempt to lead them into a maze of legal quips and professional technicalities, from which lawyers themselves can scarcely emerge? Uncle Sam : I understand, Pessimist, that it is per- fectly proper to give attention to the Declaration of Inde- pendence and to the popular understanding of what is lawful and right, but I respectfully submit that the legal, technicalities form a proper part of this discussion, and however briefly treated, they should be disposed of at this juncture. Pessimist: Well, I will give way to Patriot, and let him take the lead on this topic. He seems to think that there is legal justification for the nation's. procedure thus far; let him show it if he can. I will take chances on 34 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? convincing the audience under the other topics, that there is nothing in the claims which he may now make. Uncle Sam: Will Patriot assume this responsibility?' If so, let him proceed. Patriot: Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen — If you will permit a preliminary remark, I shall endeavor to assume the responsibility Pessimist has shifted to me. There is no reason why a fair, calm and unimpassioned discussion of our legal status should blind even the un- professional masses, as suggested by Pessimist. The right to acquire territory in the manner in which we have acquired the Philippines, if it exists at all in the Constitution and the decisions of our courts, admits of perfectly clear analysis and requires no professional skill, and, indeed, no superior logic to understand, and I can assure you all that no finger can point to any effort on my part to confuse, but it shall rather be my aim to enlighten every hearer, even in the name of law. CONSTITUTIONAL. Patriot : In the first place, I would combat the propo- sition laid down by Pessimist that no specific grant exists for the acquisition of territory, and in the second place, the implied power would warrant it in the absence of express grant. The Federal Constitution, though an in- strument intended to repose in the Federal Government limited powers, would be inadequate to the purposes of government if it had not intended that the government should exercise implied grants of power as well as those expressly given, and the United States Supreme Court has been unanimous and uniform from the beginning in its holding to the effect that grants necessarily or con- veniently implied, are as effectual and binding as if ex- pressly stated. PATRIOT Ok PESSIMIST t 3S Pessimist : How do you make out an express grant ? Patriot : I contend that the power to acquire territory is expressly granted in the treaty-making power vested in and imposed upon the President of the United States. It says : "He shall have power, by and with the advice and con- sent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the senators present concur." Pessimist : That says nothing about acquiring terri- tory ; it merely gives power to make treaties. Patriot: No argument is necessary to convince you that the framers of the Constitution could not anticipate the exigencies arising under which treaties would or might be made. They could not know with what nations nor on what terms treaties should be made. A treaty is a contract between nations ; it calls for performance usually on both sides — it calls therefore for value. Ter- ritory being at the time of the adoption of the Constitu- tion a recognized value, a commodity in which sovereign nations might deal, it must be conclusively presumed that the framers of the Constitution intended that the President should, in his discretion, contract for territory as well as for other values. Pessimist : But where is anything said about taking territory as a value? Patriot : I might retort by asking, Where is anything said about taking money or anything else as a value? If the absence of words denoting value prohibits the ex- change of any values in making treaties, the authority becomes nugatory and absurd, and to admit that any value whatever is contemplated is to admit territory the same as money. Had territory not been intended, we are bound to conclude that the framers of the Consti- 30 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? tution would have numbered it among the prohibitions of the Constitution, for they were not forgetful of the necesr sary interdictions while creating permissions and grants. A rule of construction, accepted universally, is that where exceptions are recited in a statute or a Constitution, pro- ceedings not falling under the exceptions are presumed to fall under the rule. Furthermore, as before stated, we have the implied power under two heads : First, the Constitution provides that Congress shall have the power "to provide for the common defense and promote the general welfare." The second is a provision for Congress to admit States and govern Territories, which I shall refer to more fully under the topic relating to our right to govern. On this head Chief Justice Taney said in the Dred ScOtt case : "The power to expand the territory of the United States by the admission of new States is plainly given ; and in the construction of this power by all the departments of the government, it has been held to authorize the ac- quisition of territory, not fit for admission at the time., but to be admitted as soon as its population and situation would entitle it to admission." There is a certain kind of testimony which may be admitted even in a question of law in some such popular form as suggested by Pessimist. Authority of law is threefold, or perhaps fourfold in this particular instance. First, the law in a given case may be determined by the Constitution or statute itself, i. e., the written law ; second, by the judicial decisions in adjudicated cases where the facts are parallel ; third, the opinions of recog- nized authorities, such as text-book writers and lawyers. The fourth source — applying in the present case — though merging somewhat into the second and third, is inter- national law as it is found in treaties, decrees, ukases, PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 37 etc. Now the fault I would find with Pessimist's propo- sition is that he proposed to confine himself wholly to the 'third source of law, namely, the opinions loosely ex- pressed in the speeches of lawyers. I think, therefore, we may with propriety introduce the legal opinions of those who have studied the question, and believe that the result will be to clarify the atmosphere, provided we do not rely upon them to the exclusion of the written law and court decisions. I have selected as my authorities on this sub- ject men who, for the most part, hold with Pessimist on the question of fact and on the question of humanity. Senator Teller said in a recent speech: "The power to acquire territory has been repeatedly declared by the Supreme Court to belong to us. We have exercised it ; we have exercised it without special pro- visions in the Constitution. Jefferson doubted very much whether we had the power. * * * Whatever doubts there might have been then as to that, they were put at rest when we accepted the purchase of Louisiana." Again Mr. Teller says : "When we conquered the Philippines and when we might have properly demanded of Spain indemnity, we turned around and we gave to Spain twenty millions. Why? I do not know, but I assume that we gave it to her as we gave fifteen millions to Mexico when we con- quered her territory and when she lay bleeding at our feet. * * * We held that territory first by conquest, and then by purchase. * * * We took it with clean hands. * * * So we have dealt with Spain in giving her twenty millions — a bagatelle — a mere nothing. These possessions are ours by conquest, by purchase, by right." Need I remind Pessimist and this audience that the cases are parallel ? Even if he persists in the argument of Mr. Towne, that by the Peace Protocol we were restricted to negotiation, he must admit that we hold the territory 38 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST t by purchase. Let him deny either title, and we still have one to secure our possession. If by any means he can convince us that we did not get our possession bv con- quest, we point to the purchase ; if he claims that the pur- chase did not extend to the whole, we point to the con- quest. In either case we have the title by right. Pessimist : Pardon me, but it is Imperialism that we oppose, and, as well said by David Starr Jordan, president of Stanford University : "Annexation without Imperial- ism is sheer anarchy. Annexation with Imperialism is still worse, for so far as it goes, it means the abandon- ment of democracy." Patriot : Your suggestion does not apply strictly to the question of our right of purchase. Mr. Jordan's re- marks pertain rather to our right to govern under our present laws, i. e., he undertakes to lay down the proposi- tion that we cannot govern the Philippines without de- parting from our republican form of government, and I admit that we could not depart from our republican form of government without an infraction of public law ; but let us continue the discussion as to our right of acquisi- tion. Suppose we consider the constitutional question divided into two topics : ( 1 ) Acquisition ; which we are now discussing. (2) Government and statu.'. Will Pessimist accept this suggestion ? Pessimist : Certainly, if under the second head you will answer Mr. Jordan's charge. Patriot : I shall endeavor to do so. Proceeding, then, with the question of acquisition, Senator Allen of Neb- raska recites briefly the evolution of thought produced in his own mind by an investigation of our legal rights, PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? . 39 and at the same time bears strong testimony in favor of the proposition for which we contend. He says : "I must admit, although familiar in a general way with the history of the formation and great purpose of the Constitution, that when I first began examining this ques- tion and the policy and course of the government, I found myself, as I supposed, unalterably arrayed against it. * * * -Q U f i am now convinced that I was wrong in so far as the exercise of constitutional power with foreign nations, or in the acquisition of foreign territory, is con- cerned. Whether the great lawyers, patriots and states- men who drafted and adopted the Declaration of Inde- pendence, and those who submitted the Constitution of the United States, as well as many of its amendments, to the people, clearly understood the power that was being granted to the nation so far as its foreign relations are concerned. It must, I think, be admitted that express grants were made that gave the United States as full and perfect sovereignty in our relations with foreign countries and foreign people as would or could be pos- sessed or exercised by the most absolute kingdom or monarchy on earth." Senator Money of Mississippi says : "In the first place, I want to say that I concede fully the right of the United States of America to acquire ter- ritory by conquest, by purchase, by peaceful and volun- tary annexation, and in the other ways competent to the sovereignties of the world." Senator McLaurin of South Carolina, while denying to the United States any sovereign right outside of con- stitutional grants, does, in plain language, admit that the right exists. He says : "I do not, however, controvert the proposition that the United States have the power to acquire territory by con- quest, purchase or otherwise, and to govern same under the grant of power contained in the Constitution." PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? OTHER PURCHASES : LOUISIANA, FLORIDA, ETC. Patriot : If there lingers any doubt as to our right under the law to the acquisition of the Philippines, let me remind the audience of what you all well know, namely, that we have an abundance of legal precedent running back as far as Jefferson. We purchased Louisiana from France in 1803 for the sum of fifteen million dollars ; we ac- quired California by conquest ; we purchased Alaska for seven million two hundred thousand dollars, and we an- nexed Hawaii by a peaceful treaty. Let it be conceded without further argument that we have a rightful title; or not to beg the question, that we have a good title in law. "remoteness/"' Pessimist: No; I concede nothing of the kind. The precedents cited all relate to territory contiguous to the United States at the time of these acquisitions, and it was not in the minds of the United States authorities in making these acquisitions that we would ever go across the sea to secure territory where the securing of such ter- ritory would involve us in European wars and jeopardize our peace with the world. Mr. Bryan says :. "Jefferson has been quoted in support of Imperialism, but our opponents must distinguish between Imperialism and Expansion. They must also distinguish between expansion in the Western Hemisphere and expansion that involves us in the quarrels of Europe -and the Orient. They must still further distinguish between expansion which secures contiguous territory for future settlement, and expansion which secures us alien races for future subjugation. Jefferson favored the annextion of neces- sary contiguous territory on the North American conti- nent, but he was opposed to wars of conquest, and ex- pressly condemned the acquiring of remote territory." Again Mr. Bryan says: "J c fre rs °n has been called an Expansionist, but our opponents will search in vain for PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST/ 41 a single instance where he advocated the acquisition of remote territory. On the contrary, he expressly dis- claimed any desire for land outside of the North Ameri- can continent. That he looked forward to the annexation of Cuba is well known, but in a letter to President Mon- roe, dated June 23, 1823, he suggested that we should be in readiness to receive Cuba when solicited by herself. To him Cuba was desirable only because of the island's close proximity to the United States." Patriot : Will Pessimist contend that the acquisition of Hawaii and Alaska was in the contemplation of Jefferson ? . Pessimist : This could fairly be brought within the meaning of Jefferson's policy, because, as Mr. Bryan says : "In the opinion of those who favored the annexation of Hawaii the advantages to be gained from a strategical standpoint outweighed the objection raised to the popula- tion. No argument made in favor of the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands can be used in support of the im- perialistic policy. The purchase of Alaska removed one more monarchy from American territory, and it gave to the United States a maximum of land with a minimum of inhabitants." Patriot: I am glad you quoted Mr. Bryan in this con- nection, because it forcibly suggests the propriety of dis- cussing what Jefferson may have thought rather under the head of expediency than under the head of law. It ought not to be presumed that the Fathers intended to lay down specific rules by which we were to be governed in detail, but rather we should interpret what they said in the light of the circumstances which then prevailed, and endeavor ourselves to apply now the same kind of states- manlike common sense to the conditions which now pre- vail. When Mr. Bryan justifies the acquisition of Hawaii under his construction of Jefferson's idea on the ground 42 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? that Hawaii is a strategetical point, and of Alaska because it removed one more monarchy from the Western Hemi- sphere, I would retort that in the judgment of other men who are Mr. Bryan's equals, if not his superiors, in states- manship, the possession of the Philippines also affords a strategical advantage, and that by the acquisition of the Philippines we removed another monarchy not only from the Western Hemisphere, but so completely broke its power in the Orient that it will be confined to its native peninsula until, in the fullness of time, it crumbles under the competition of republican principles ; and surely "Maximum of territorv with a minimum of inhabitants" cannot argue anything either in law or morals. But I my- self have caught your spirit of digression, for what I said is more properly distributed between the questions of fact and humanity, rather than coming under the question of law. But, conceding that there is some force in the argu- ment that we should not acquire remote territory, let us give attention for a moment to the definition of remote- ness. What was remote to Jefferson, and what is remote to us? I think much light may be shed upon this point of the discussion if we will substitute the word "inaccessibility" for that of "remoteness." Is it not likely that Jefferson's only purpose was to discourage the acquisition of inac- cessible territory? The battle of Xew Orleans was fought fourteen days after the Treaty of Ghent, which had de- clared peace between the combatants in that battle, and yet Jefferson did not regard Xew Orleans as remote from the seat of government. The news reached Jackson in due i;me after the treaty had been signed. The delay was not flue to some extraordinary accident or intervention of na- ture, but it was due to the fact that it took that long to PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 43 carry the message by the facilities then available. We then did not dream of ordinary telegraph lines, much less oceanic cables. The battle of Manila was fought less than three days after the protocol had been signed which restored peace temporarily between Spain and the United States, and that delay was due to extraordinary conditions; the cables had been cut. But it is difficult to conceive of a set of con- ditions which would make possible a battle anywhere in the Philippine possessions fourteen days after a peace treaty should make such a battle unnecessary. What does this mean? It means simply that by reason of the increased facilities of communication the Philippine Islands are nearer to the seat of the United States Gov- ernment to-day than was the Louisiana Territory nine years after it was purchased. How much more accessible the Philippines will be made in the next nine years under the impulse of American enterprise no one can say. But there is likely to be such a network of cables connecting these islands with the mainland, and such a system of rail- roads and steamship lines connecting them with one an- other, that every pulse-beat of our civilization, under guidance of the Government at Washington, will almost instantly be felt throughout the length and breadth of the Phillipine Archipelago. - Pessimist : But there is something more to be thought of than the mere question of communication. Look at the length of time it takes to reach the Philippines with sol- diers and supplies? Patriot: It takes less than a month to go from San Francisco to Manila. It took much longer to travel from Washington to New Orleans with soldiers or supplies in 1803, when we acquired that territory. When the capital of Indiana was removed from Corydon to Indian- 44 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? apolis in 1824, the team which hauled the official para- phernalia of the government for that short distance of 125 miles spent ten days on the journey, and they were not interrupted by savages, as they might have been. Indeed, the danger of delay by accident in travel for that distance in that time in the territory then possessed was far greater than the danger to-day in travel from the American con- tinent to the Philippines. Pessimist : But in our interpretation of the meaning of the Fathers, we should take into consideration the proximity in point of miles and natural communications, because they undoubtedly intended that we should be se- cure against attack by foreign powers, and to that end hoped that we would confine our sovereignty to the West- ern Hemisphere. The ocean on each side forms a natural barrier, and we should avail ourselves of the bounty of nature in locating us so advantageously. Senator Daniel of Virginia says that if we keep the Philippines "we can no longer hug our native shores and bid the world defiance." Why should we not keep on our own ground, where our advantage is so great ? Mr. Schurz, speaking of the Philippines, says : "They are not continental, not contiguous to our present dominion, but beyond seas, the Philippines, many thousand miles distant from our coast." And he goes on to recite many other reasons why we should not regard the purchase of Louisiana, Hawaii, Mexico, Alaska and the conquest of California as precedents in the Philippine Question. In closing this particular topic I wish to add the opin- ion of Senator Turner of Washington. He says, speaking of the attitude of George Washington — "But neither he nor any of his compeers, nor any of the great statesmen who have since followed them in the ad- ministration of the Government, until very lately, ever conceded it possible that we should voluntarily give up our advantageous situation by extending our domain beyond this continent and into the very hotbed of Eur. • pean interests and contentions,"' PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 45 Patriot : The gist of your argument seems to be in the assumption that from a strategical point of view we cannot afford to acquire territory beyond the sea, and rea- soning backward, you conclude that for this reason the Fathers never intended that we should. This raises a question which more properly belongs to the realm of political science than to that of law ; but inasmuch as we are endeavoring to ascertain the intent of our ancestors in order that we may attach the proper importance to their declarations as precedents by which to be guided now, we may linger a moment upon this point. It involves a question of national boundaries, which publicists recognize as being of two kinds — natural and artificial. The early writers were all agreed in their greater approval of natural boundaries than of artificial boundaries, as the political boundaries of States ; but the chess game of politics among nations has played sad havoc with the theory that political boundaries should be co-extensive with natural boundaries. Of all the civilized nations to-day, Japan is about the only one which meets this theoretical requirement of geographical unity. Natural boundary . formations are defined to be large bodies of water, mountains or large rivers, and these are presented in the order of their importance according to the old idea. The reason for this w r as simply that by the means then at hand it was more difficult for the enemy to cross a large body of water to make an invasion than it was to cross mountains, and more difficult to cross moun- tains than rivers. In the first place, the conditions have changed so that this argument would not now hold good. In the second place, we ignored it when we expanded beyond the Alle- gheny Mountains, and again when we expanded beyond the Mississippi River, and still again when we expanded 46 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST ? beyond the Rockies, to say nothing of our extension to Hawaii and Alaska. I have said that in the first place the conditions which underlie the theory of the ancient school no longer pre- vail. The ocean to-day is a safer and more speedy high- way than the trail over high mountains, while mountains, on the other hand, have been so mastered by the science of engineering that they are scarcely more of an obstruction than an ordinary river. This theory is modified also by the improvement in naval equipment. The underlying principle which moved Jefferson and his compatriots to oppose the acquisition of territory other than in the Western Hemisphere has so changed that their views, however applicable at the time, should have very little weight now. When we come to the question of humanity and our duty to the world, I shall pay my respects to Senator Daniel, Mr. Bryan and some of the other gentlemen whom you have quoted in favor of the proposition that we should bottle up our civilization in America. STATE EXPECTANCY: ALASKA AND HAWAII EXCEPTIONS. Pessimist : It seems to me that even if you have shown our right to purchase territory or to acquire it by con- quest, in a general way, that it ought to be shown more clearly that we have a right to acquire territory for any purpose other than that of eventually admitting it into the Union as a State or States. It was expressly declared in the treaty by which we purchased the Louisiana Territory that it should, when fit, be admitted into the Union as a State or States, and the same understanding has always been had wherever we have acquired territory. Patriot : I beg leave to correct Pessimist in this state- ment. Generalizations of this character have a tendency to mislead those who do not look specifically into the facts. In the treaty by which we purchased Alaska the pro- PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 47 vision with reference to State expectancy was not inserted. Neither was there any such provision in the compact by which Hawaii was annexed ; but while I myself have con- ceded the value of precedents, I would call attention to the fact that precedents, in the absence of analogous reason- ing, are never held to be binding on the judgment, either of American legislatures or American courts. Let us inquire why the provision for Statehood was in- cluded in the Louisiana Purchase. Manifestly, this was done to satisfy some condition or other, and we may rea- s< >nably presume that it was done to avoid the raising of a question on the part of the inhabitants of the annexed territory as to their new status. There was extreme ne- cessity for conciliating them lest they should form alli- ances with our enemies. The inhabitants of Louisiana Territory consisted very largely of people belonging to the Latin races. They had been tossed about from one sov- ereignty to another like a football. They had been from under the sway of Spain but a short time, and Spain was still ready to dispute some of the ground with France, and finally with us. It would have been undiplomatic and im- politic in the extreme not to use this very reasonable means of conciliation. The access to the Mississippi River and the freedom of navigation thereon were in- volved, and in the absence of railroads this meant much to the people of our country and justified any reasonable con- cession. The same may be said of Florida. Moreover, it was obvious to the promulgators of these purchases that these people would fit themselves for Statehood, and that we should, naturally, in the course of time, desire to make States of that territory ; therefore, there could be no harm in the provision, and the insertion of it might prevent internecine war at a time when we were ill prepared to incur the danger of it. 48 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? In the case of Texas we admitted it as a State outright. When the necessity for making a declaration committing ourselves so far in advance had been removed, we omitted it in the case of Alaska. In the case of the Philippines, when the treaty was made with Spain, we were already the possessors by conquest of the Philippine Archipelago, and it would have been a work of supererogation to declare to Spain what our purpose was with reference to posses- sions already our own. Furthermore, it will not, I think, in the light of all the facts, be claimed even by Pessimist that the treaty itself made with Spain invaded the rights of public law. Pessimist : I am not so sure that I can concede your last proposition, because it seems a simple truth to me that we owed it as a duty to the Filipinos to say in the Treaty of Peace, since we were acquiring the territory, that we proposed eventually to admit them into the sisterhood of States. Patriot : We will get to this a little later if you put it merely on the ground of duty. My inquiry now looks purely to the question of legal right. Do you any longer deny our legal right to the acquisition of the Philippines by purchase? Pessimist : But you yourself stated a moment ago that at the time this treaty was made we owned the Philippines by conquest. I would therefore like to have your answer to this proposition before I answer your question. I call attention to the fact that we have no right to acquire this territory by conquest, and would again beg leave to cite for authority Mr. Bryan. He says that Jefferson was unalterably opposed to the acquisition of territory by con- quest, and Mr. Bryan quotes a letter written by Jefferson in 1791 to William Short, in which Jefferson says: "If there be one principle more deeply written than any other in the mind of every American, it is that we should have nothing to do with conquest." Mr. Bryan himself then PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST/ 49 comments upon Jefferson's text by saying, "Could he be more explicit? Here we have a clear, strong denunciation of the doctrine that territory should be acquired by force." Patriot : But if Pessimist insists upon ignoring the later precedent of our acquisition of California by con- quest, and holds to the doctrine that we had no right to acquire the Philippines in this manner, I shall compel him to take hold of the other horn of the dilemma and leave him and his idol to settle the difficulty. In Mr. Bryan's book, "Republic or Empire," he reprints an article from the New York Journal, written by himself during the discussion of the treaty in the Senate, in which he says : "The rejection of the treaty would be unwise, because the opponents of the treaty would be compelled to assume responsibility for the continuance of war conditions, and for the risk which always attend negotiations with a hos- tile nation." Will Pessimist admit that Mr. Bryan would recommend the ratification of the treaty if the result of the treaty were unlawful? The language of the treaty was, "Spain cedes to the United States the archipelago known as the Philippine Islands." MUST RETAIN SECESSION INTOLERABLE. Pessimist : The law does seem to be on your side so far as the acquisition of the territory is concerned, but since we have no legal right to govern colonies we should im- mediately declare our purpose to hold the territories with a view to Statehood, or we should release them to the Fili- pinos themselves. Patriot : The answer to this argument in particular refers to our legal right to govern the Filipinos, and prop- erly comes a little later in our discussion. 50 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST ? A preliminary question to be disposed of is, whether we have a legal right to retain the Philippines. I hold that we have a legal right, and, in addition thereto, that there is a legal duty incumbent upon us to hold that territory as a part of the United States domain. You have admitted, and it must be conceded by all, that we are in possession of the Philippines by virtue of law, This being true, all our reasoning as to legal right and legal duty to retain the Philippines must be analogous to the reasoning which would permit us to retain any other territory of the United States. Suppose, therefore, the question arose as to whether we have a right to retain the Territory of New Mexico or Arizona or Alaska, would not the answer be that it is ours, and that we have in law a right to hold fast to that which is our own ? While I concede that we might also, by reason of our dominion of ownership dispose of the Philippines, just as we might dispose of the other territory named, yet the propriety, expediency and justice of disposing of any of these territories should be postponed to a later topic of our discussion. It would certainly be an unusual proceeding for the President of the United States to withdraw military pro- tection from the territory belonging to the United States when that protection is needed. This he would have no right in law to do, because the Constitution imposes upon him the duty of preserving order. It would also be an un- usual and unjustifiable proceeding for the Congress to abandon territory belonging to the United States to the immediate inhabitants of that territory without an indica- tion of a desire to that effect from the sovereign rulers of the United States — the people themselves ; for such aban- donment on the part of the legislature would be yielding to secession. The mere fact that the inhabitants of the PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 51 territory desire secession gives it no warrant in law. Our country wrote this decision with the sword, and sealed it with the blood of patriots in both military and civil serv- ice. If it be an infraction of law to keep the islands, it was equally illegal to purchase them ; or, conversely, since it was legally right to purchase the islands, it is legally right to keep them ; for, I submit it as a proposition of primary law, that purchase means the securing of all rights of con- trol over the object purchased. Pessimist: But it might be proper to purchase the islands with a view to turning them over to the Filipinos in the interest of humanity, and yet at the same time im- proper to hold them with a view to the subjugation of the Filipinos. Patriot: I think the people will be convinced before we are finished that it was in the interest of humanity and in keeping with the wish of the Filipinos themselves that we keep the islands. But to the legal point again : Since it is right to buy the islands for a good purpose, then it is right to work out that good purpose before letting them go, even though the process should take a longer time than was contemplated. I should even go so far as to say that it is proper to keep the islands until that purpose is worked out, no matter how long it takes. Pessimist : But, as Senator White of California says : ''It is not the mission or place of the American people to assume responsibility for such a population, or to teach otherwise than by example, and certainly not under the influence of the sword, the protesting occupants of trop- ical climes." Patriot : But that is not what the Constitution says. It says, "Congress shall have power to dispose of and make 5^ PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging to the United States." This does not say where such territory shall be located, but applies equally to all territory belonging to the United States. You have conceded that we have the legal right to acquire the Philippines. We have acquired them ; therefore, under this grant of the Constitution, the re- sponsibility for the Filipinos legally rests upon the Con- gress. Chief Justice YYaite, in National Bank vs. The County, of Yankton, said : "All territory within the jurisdiction of the United States not included in any State must necessarily be gov- erned by or under the authority of Congress. * * * The organic law of a territory takes the place of a consti- tution, as the fundamental law of local government. It is obligatory on and binds the territorial authorities, but Congress is supreme." He goes on to say that it was not even necessary for the Constitution to reserve to Congress the right of amending and of vetoing acts of territorial legislatures for — "Such a power is an incident of sovereignty, and con- tinues until granted away. Congress may not only abro- gate laws of the territorial legislatures, but it may itself legislate directly for the local government. It may make a void act of the territorial legislature valid, and a valid act void. In other words, it has full and complete legislative authority over the people of the territories and all the de- partments of the territorial governments. Tt may do for the territories what the people under the Constitution of the United States may do for the States." Pessimist : But notwithstanding this power to govern the Filipinos in their interest, have not they, the bene- ficiaries, a right to waive this benefit and say to Congress, PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 53 "You need not trouble yourself about governing us ; we prefer to have things entirely in our own hands?" Patriot : I have already answered this question by stating, in substance, that secession is intolerable. Lin- coln claimed that the. Southern States had not the right to waive the benefits vouchsafed to them under the Consti- tution, and if we once concede that the moment the people of any territory desire to separate themselves from the United States they should all be allowed to do so, that moment we have dissolved the most sacred bond which unites us as a nation. Webster said : "Liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable;" and this doctrine has been sub- scribed to for too long a time to be idly cast aside now. Senator Daniel describes the acquisition of the Philip- pines as "a marriage of nations." The Filipinos will have to show some abuse as ground for divorce before that sacred plight can be annulled. Again Senator Daniel says : "Once fix sovereignty there, and its roots go down to the center of the earth like a fee-simple deed, and its stars go upward until they mingle with those in space. It is sovereignty, the most permanent act of human life, the most fixed and immovable that ever nation did or could do. * * * The moment this treaty passes, if they ( the Filipinos) do not lay down their arms, it is the duty of the American President to order it, and it is the duty of the American soldier to shoot them to death, to make them lay down their arms under the penalty of execution in battle." Pessimist : Is it not a sad commentary on the end of this enlightened century to speak of bloodshed in this way ? L T ncle Sam : I hope Pessimist will not appeal to preju- dice and passion, and especially on the points of law. 54 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? Patriot has made plain by his own argument, and by quotations, that sovereignty having been fixed in the islands, the effort on the part of some of the inhabitants to resist that sovereignty amounts to a breach of faith, and to an effort to secede, the same as the similar act on the part of the Southern States, and as much as war is to be dreaded, history, civilization and morals have already jus- tified President Lincoln in commanding the Rebels of the South to lay down arms, and in "shooting them to death" when they refused to do so. We cannot conceive of gov- ernment without law, nor of law without sanction, nor of sanction without penalty, nor of penalty for such grave offense without death ; and when the victim brings death upon himself it is no part of a patriot to condemn the exe- cutioner and to carry flowers to the treasonable victim. (Applause.) Patriot : I thank Uncle Sam for coming to my rescue. I felt the insult which I thought Pessimist hurled at the President of the United States, but notwithstanding such unseemly animadversion I dislike to bring it to the atten- tion of this audience. I prefer to discuss the question dis- passionately and candidly. Senator Money of Mississippi, speaking of the Fili- pinos, says : "They will be citizens, however, in the sense that they are under the aegis of the Constitution, and I defy Con- gress or the executive to do one single act that would im- pair the rights of the citizens of Alaska, or of the Indian Territory, or of the territory we propose to take now by purchase or by subjugation." The right of citizenship carries with it the responsibil- ity of citizenship, and that responsibility involves punish- ment, maybe even to death, for violating the supreme law of the land, PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 55 Th; theory indulged in by our adversaries that we ought not to govern so remote a nation peopled by such races as those making the Filipinos has nothing to do with our legal right or duty to keep the islands. The same argument was made against extending suf- frage to the negro. At that time we did not know what would be the effect ; we did not inquire ; we believed that the genius of American government would be equal to the emergency when the time should come to meet it. We have the Philippines the same as we have New Mexico. How would we go about it to give up New Mex- ico ? Suppose she should demand freedom and independ- ence ? Ought we to retire our sovereignty from that ter- ritory ? Pessimist : But we have had New Mexico a long time. Patriot : All the greater reason why we should declare independence for her if she asked it — if she served a long probationary period. The same is true of Alaska. Is anybody finding fault because Alaska is not declared free ? All the Southern States wanted was independence, and they proposed to set up a republic. Why force them, our neighbors, to stay in the United States if we ought to per- mit dictation to this Government by the inhabitants of the, far-away Philippines, to whom we owe no such neighborly consideration? Pessimist : But, as Senator Bacon of Georgia says : "Wherever a people are required to render an obedience which is involuntary, that requirement is an enslavement of that people. * * * If * * * Ave allow them free institutions and at the same time prescribe to them that they shall owe allegiance to a government against their will, it is none the less an enslavement, although less in degree." 5() PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? Patriot : This is rather too nice a theory for practical politics, to say nothing of legal rights. In its last analysis of control, one extreme is slavery, and the other is anarchy — i. e., absolute control is slavery ; no control at all is anarchy. The United States, guided by just, as well as practical, precepts, has hit upon the golden mean of gov- erning, neither by absolute force nor, on the other hand, by withholding force altogether. What Senator Bacon has said would apply equally to the territories of New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii, and even to the Southern States. If, in other words, our control over the Filipinos is that of the master over the slave, then the territories to which I have referred, and the Southern States them- selves, are in bondage, because of them we require an obedience which is, or was, involuntary. This may not be strictly true of all the territories, and may not be strictly true to-day of the Southern States ; but that they resisted and resented our control at the time is too well known in history to necessitate repetition. We forced them to ac- cept our sovereignty; they rejoice in that fact to-day — at least for the most part — and I believe at no distant date, all of the Filipinos, as do most of them now, will rejoice in our sovereignty over them. Senator Turner of Washington, though believing that we should give up the Philippines, admits that we are also "at entire liberty to keep such foreign territory as we have conquered if we want to, and such of it as is suitable for our purposes by reason of its situation, its soil, its climate and its people, and their favoring disposition, we may want to keep.*' Pessimist: But Senator Turner predicates his admis- sion of our liberty to keep them upon their "favoring dis- position.'' What do you say about our taking the Fili- pinos against their will ? PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 5? Patiiot: This question merges into the question of fact, and the evidence is conflicting. In such emergency we are bound to weigh the testimony and ourselves judge of the credibility of the respective witnesses. While it is true that a number of scattering letters have come to citi- zens of the United States from soldiers to the effect that the Filipinos do not desire annexation to the United States, it is also true that such letters have come to the opposite effect. This testimony, as nearly as it may be judged, may be regarded as offset, one side by the other. And it was because of this conflicting testimony that the President of the United States, under authority of Con- gress, sent a commission to the Philippines to inquire into the facts, and not to give an opinion from this or that iso- lated spot, but to formulate their report from a consensus of opinion throughout the archipelago. This was done, and they are agreed that Aguinaldo and his supporters comprise but a small contingency of the Filipinos working for personal and selfish ends ; and that the great mass of ihe Philippine population welcome the benign intervention of the United States, and are anxious to see peace restored. This commission was made up of Admiral Dewey, J. G. Schurman, Charles Denby and Dean C. Worcester — all men whose individual opinions, upon care- ful investigation, could not be questioned ; and when we add to this that they were acting under the grave responsi- bility of official positions, owing a duty both to the Fili- pinos and to the United States, and to the majesty of law and justice, can any court or any jury hesitate as to whose opinion should be received, theirs, or that of irresponsible individuals, writing from narrow fields of observation ? Senator Teller says: "These possessions are ours by conquest, by purchase, by right ; we could not give them up if we would." Mind you, Senator Teller differs from 58 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? the Administration as to the policy which should be pur- sued, and I shall address myself to his -views upon that subject later. But on the question of our keeping the ter- ritory he says : "We have put up our flag. There it is going to stay ; it is going to stay there for their protection and our glory, for there can be no greater glory coming to any nation in the world than that they should take eight or ten million men bound down by the power of a wicked government and lift them up and put them on the plane of citizenship in a great republic, and say to them, 'So far as is con- sistent with safety to us, you shall be a part and parcel of this great people.' " Pessimist: All this is very well, provided we intend to make States of them. While you have convinced me, I confess, that we had a right to purchase the territory, whether Statehood was intended or not, I do not believe we have any right to keep the territory except with a view to Statehood, and I would call your attention to a state- ment made by Mr. Carlisle on this point : "No one has ever heretofore supposed that any territory or community could be rightfully governed by the central authority except for such period as might be necessary to prepare it for admission into the Union upon a footing of perfect equality with each of the other States." Patriot : With the permission of Pessimist, I will post- • pone the answer to this point until we come to the topic under which it would properly fall, namely, our right to govern the Philippines, and I promise that I shall take it up then. Let us first establish the fact, if we can, or you deny it successfully if you can, that the United States has a right in law and a duty in law to keep the territory. It lias been admitted that we had the right to purchase ; have we the right to keep? I believe we have shown already that such right exists in law, but the strongest argument is yet to be made. PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 59 In the Treaty of Paris, by which peace was restored be- tween the United States and Spain, we entered into a solemn covenant (and remember that treaties form a part of the supreme law of the land) that we would, "for the term of ten years * * * admit Spanish ships and merchandise to the ports of the Philippine Islands on the same terms as ships and merchandise of the United States." And we have, as Senator Turner said, "made divers and sundry stipulations, having no limitation of time, for the security of property and individual rights in all territories ceded or relinquished by Spain, including ecclesiastical property, which necessarily pre-supposes continued sovereignty." We therefore have not only a legal right and a duty, but we are, by the highest law known to our nation, or to any nation, charged with the absolute responsibility of maintaining our sovereignty over these islands in order that we may have the right and the power to keep our pledges made in this treaty. Pessimist : Well, I will give up that we have the legal right to keep the territory under some conditions. This only shows what a ridiculous position we have put our- selves in. Here we are the possessors of territory which we have no right to govern. As Patriot is leading this part of the discussion I will give way to him to show, if he can, any legal rights we may have to govern the territory which we find ourselves the possessors of. GOVERNMENT AND STATUS. Patriot : Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen : It seems to me that little time need be consumed in discuss- ing the question of our legal right to govern territory which we possess. A joint resolution offered in the Sen- ate, Jan. 9th, by Senator Beveridge of Indiana reads : GO PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? "Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representa- tives of the United States of America in Congress As- sembled : That the Philippine Islands are territory be- longing to the United States, that it is the intention of the United States to retain them as such and establish and maintain such governmental control throughout the archi- pelago as the situation may demand." This resolution declares that the territory is ours. We have proved here, even to the satisfaction of Pessimist, that we are the owners of the territory. Primary reason- ing leads to the inevitable conclusion that if the United States, which owns the territory, cannot control it, then there is no sovereign power on earth that can, and accord- ing to axiomatic truth, recognized as fundamental inter- national law that no territory can for a moment be without a sovereign power, we reach the necessary conclusion that the United States has rightful authority to govern the Philippines. Senator Money of Mississippi, before the treaty was ratified, said: "When we acquire territory by whatever manner, ipso facto over that acquisition exists the Consti- tution." Even in the absence of specific provisions for the gov- ernment of our territory we would be authorized, and in fact bound by duty to take control by the implied authority which authorizes its ownership, because ownership means dominion over, and anything short of dominion over lacks so much of being ownership. Alexander Hamilton, in his opinion as to the constitu- tionality of the Bank of the United States in 1791, said : "It is not denied that there are implied, as well as ex- press, powers, and that the former are as effectually dele- gated as the latter. And for the sake of accuracy it shall be mentioned that there is another class of powers which mav be properly denominated as resulting pozvers. It \yiil PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST.' 61 not l)c doubted that if the United States should make a conquest of any of the territories of its neighbors they would possess sovereign jurisdiction over the conquered territory. This would be rather a result from the whole mass of powers of the Government and from the nature of political society than a consequence of either of the powers especially enumerated." I have already referred to the constitutional grant of power to the Congress of the United States to dispose of and to control territory. Laws have been enacted upon this authority providing for legislatures to enact territorial legislation ; territorial courts and other necessary officials ; and if that power exists with reference to one territory it exists with reference to all. WITH VIEW TO STATEHOOD. Pessimist: That is just what I deny. We have the right to govern the territories we already possess, but the case is different with them, because they look forward to Statehood, while the Filipinos are asked to submit to our rule without the hope of ever becoming equal, because no promise is given that their country shall ever be admitted as a State or States. Patriot: Very well, so much has been accomplished then if you admit that we have a right to govern the ter- ritory as we have throughout our history been governing it. This being true, you do not deny our right to govern the Filipinos themselves, provided we do not refuse them Statehood. Pessimist: That is right, I will admit that we have legal sanction for our rule in the Philippine Islands if we only promise them Statehood. Patriot : You evade my question. My point is that we have a right to govern them if we do not refuse Statehood. You put it "we have a right to govern them if we promise 62 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? Statehood." I think it admits of full proof that the United States is neither called upon by law nor justice to promise Statehood in advance of their fitness. They are not ready for it yet. This will be admitted by all. That question can be settled when the time comes ; meantime, we have a right to govern them because they are our ter- ritory. Pessimist : That is just where I find fault with the Ad- ministration. President McKinley, in his eagerness to make capital for a second term, tries to win favor by cater- ing to the passing fancy of the masses. He is always keeping his ear to the ground to find out what the rabble have to say. Uncle Sam : Pardon me, I tried to forestall the neces- sity of public rebuke, but the language you have just in- dulged in would not even be argument under a question of fact or humanity unless you have facts to prove it. It certainly has no place in this legal discussion. Moreover, you lay yourself open to the charge of inconsistency in making the statement that the President is catering to the mass of people, for when you came to see me in my re- treat you told me that the great majority of the people believed as you do, and were against the President. If that statement were true, then the statement you just made cannot be true. Furthermore, if the President's only mo- tive was to curry favor, and if the promise of Statehood to the Filipinos were a ready means of obtaining that favor, and if the President were not honest in his purpose, it would be perfectly easy for him to promise Statehood, and keep the Filipinos expecting it whether it was in- tended or not, because the promise of it carries with it no obligation in law, for the reason that the question is left to the unprejudiced discretion of Congress, as to whether a given territory may be admitted as a State when it ap- PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 63 plies. Thus you see the Filipinos could be kept knocking at the door for admission year in and year out, century in and century out, and invariably and continually refused that admission by Congress, no matter what the President might have promised. Pessimist : I shall try, sir, to restrain myself in the use of language so as not to annoy you by characterizations which you regard as improper, but Mr. Carlisle says : "The Philippine Islands, with a population of eight or ten millions, must, unless we are to violate the organic law of the land, and hold and govern them perpetually as conquered provinces, be erected within a reasonable time into several States, each with two Senators, and alto- gether having thirty or forty representatives." According to this reasoning and this opinion, we have no right to hold the territory unless we expect to make States of it. Besides this, you yourself quoted Chief Jus- tice Taney in the Dred Scott case as an authority for the acquisition of territory, but I recall that his opinion states that we could acquire "territory not fit for admission at the time, but to be admitted as soon as its population and situation would entitle it." You will note that he clearly says, while admitting, as I admit, that we can acquire the territory while it is unfit for admission, as in the case of the Philippines, that we can only acquire it with view to admission, that is, "To be admitted as soon as its popula- tion and situation would entitle it to admission." Patriot: If the Chairman please, it seems to me that the argument quoted from Mr. Carlisle in itself gives us authority for holding the islands without now promising Statehood. He implies that we should erect the territories into States within a reasonable time. I submit that even under this authority it is still an open question whether we should ever admit them as States or not. The citing, too, of the decision of Chief Justice Taney goes to the same purpose. In fact, his opinion, which is law, makes it unnecessary for us to promise Statehood. 64 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? It raises the presumption that it is already promised, be- cause that is the law. The only question is for them to demonstrate their fitness, and then get consent of Con- gress to come in as States ; and I submit that this is not the proper time to discuss their title to admission. Sup- pose we grant that we must admit them in "reasonable time" when they shall become "fit," is reasonable time a matter of years? If so, how many years should a terri- tory wait before admission? Fifty-two years, as in the case of New Mexico, or thirty-five years, as in the case of Alaska? And these are still out of the sisterhood of States. How long must they wait, and who shall say? Even if it were a matter of -years, does not the patience shown by the inhabitants of New Mexico, Arizona and Alaska give the zeal of the Filipinos rather the appearance of undue haste ? No, I submit "reasonable time" is not a matter of years. It is, as implied by Chief Justice Taney, a matter of "fitness." And how can we determine now the question of the fitness of the Filipinos for admission ten, twenty or fifty years hence? We have not denied them admission when they shall have become fit, therefore we have a right to govern them. That it is premature to dis- cuss their future fitness now is shown by the fact that both those in favor of our sovereignty and those opposed to it are divided among themselves as to the self-governing power and the status in civilization of the Philippine peo- ple. Pessimist : Cut we insist that this question should be settled now. We might as well know what our future policy is to be at this time, and give the poor Filipinos the benefit of State expectancy; such a hope will be an in- spiration to them. Patriot: Three replies might be made to the last sug- gestion of Pessimist. First, the Filipinos know, because PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 65 they have been assured by American orators and writers, who are working in their behalf, that the United States holds territory only with a view to Statehood ; second, that the rights of the Filipinos to a specific declaration in their particular case, comes more properly under the topic of humanity; and, third, if we stop and settle every conceiv- able question which is not, for the moment, a practical one, our legislatures would soon be given up to mere academic discussion at the expense or exclusion of the great prac- tical problems pressing for solution. Representatives charged with the duty of solving prac- tical problems have before now made the mistake of frit- tering away their time on theoretical discussion. We might fool away a great deal of time on this ques- tion and in the end find that the Filipinos never would became fit for Statehood! When they get ready for ad- mission, then let them say so ; then it will become a prac- tical problem, subject to the deliberations always indulged in by the United States legislature in the case of practical problems. Uncle Sam : I cannot refrain from expressing my ap- proval of Patriot's remarks on the question of practicabil- . ity. I know that there are those who claim to have such pure purpose that they despise the word practical as ap- plied to political matters. They think of it as implying boss rule and political tricks. W T hile it is true that a man who will resort to unjustifiable means to attain a political end is called a practical politician, yet it is a sign of weak- ness for the pure-minded politician to allow such tricksters to appropriate to themselves the word practical, because in a higher sense the distinction between practical and the- oretical becomes important. Criticism and reform to be effectual must be timely, and it is no positive proof that a man is bad or evilly disposed 66 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? because he remains silent while evil is going on around him. This depends on the circumstances. If he runs amuck, striking at this and that and every evil whenever they appear in sight, he makes himself ridiculous in the eyes of the community, loses his influence for good, and thus accomplishes absolutely nothing. He is set down, and justly so, as an eccentric, or in street parlance, as a crank. But the practical man, equally exalted in purpose, watches for the current of public opinion and spends his time in the missionary work of helping to reform that which the people themselves are ready to reform. He makes himself a power. The one attempts with his indi- vidual might to move every mountain which he may come to in his travels, the other co-operates with his fellow man in providing the necessary facilities to tunnel through the mountain. The one is unscientific, untimely and therefore ineffectual reform ; the other is intelligent, broad-minded and timely, and therefore, effectual, reform. I commend the study of the practical means toward desirable ends, and in order that there may be time for practical ques- tions I desire that our legislature and the people them- selves shall first pay attention to the questions which can be settled now, leaving for the future questions the discus- sion of which would for the present be premature. Patriot : Senator Bacon of Georgia expresses the be- lief that "It is not possible to safely incorporate as a State any community lying on the opposite side of the globe," and yet he is friendly to the Filipinos, so much so that he introduced a resolution in the Senate looking to their inde- pendence. Now, if he is right in this theory, and since it is true that we must keep the islands, as conceded a while ago by Pessimist, then we are forced to the necessity of govern- ing 1 them whether we ever admit them as States or not. PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? &1 But let us hope that Mr, Bacon may be incorrect in his views, and that they may eventually deserve admission. Senator Foraker says : "I do not understand anybody to be proposing to take the Philippine Islands with the idea and view to per- manently holding them and denying to the people there the right to have a government of their own, if they are capable of it and want to establish it. I do not under- stand that anybody wants to do that. I have not heard of anybody who wants to do that. The President of the United States does not, I know, and no Senator in this chamber has made any such statement." I shall conclude this topic by saying that the fact that all its possibility lies before the Filipinos in precisely the same way that it lies before the inhabitants of our other Territories, and if they deserve admission as States, it is their privilege, as it is the privilege of the other Territories to ask for it, to demand it; and it is the province of Con- gress in the case of the petition of the Filipinos, precisely as in the case of the petition of other Territories, to grant admission or to deny it, according to the discretion of that Congress. Pessimist: But will you not grant, for the sake of argument, that we have no right to govern the Philip- pines as a territory? PERMANENT TERRITORY. Patriot: No, on the contrary, I assert that we have a right to control this territory permanently as territory, and I derive that conclusion from the facts already stated. First, that there has been no declaration of purpose not to admit them as States ; they therefore have the right of petition, and Congress may admit them if it sees fit. Second, that while Congress may deny them GS PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? admission, it may also, in the same manner, deny the admission of Territories which we have for years been governing. We must not get away from the Constitu- tional fact that "Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging to the United States ;" and that "new States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union." At the time of the adoption of the Constitution the United States owned territory. If the framers had meant to make the admission of territory into the Union compulsory it would have read, "States must be ad- mitted into the Union," or at least some suitable lan- guage would have been employed. The language which was employed merely clothes the legislature with power to admit without imposing any duty. Senator Teller says: "We may give them just such a government as we think they deserve. We may give them a government in which they are allowed to participate, or we may deny- to them any participation in the affairs of the government in which they live." Chief Justice Marshall, in the case of the Exchange, said: "The jurisdiction of a nation within its own territory is necessarily exclusive and absolute. It is susceptible to no limitation not imposed by itself. Any restriction upon it deriving validity from an external force would imply diminution of its sovereignty to the extent of its restriction." Justice Field, speaking of territorial control, said (130 U. S., 603): "Jurisdiction over its own territory to that extent is an incident of every independent nation; it is a part of its independence." PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? G9 Justice Matthews, in Murphy vs. Ramsey (114 U. S. Reports), says: "The people of the United States, as sovereign owners of the national territories, have su- preme power over them and their inhabitants." And, as Justice Bradley, in the case of Mormon Church vs. U. S. (135 U. $., 42), speaking of the power to acquire territory, says: "The incidents of these powers are those of national sovereignty, and belong to all independent governments. The Territory of Louisiana when acquired from France, and the Territories west of the Rocky Mountains when acquired of Mexico, became the absolute property and domain of the United States, subject to such conditions as the government, in its diplomatic negotiations, had seen fit to accept relating to the rights 6f the people then inhabiting those Territories. Having acquired said Ter- ritories, the United States government was the only one which could impose laws upon them, and its sovereignty over them was complete." If we apply the same decisions to the Filipinos, and if they fail to meet these requirements, the result will naturally be to keep them perpetually in our control as territory. This is unquestionably lawful, provided we apply the decisions, and to say that they shall fix their own conditions is to abandon sovereisrntv to them to that extent. The test is one of population and intelligence, both practical questions. If it is claimed that it is wrong to keep them out when they have sufficient population, re- gardless of their intelligence, then we are abandoning one of the tests, and the better one. If it is wrong to keep people out because of their small population when they meet the requirements of intelligence, then we are abandoning one of the tests, and though not the better, still an essential one 70 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? By submitting to the absence of either test, the United States would be acknowledging an egregious wrong to- ward Xew Mexico or Arizona, which have been out of the Union so long, and if put purely upon sentimental grounds, they would have a right to complain; but from the standpoint of practical, high-minded statesmanship, we conclude that the nation, and even the people, of these Territories are better off by being compelled to serve an apprenticeship and live under the probation requisite to Statehood according to our present custom. Pessimist: But Rev. Van Dyke, in his Thanksgiving sermon, which I believe Uncle Sam has read, cites Su- preme Court authority, which seems to me conclusive against you. The case cited is the Dred Scott decision, in which the Court says: "There is certainly no power given by the Constitution to the Federal Government to establish or maintain col- onies bordering on the United States, or at a distance, to be ruled and governed at their own pleasure. * * * No power is given to acquire a territory to be held and governed permanently in that character." I hope that I shall not be accused of resorting to loose statements. In this criticism I have read to you the opinion of the Court itself. Patriot: The law laid down by the Court is sound, but the application of it is misconceived. As before stated, there is no evidence to show that the United States has acquired territory to be "governed perma- nently in that character," that is, in the character of colonies. It is not even shown that it is the intention of the United States to hold the Philippines permanently as a United States Territory. We contend merely that unless we refuse Statehood when application shall have been made for it, after proper preparation and fitness. PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST/ 71 we are strictly within the letter and the spirit of the Con- stitution in controlling that Territory as such. Pessimist: A friend of mine here has just handed me an opinion written by Chief Justice Marshall in the case of Loughborough vs. Blake (5 Wheaton). He says: "Territories are in a state of infancy advancing to man- hood, looking forward to complete equality as soon as that state of manhood shall be attained." Does this not show that the Territory is held with a purpose of Statehood? Patriot: This opinion, like that of Chief Justice Taney and other honorable judges, contemplates the growth of the Territory into manhood, that is, into fitness, before there shall be admission. But our ancestors knew, and we know, that there is a possibility that some of our Territories will never be fit for admission. Monroe said: "The condition of the aborigines within our limits and especially those who are within the limits of any of the States, merits likewise particular attention. Experi- ence has shown that unless the tribes be civilized they can never be incorporated into our system in any form whatever. * * * Their civilization is indispensable to their safety, and this can be accomplished only by de- grees." Again I repeat, we do not deny, nor has the govern- ment in any word or suggestion, denied the right of the Philippine Islands to admission as States if that fit- ness shall be demonstrated, and if Congress shall be will- ing to admit them. And if they cannot be made fit under our government, our faith in the genius of our govern- ment is such as to justify the belief that the Filipinos cannot reach that degree of fitness any other way — i. e., we can lift them higher than they can lift them- selves. If this is not true, then it is our duty to declare n PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? all our present Territories free and independent, so that they may, by self-government, without our interference, reach a higher degree of civilization. Pessimist: Your argument seems to me to leave very little hope for the Filipinos. Senator Turner shows that we could not give them the kind of government ex- tended to States — i. e., in his opinion they will never be fit, and if this is true, your theory is that they never will be admitted. Senator Turner, in speaking of the privileges which it would be impossible to extend to them, says: ''They would make it doubly impossible in case of the wily, subtle, restless Oriental, unused to such liberty, devoid of reverence for law and authority, incapable of acquiring it, and driven on by quick and resentful nature to excesses which would be impossible to the Anglo- Saxon or to any of the European races." What is the use of talking about giving them State- hood when they become fit for it, when we know in advance that they never will be fit for it? Patriot: This is precisely the question we attempted to dispose of awhile ago, when Uncle Sam had to step in and remind you that it was untimely. Neither Sen- ator Turner, nor anybody else, can tell now whether they will eventually be fit for Statehood; and even if they could say so, then you would force the United States into a most anomalous position, because you say you admit that we took the territory by right, and that we have a right to govern them with Stale expectancy, and now you say that State expectancy is impossible even if we promised it, because they can never qualify. Let us quit this gloomy view, and rather hope that under the inspiring guidance of the United States they may be led to a higher life, in which case they would be legally PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST/ U entitled, with the sanction of Congress, to admission as States. Some years ago it was generally believed that the moral condition of Utah Territory would never be such as to entitle it to admission, but the desire of the inhab- itants for admission, and the knowledge of the high standard of qualification required, put it on its good be- havior and inspired it to higher aims so that it might be pronounced worthy of admission. The transforma- tion, while not instantaneous, and, indeed, not yet com- plete, was nevertheless almost magic, and is yet going on toward the proper ideal. Much the same might be said of other States, and there are many of us who be- lieve that the Filipinos will catch the spirit of American pride, and will soon begin to point out to one another the advantages to be derived from such conduct as will bring them properly within the sisterhood of States. Pessimist: But though I shall not insist upon an an- swer, I should like to know what you think would be our predicament if we find that they cannot qualify. Have we any right to settle down to a permanent occupancy of that territory after we come to a point where we may fairly know that it cannot be brought into the Union as States? Patriot: If Uncle Sam will indulge Pessimist in tak- ing just a moment of our time for this purely theoretical question, which has no relevancy to the argument, I am willing to gratify him with an answer to his question. Uncle Sam: If you can answer it briefly, proceed. Patriot: I can answer it in three words — Amend the Constitution. But I might elaborate very briefly on these three words. If so great a need should appear as that which is troubling the mind of Pessimist, we would surely be justified in meeting that need in the logical, 74 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? natural way in which we always meet needs which trans- cend the bounds of the Constitution. Pessimist: That is just what we are complaining about — the disposition on the part of the Administration to ignore the Constitution. Patriot: You admit that it has not so far ignored the Constitution. Pessimist: Yes, but it seems in a fair way to do it. Patriot: No, so far it has seen no need of it, and if there should appear need, I think you will admit there is no harm in resorting to the power to amend — at least the statesman whom you seem to have adopted as your idol, Mr. Bryan, has suggested an amendment to the Constitution to control the Trust Question, and I do not speak of this disparagingly, either, because I regard the power to amend the Constitution as one of the most im- portant powers connected with it ; but for that power we could not have had our first eight amendments which form our bill of rights; we could not have had the thir- teenth amendment, which abolishes slavery; we could not have had the fourteenth amendment, which protects the negro in his equal rights and throws a cloak of pro- tection w r ith greater security than before about the pri- vate property of individuals. I do not, therefore, find fault with Mr. Bryan for suggesting an amendment to the Constitution, but merely quote him as an authority from your own school to show that it would be proper if necessary in so great a prob- lem as that of controlling the Filipinos. We have the Philippine territory by right of law; we must control it some way. We are therefore justified in finding the way, PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 73 or in making the way. Madison said in the "Federal- ist: "No axiom is more clearly established in law or in reason than that wherever the end is required, the means are authorized; wherever a general power to do a thing' is given, every particular power necessary for doing it is included." I say, therefore, that since we have the territory by right, since the Constitution gives Congress the right to control territory in a general way, that whatever means are necessary to accomplish the end of control, are not only warranted by the necessity of control, but are im- posed as a sacred obligation. The great practical common sense of the people of the United States has more than once proved the truth of this proposition. Why, if worst comes to worst, we could on precedent, too, colonize the Filipinos and put the last one of them on the Island of Bohol and keep them there. The fathers so treated the Indians. Both law and civili- zation justify it. So we could treat the Filipinos if they are so savage and unreasoning as to resist the benign teachings of republican government, or if they put upon us such a tax of care and expense as to burden our army and navy and our civil budget. I simply assert that, having the right to control them, we are justified in using whatever means are necessary to that end. Pessimist: Well, as I said to start out with, I have not investigated the question of law very carefully. I prefer to rest the case on the question of Fact and the question of Humanity. Go on and say what you have to say about the next topic, International Law, and let us get through with this part of the discussion, so that we can take up the more important matters, 76 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? i international law. Patriot: Perhaps it would please Pessimist if I should take as my text for the few remarks on International Law rights and obligations a statement made by Mr. Bryan : ''Existence cannot be separated from responsibility, and responsibility sometimes leads a nation, as well as an individual, into danger." I have already spoken incidentally of the obligation we owe to Spain, by reason of our covenants in the Treaty of Paris. This is one of the responsibilities which cannot be separated from existence. We were bound to make these covenants in order to close the war, to satisfy the contending parties, and to place ourselves above criticism in the eyes of the worid. The other nations of the world are interested also be- cause the influence of American civilization, having once been planted in the Orient, they are entitled to the bene- fits thereof, and we could not recede from that advance ground without lowering our standard as a nation among nations. Pessimist: You speak of our duty toward Spain and the other governments of the world. My interest is in the Filipinos themselves. You have convinced me of the right of the United States in American Law to purchase the Philippine Islands, but when we venture into the realm of International Law you should meet the Filipinos on common ground. International Law, as I understand, has to do with the relation of one nation to all the others, and presumes equality in this state citizenship — i. e., each state or nation is a citizen of the world of nations, and all stand on an equality. I therefore challenge you to show the right of the United States to purchase and rule over the Philippine Islands by sanction of International Law unless the con- sent of the Filipinos is obtained, PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? Ti Patriot: Why, my dear sir, the doctrine you lay down is not international law — it is international anarchy. To illustrate it, let us take the case of individuals. You have rightly said that international law has to do with the rela- tion between states or nations forming the world of nations, just as private national law has to do with the relations between individuals making up the nation. Then you say that unless the consent of the Filipinos is ob- tained nothing can be done in the name of international law which relates to their interest. Let us carry out your comparison a little further. By the same token, nothing can be done in a nation in the name of law touching the interest of an individual without his consent. This would make law impossible, and would, I repeat, produce anarchy. The one is not liberty among individuals, nor the other among nations. It is in each case unrestrained license. Aside from this, you have fallen into the error which influences our adversaries throughout of presuming that the Filipinos did not consent to our acquisition of their territory. A little later in the discussion evidence will be adduced to show that they did consent, but so far as international law is concerned, their consent was not necessary. While no vote is taken in questions of international law, we do arrive at a consensus of opinion of the members of the world of nations, and it must be plain to all that the world is content with the move we have made. There has been no objection, no protest, no criticism. If we had violated any principle of international law the protest and criticism would have been forthcoming. If in the onward march of civilization the acquisition of territory was necessary and admissible, the fact that the people incidentally come into the government of the n PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? United States shoulo form no ground either for our grudging the liberty it affords them, nor for shirking the responsibility it places upon us. Every individual living in any Territory, whether there by choice or acci- dent of birth or other circumstance, is subject to the fate of that Territory, whether good or bad. Some questions of international law are mooted ques- tions, and, as we shall show a little later on, the deter- mination of them is worthy the attention of the highest civilization; but the proposition laid down as to the fate of inhabitants of territory is undisputed. No international lawyer will claim to the contrary. The quoting of one is the quoting of all on this principle of law. William Edward Hall, in his text-book on Interna- tional Law, says: "The principle that the wishes of a population are to be consulted when the territory which they inhabit is ceded, has not been adopted in interna- tional law, and cannot be adopted into it until title by conquest has disappeared." So much for the right of jurisdiction over the Filipinos. Law is always the result of compromise. There is no such thing in practice as pure and unrestrained liberty of action. The moment a man or a nation is permitted to act out his own will, that moment the selfish purpose leads that man or nation to cross the path of some other man or nation, and rather than persist each in his course of licensed destruction of the other's interests, they come together and compromise their differences, agreeing what shall be the rights and the limitations of each with refer- ence to the other; and this is law. Some of the passions or appetites of the individual may tempt him to violate the law, but if there is a preponder- ance of reason and judgment and honor, he keeps down those passions, disappoints them, punishes them, exe- PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 79 elites them, if necessary, that he may serve the purpose of law and order. So with the State. When the right has been given to the sovereign State to rule, any act not conformable to that sovereign authority is without avail; therefore, since we properly have jurisdiction over the Filipinos, even though they did resent it, international law recognizes our right to control them. Mr. Hall says again: "And it being a necessary result of independence that the will of the State shall be exclusive over its territory, it also asserts authority as a general rule over all persons and things, and decides what acts shall or shall not be done within its domain." Even if we conceded that the majority of the Filipinos were opposed to our acquisition of our territory, never- theless we had the right to acquire it, and we have the right to govern its inhabitants under the sanction of international law. Does Pessimist doubt it? Pessimist: I am not prepared to dispute it, but I do not think there is much humanity in that kind of law. In fact," I think the less law we can have, whether inter- national or national, the better. I judge the Filipinos largely by myself. I should not like to have anyone compel me to do a thing, or to prevent me from doing a thing according to my own will. Patriot: That being the case, it is scarcely worth while for us to continue the discussion of law; for, as stated in the beginning of this topic, the result of such a condition as pictured by Pessimist, would be non-law and disorder — i. e., anarchy. Anarchy is the end of the road which starts in with a general fault-finding with conditions that exist, and but few men can be turned into bypaths of virtue after starting on this road. Pessimist: I do not especially relish public rebuke, 80 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? and if Patriot keeps that up I shall discontinue the dis- cussion. Uncle Sam: It is due to the audience and just to Patriot that I should admonish Pessimist to discuss the question on merit and not allow his temper to lead him into abusive language. Patriot saved me the trouble of making his criticism for him, for I was about to speak along the same line. What he said was scientific, though of course anarchy is a harsh word. I will ask Patriot to spare Pessimist embarrassment where it is possible, but on the other hand, I must insist that Pessimist bring him- self within the conception of law and order, and base his discussions thereon, otherwise I shall consider it proper for Patriot to call him to task, and in fact, should feel in duty bound to this audience and to my great people to do so myself if Patriot did not. The fact that nations have not complained, but on the contrary have expressed satisfaction at our taking posses- sion of the Philippines, raises a conclusive presumption, I think, that the act was justified in the eyes of other nations, and is therefore in accordance with international law. I suggest that the discussion proceed on the ques- tion of fact. II. QUESTION OF FACT. Patriot: As I was to lead in the discussion of the legal question only, I yield the floor to Pessimist on the ques- tion of fact. Pessimist: I suppose I shall not be bound down so strictly to scientific rules and regulations now. Uncle Sam: No, but you must be logical in your reasoning or it will be impossible for us to follow you. Pessimist: That we have been guilty of infamous con- duct, the facts will clearly show — infamous to ourselves because of the lowering of our standard of civilization; infamous to the Filipinos because, as I shall now attempt to show by the facts, they have been robbed of their lib- erty and reduced from the high state of a free and inde- pendent people to that of miserable slaves; for what is slavery but subjugation to the will of others? Mr. Bryan has said: "The purpose of Annexationists, so far as that purpose can be discovered, is to apply to the government of the Filipinos methods familiar to the people of Europe and Asia, but new to the people of the United States." If this is not the case, I should like to see a successful contradiction of it. Look at the letters from the boys at the front telling us that the war is wrong. Can Patriot or anybody else justify it? Patriot: The question of fact is somewhat lengthy and admits of some logical order in the discussion. It involves more or less of political theory, and I should like, 82 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? that we discuss it in an orderly method. I cannot answer a general charge of meanness without analyzing the charge. In fact, in the language of the lawyer, I think I might demur to the indictment set forth by Pessimist on the ground that he has charged nothing in particular. You cannot indict a man by saying that he is a mean man or ought not to live, or is dangerous to the community. You must specify wherein his conduct is reprehensible, nor is it proof for a witness, or a dozen witnesses for that matter, to get on the witness stand and swear that a man is bad. Such testimony might go to the question of his credibility as a witness in the case, but he cannot be con- victed of anything on such tesimony. In the earlier times, in the development of our com- mon law, either party to a suit might line up witnesses, and the one who could command the most witnesses won the case. Such practice is not in keeping with modern views of justice, and so we must reject this method and seek a higher quality of proof. There have been some letters of complaint from the boys in the field, and there have been some letters of complaint -from the boys at home to the boys in the field, but this does not prove anything. There have been an abundance of letters on the other side. Neither does this prove anything. I do not know which side has been complimented with the best literary production or the most zealous advocacy by letter-writing. It would not bear very heavily upon the question if we knew just which side has been written about the most, but we do not know and cannot know. There is a kind of evidence which admits of analysis and estimate. Now in order to analyze the testimony properly, we should go about it in a cool-headed, delib- erate, reasonable manner. Let us not fly in the face of PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST 1 88 facts and tear our hair in madness like the hot-blooded and irrational Latin races might do ; but let us do credit to our Teutonic blood by reasoning the question out delib- erately, and by taking plenty of time to reason it out. Pessimist: Well, what would you like to talk about first? Patriot: I have jotted down a little outline which it seems to me would facilitate the discussion. Under the question of fact suppose we first consider whether it will pay, which question involves the interest of labor and the value of the markets ; then let us take up the danger of international war and our duties as to neutrality. This will probably be subdivided to advantage. Then will come the question of strengthening our army and navy. Now if we take these up separately, follow the objections made by our adversaries, one by one, I believe they can be successfully met by such testimony and such reasoning as reasonable men in the pursuit of their ordinary affairs would accept as proof. I would, therefore, suggest that Pessimist address himself to the question as to whether it would pay. WILL IT PAY? Pessimist: That is just what I thought. Patriot pro- poses to decide this question from the standpoint of dollars. Mr. Bryan has told us a good deal about the Republican Party's dollar argument, and it seems to me that America has fallen to a low state when we can un- blushingly discuss the propriety of subjugating a nation of people on the ground of financial and commercial suc- cess. That is it! Will it pay? That is the way you propose to decide the question ; as Mr. P>ryan says, "Put- ting the dollar above the man." How, sir, can you justify such plutocratic principle? How can you see one man 84 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST/ ruling and trampling upon another merely because it pays — because there is money in it? How can you whom they call Patriot place the dollar above the man? Patriot: More or less latitude should be given for theoretic discussion under this head, and I shall reply briefly to the assault of which Pessimist has just relieved himself. The question, "Will it pay?" of course means, will it pay taking into consideration all rights of men. The simplest sort of illustration will prove the unfairness of the charge that we are putting the dollar above the man when we ask, Will it pay? May not a church corporation consider the value and probable appreciation of property when buying a site for the church, or look to profit when selling an old site, without being charged with putting the dollar above the man? Of course, if the trustees would say, no matter what the effect upon individuals, no matter if it proves cruel, we will take this and that financial course because it pays, then they would be open to such rebuke as Pessi- mist has attempted to administer to this government; but otherwise the wisdom of such success is to be ad- mired. "Putting the dollar above the man" deserves no better name than that of counterfeit coin. The phrase was coined, no matter whether by Mr. Bryan or whom- soever else, for the purpose of accomplishing a result beyond the worth of the phrase coined. Of course no man, no nation, no party has a right to put the dollar above the man. All are agreed in that. The unfairness of the use of the term in this connection is illustrated by the fact that Mr. Bryan himself, as every sensible man must, in discussing this question, talks about the financial and trade advantages of the United States. He says, in a speech on Imperialism: "The trade relations possible under a protectorate would be of more value to the PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST! 85 United States than any which could come as the result of forcible annexation." Mr. Bryan is in favor of a protectorate, and in order to convince the people that a protectorate is better, he says it will pay better, that the trade relations will be of more value under a protectorate than under ownership. Does anybody charge him with putting the dollar above the man for using such an argument? The inconsistency of our adversaries is shown by an- other important fact. They say on the one hand that our trade advantages will be enhanced by a protectorate rather than by annexation, and then on the other hand they say that we are annexing at the behest of our trades- men who want to make fortunes of it. That is, they charge in one breath that we are making a poor financial bar- gain, and in the next that we are putting the dollar above the man in pursuing a course which is financially profit- able. May we not discuss a question of politics, a ques- tion of best benefit — the greatest good to the greatest number — without having our motives impugned? We have said in the past "By the gods, we will build up humanity in spite of business interests;" should we not now thank God that business interest and the interest of humanity go hand in hand? Wrong to point out to the people a commercial advantage? Wrong to wish a nation prosperous? Why, what have we been living for all these years? What did Jefferson mean when, in his Third Annual Message, just after the Louisiana Purchase had been consummated, he rejoiced in the fact that "the fertility of the country, its climate and extent promise, in due season, important aids to our treasury, and ample provision for our posterity and a wide spread for the blessings of freedom and equal laws?" It frequently happens that a man's patriotic duty SG PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? leads along the highway of both national and individual success, for all of which we are in the habit of being glad. Have not our Presidents, in their messages from the beginning, dwelt upon the material prosperity of the United States and its citizens? Has not every -Thanks- giving Proclamation since the first recited to our Maker a nation's gratitude for past material favors, and a nation's prayer for their continuance? What must the laborers think of Mr. Bryan's spurious claim that discus- sion looking to their betterment in dollars is putting the dollar above the man. The result of such a cult, if it be- came popular, would be to intimidate legislators until they would hesitate to enter into questions which affect the industrial success either of capital or of labor. Madi- son says, in the tenth number of the Federalist: "A landed interest, a manufacturing interest, a mer- cantile interest, a moneyed interest, with many lesser interests, grow up of necessity in civilized nations. * * * A regulation of these various and interfering interests forms the principal task of modern legislation, and involves the spirit of party and faction in the neces- sary and ordinary operations of the government." When Mr. Bryan says, therefore, that "Imperialism finds its inspiration in dollars and not in duty," he simply begs the question, and undertakes by indirection to create the impression that those charged with the responsibil- ities of this government are trying to sell it out. Again Mr. Bryan takes up the expression used by Secretary Gage, "Philanthropy and five per cent," and says, "The one chloroforms the conscience of the con- queror, and the other picks the pocket of the conquered." Here is a power of language worthy of a better cause. "Philanthropy and five per cent" simply means philan- PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 87 thropy on a self-supporting basis. Is there any harm in that? He who charges harm, whether directly like a man, or indirectly, insults every self-supporting church, every self-supporting missionary society, every self-supporting charity organization. It is not a mark of inhumanity, but a mark of developed civilization if this great govern- ment of ours can go abroad and carry the message of free institutions, giving greater liberty and greater com- fort and greater happiness in life to the inhabitants of a foreign country, and at the same time make it profitable to the people of the United States. As a matter of fact, this is the only way we could do it. We would not be justified in taxing the American people for any great amount of charity abroad ; but to show the utter baseness of the phrase "putting the dollar above the man," let me quote from another speech of Mr. Bryan's, delivered after he had forgotten he coined that phrase ; he says : 'The opponents of Imperialism are fortunate in hav- ing upon their side the dollar argument, as well as the arguments based upon fundamental principles." Whether this statement is true or not is a question for discussion a little later on, but I quote Mr. Bryan here to show that he knows it is proper to talk of the financial advantages and disadvantages, that he wilfully appeals to the prejudices and passions of his hearers by using words and phrases which indicate that the discus- sion of such questions is sinful. Mr. Bryan again shows that he recognizes the validity of the dollar argument, for where he refers in one speech to Senator Wolcott's report on the closing of the India mines, he says: "If Mr. Wolcott's statement contains the smallest frac- tion of truth, the injury done by the East India Company during its entire existence was less than the injury done by that one act of the governor and his council." gg PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? The "one act" referred to was the adoption of the gold standard, and Mr. Bryan's argument on the silver ques- tion is a dollar argument. If there is such a thing possi- ble as putting the dollar above the man, the campaign of 1896 was certainly conducted on that basis by Mr. Bryan and his party; for regardless of the creditor's right he concerned himself with the debtor on the sole question as to what would pay him. Xo, there is no harm in succeeding financially. You must show that the method and the result of success are harmful, or else you must commend rather than condemn. Indeed, Air. Bryan once said: "I assure you that it is the money that is in the office, and not the honor, that attracts me." I should not refer to this little unpleasantness had not Air. Bryan provoked it by questioning every argument which looks to financial success. America has usually been fortunate in her purchases. She paid fifteen millions for Louisiana Territory, which was in due time formed into fifteen States, some of which now contribute probably more than that amount an- nually to the national treasury. She purchased Alaska for seven million two hundred thousand dollars. Our people have brought from there within the past two years gold to the value of more than the entire cost to us. There were those who said it would not pay to purchase Louisiana and condemned Jefferson and his compatriots for doing it. There were those who said it would not pay to purchase Alaska. There are always those who are ready to clog the wheels of national and world progress. Xo less is that true of the people who now either say that the purchase of the Philippines will not be profitable, or who undertake to stop the mouths of those who are ready to show that it will be profitable. The dollar argument is legitimate. A dollar is a medium of exchange merely, PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST ? 89 which enables man to secure physical necessities and luxuries upon which must rest the soul temple. Success is Godly. It is the man who cares nothing about finan- cial success whose mind is- not active enough to think of or care about either man or God. Financial and indus- trial success is manly and honorable. The anvil stroke of industry is the drum beat in the triumphal march of Christian civilization. The whirr of spindles and the buzz of machinery in our workshops form a grand symphony, and the cheerful voices of the army of honest workmen form a magnificent chorus, all lightening the burdens and cheering the hearts of mortal man, and at the same time pouring their rich music of progress into the very throne of heaven. If this is not true, then the life of the mound- builders and the savage is the ideal life for man, and our higher civilization is a failure. If it is true, then it is right to talk about material success. Pessimist: Very well, let us discuss the question from the dollar standpoint, for even on that ground you will find the laborers have nothing to gain by annexation. Patriot: Proceed. LABOR COMPETITION. Pessimist: Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: Apropos of labor competition, let me quote again from Mr. Bryan. He says: "It is not strange that the laboring man should look with undisguised alarm upon the prospect of Oriental competition upon the farms and in the factories of the United States. Our people have legislated against Chi- nese immigration, but to exclude a few Chinese and admit many Filipinos is like straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel. Farmers and laboring men consti- tute a large majority of the American people. What is there in annexation for them?" 90 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST! Ex-Senator Gorman also savs: "I believe that it will open the door for the flow from the Chinese Empire and from the islands themselves of a host of men, untold in numbers, who will not assimilate with, but will tend to degrade the American people." Patriot: One answer to Mr. Bryan's objection would be the arguments which he himself has been making for years in favor of free trade with all nations. If he is correct in his claim for free trade, which he has persist- ently and eloquently made for the whole period of his public life, then he is wrong in his claim that the com- petition with the Filipinos is injurious. The two propo- sitions cannot stand together, one or the other must fall, because they are repugnant. But a better argument still will show that Mr. Bryan is wrong in both propositions. He is wrong in his advocacy of universal free trade, be- cause that would bring our American mechanics and laborers into direct competition with manufacturing na- tions. This would stop, as it did stop during the adminis- tration of President Cleveland under the Wilson Bill, the principal factories of the United States, because Great Britain is able, under such condition's, to undersell our manufacturers on account of the discrepancy in wages, lie is wrong in claiming that the competition in the Phil- ippines would injure American laborers and mechanics, because they are not a manufacturing nation. It is worth while to have had this criticism from Mr. Bryan, however, because so far as it goes, it is a confession that a protect- ive tariff is a benefit to laborers — a principle for which the Republican Party has contended and fought since its birth. - Pessimist: But what about the competition of the Chinese? You have heard my quotation from ex-Senator Gorman to the effect that untold numbers of Chinese PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 91 would flow into our territory, and he goes on to speak of "the concerted action of laborers in 1888 which com- pelled the abrogation of the treaty with China. Mr. Gorman refers here to the Geary Act, by which the Chinese were excluded from the United States. When the Chinese get to the Philippine Islands, they will be able to cross the ocean and come to the United States proper, because all people under the sovereignty of the United States have a right to travel from one State or Territory to another without let or hindrance. Patriot: This is another of those questions which can be attended to when we reach it. As stated by Senator Beveridge, the experience of Germany has been that the migration of natives to the main country is a theory only, but in practice it does not occur.- He says: "But the natives will not come here. Let all men dismiss that fear. The Dutch have Java, and its popula- tion, under Holland's rule, has increased from two mil- lion to more than twenty million people; yet the Java laborer has never competed with the laborer of Holland. And this is true of England and Germany, of every colonizing, administering power." We have discriminated against the Chinese so far as this country is concerned, and we can continue to dis- criminate against them if the interest of the American people and civilization warrant us in doing so. We can prevent them from coming to the Philippines at all, or we can admit them to the Philippine Islands and stop them there. We can allow the Filipinos themselves to emigrate to the United States or we can prevent it. The rule you have laid down with reference to the free passage from one State or Territory to another is subject to any necessary exception in the interest of humanity and the American government. We have made an exception to it in the case of the Indian. We have, from the beginning of the government reserved the right, and 92 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? believed it to be proper to control the inhabitants of the United States in any way which the spirit of our institu- tions require. We have the right and the power to give absolute liberty to all, or limited liberty to those who do not understand the use of full liberty. We can build a stockade around the Indians of America and keep them in it if the guarding of them should otherwise by reason of their savagery prove too expensive and dangerous. We can place whatever restrictions the emergency may require about the conduct of the Filipinos, and it will all be for their eventual good. Pessimist: But ex-Senator Edmunds, a Republican, says: "Congress, therefore, cannot lawfully prevent the mi- gration of any citizens residing in the Philippines (and every Spanish subject therein becomes one by force of the treaty) to our States, any more than it can lawfully prevent the migration of citizens of the States to the Philippines." Patriot: Well, there is no evidence yet that we shall desire to prevent their migration. In the first place, as before observed, it is not likely that they will want to migrate in any large numbers, and, in the second place, if they should, and it should be undesirable for them to do so, a law can be passed, or, if need be, a Constitutional amendment be enacted prohibiting it. No one contends that we have finished the work of legislation, and no one holds that the Constitution is now equal to all future emergencies. Congress will continue to meet year by year and enact the necessary laws, and the people will continue to have the right to amend the Constitution where the working out of some great pro- gress, such as that of the emancipation of the slaves, requires it. PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST t 93 According to the doctrine of some Anti-Expansionists such a revision of our laws would be called for. Speak- ing before the Treaty had been ratified, Senator Allen said : "If, unfortunately, we shall authoritatively express a conclusion that would cause our country to be overrun by a horde of alien people in a manner incapable of using or enjoying the blessings of self-government, or by main- taining them when won by others, whose presence and influence would deteriorate or injure the nation, ulti- mately wrecking the Constitution and destroying our political institutions, a horde of people unassimilable by reason of turbid and passionate natures, the consequences would be fearful to the happiness and progress of the world, and we would be justly chargeable with an inex- cusable incompetency to deal with the question." Now I submit that the genius of this government would not be open to any charge of incompetency to deal with a question like this. Is there any one in this audience who is un-American enough to doubt the abil- ity of the American people to keep in control or to keep out "a horde of people unassimilable by reason of turbid and passionate natures?" Is there any one here who has so little faith in the courage and the manhood of young America as to believe that we would stand idly by and permit "consequences * * * fearful to the happi- ness and progress of the world?" What man among us will stand up and confess his lack of faith in the creative and preservative power of this mighty people to meet an emergency like this? We are giving to the Filipinos a certain local autonomy, and it will be competent for them to make treaties with the United States after the fashion of the treaties made by the United States with the Indians. There are three ways therefore by which the great U PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? difficulty of labor emigration from the Philippines can be regulated, or prevented altogether, if their standard of civilization should not -entitle them, according to Amer- ican notions, to emigrate here "freely. One is by treaty relations; another is by ordinary legislation; or if that fail, a third is by amendment to the Constitution. LUit we have always boasted of the fact that America is the '"land of the free and the home of the brave." We have been laughed at for admitting all kinds and sorts of foreigners, and it is a fact that to-day our immigration laws are such that the people of Germany, Ireland or Italy, or any of the other nations of the world except China, can come to compete with our labor as freely as can the Filipinos since annexation, so that the scarecrow which has been flaunted in the face of laborers, by reason of our annexa- tion of the Philippines, amounts to nothing more than the problem if immigration, which is being studied in the interest of American labor, and will, in the fullness of time, be solved properly. Pessimist: Ex-Representative Towne, of Minnesota, presents another danger to American laborers. He calls attention to the fact that American workmen will be faced by "the importation from thence of goods made in American factories in the Philippines, to compete with our market at home on the products and skill of Ameri- can freemen." How can you prevent that? Patriot: If it should prove necessary to prevent it, it can be done by the regulation of tariff. According to credible reports, the Filipinos lack the energy to com- pete with American laborers, and whatever manufactur- ing may be done for several years to come on the Philippine Islands will undoubtedly be done by laborers who migrate to that country from America. An Ameri- PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 95 can skilled laborer, with his energy and push, can accomplish more than half a dozen Filipinos with their loose notions of system and their lassitude. It is vastly more likely, with the splendid attractions of mineral resources and agricultural possibilities in the Philippines, that American labor will migrate there than that Philippine labor will emigrate to this country. It will thus appear that the labor, instead of being burdened in America, will be relieved to that extent. According to the most conservative estimates, we shall not be confronted with this question until at least an- other Presidential campaign, because for several years, under the most favorable conditions, it will be necessary to maintain a military government in the Philippines, during which time, under our present laws, as laid down in Cross et al. vs. Harrison (116 Howard) the President of the United States may prescribe such duties as he sees fit. There is no occasion, therefore, for such undue haste, and certainly no occasion for undue alarm. A few years of occupation and research incident thereto will bring to our service a vast fund of information, which can be substituted for the mere conjecture indulged in now by those opposed to annexation. If it should then turn out that the labor in this country is in danger, the party which espouses the cause of labor will have a good case, and no one can doubt the result. The danger for the present is remote. It cannot, from a manufacturing standpoint, affect American laborers until time shall have elapsed in which to build up the factories in the Philip- pines, even though they should use Philippine labor as against American labor. The solicitude shown by the Democrats for the pro- tection of American labor against pauper labor of the Philippines, who do not manufacture, while they would •90 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? force upon us the competition of England, already thoroughly equipped for competition in manufacture, simply shows the insincerity of their bluster. Pessimist: Do you not admit there is some danger, do you not admit that the question is debatable? Patriot: For the sake of getting on to the next topic, suppose I admit that it is a debatable question. That gives me the opportunity to conclude by saying that the Republican party has always shown more wisdom in legislation in the interest of laborers. It has been the party of protection, which the Democrats now endorse by contending against free trade with the Filipinos. I put the proposition in this form : Have not the work- men of the United States, skilled and unskilled, the great army of wage-earners, of whatever degree, faith that, as between the two parties, the Republican party can best be trusted with their interests in any new emergency? With the question thus put, I rest the case in the hands of American workmen. Pessimist: Very well, let the discussion proceed on the next topic. MARKET. Pessimist: As the burden is upon the Expansionists to show the trade advantage of our ownership of the Philippines, I would ask Patriot to lead the discussion under this head. Patriot: While I am willing to lead in the discussion, I do not accept the theory of Pessimist on which he places his request for me to lead. Comparatively few Anti-Expansionists deny the advantages of the Philip- pines as a market and as a gateway to the Oriental markets ; besides, if we can show further on that it is our humane duty to govern the Filipinos Mr. Bryan would PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 97 agree that we should ignore the question of financial profit, so as not to put the dollar above the man, but let us call in the witnesses, and among the first I would men- tion Senator Money, who is a zealous Anti-Expansionist. He says : "I realize the advantage of the possession of an archi- pelago that for twelve hundred miles extends along the front of China. Perhaps Manila as a free port under American rule would become the greatest emporium in the whole Orient in the progress of time, probably in a few decades. I know that our commerce would have a foothold and coign of vantage there that would be to our profit." Pessimist: Does Senator Money then recommend that we keep the Philippines? Patriot: No, he says: 'While these advantages would help, they are not indispensable and our commerce advances apace lacking them." Pessimist: I thought you would find some modifica- tion to his statement. Patriot: Certainly I do not contend that Senator Money is in favor of keeping the Philippines. I specifi- cally stated before quoting him that he was opposed to it, but for that reason his admission is an admission against interest, and according to rules and practice in law is admissible and has great weight. We shall discuss later on his contention that we should not keep the Phil- ippines. What I propose to prove now is that so far as the market is concerned, it is to our advantage and the ad- mission I have quoted from Senator Money goes to the point. It is, so far as his judgment is concerned, con- 98 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? elusive that it would pay. I shall elaborate somewhat the argument of trade advantage in the Philippines proper. PHILIPPINES. Patriot: The report of the Chief of the Bureau of Sta- tistics for November, 1899, shows that the Philippines have been purchasing nearly sixteen times as much from Spain as from the United States; another "sixteen to one proposition" which Mr. Bryan is in favor of, but which the American producers would like to see reversed. I do not wish to treat this grave matter in a facetious man- ner, but there is a second analogy to the sound money issue which may account for Mr. Bryan's opposition to our possession of the Philippines. The report of the Bureau of Statistics, above referred to, also says that investigations tend to establish, beyond any great ques- tion, the presence in the Philippines of boundless quan- tities of gold. This fact will have two important effects on American commerce. First, it will attract to that archipelago a large number of Americans, just as Cal- ifornia attracted them, and to a very much greater extent than Alaska, because of the rigour of Alaska's climate and the mildness of the Philippine climate. This pouring in of American life will itself call for American products and supplies; and in addition thereto it will develop the Filipinos, appeal to their pride to wear better clothes, eat better food, live in better houses, and build better rail- roads, so that an endless amount of American products will be called for. The second advantage which I claim is that the supply of gold which we may confidently ex- pect from the Philippines will increase the amount of money in the United States, and I suppose I need not argue with you, since you believe in Mr. Bryan's prin- .V tu ..J PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST f 99 ciples, that the more plentiful the money the more prosperous the times. The only difference between us on that point is that you believe this proposition to be true regardless of the intrinsic value of money, while I believe it is true only provided the money is good. I digress, however, but this question might deserve our attention at some other time. We are told authoritatively — officially, in fact — that the Filipinos use a great many carriages, and that the wealthier classes have luxurious vehicles. We are told that they are proud and vain. All this tends to show that they can be transformed from a practically naked state, which needs no American products, into a well- dressed, well-fed and well-housed people, which would buy enormous quantities of American products. We send to the Philippines now less than half the amount in dollars that w T e purchase from them. In the interest of our merchant marine, which should be encour- aged and built up, this should be more nearly balanced. We shall undoubtedly increase our purchases from there, but we should increase our sales more, so that vessels carrying goods to us from them will be fully laden on their return trips. Pessimist: But will they consume the goods? Can you prove it? I do not believe they will ever be in need of American products to any extent worth naming. Patriot: Well, no, I do not pretend that I can prove it. I do not claim that political science is an exact sci- ence. We must take the evidence at hand, form our conclusions from that, and trust to the future for the result. The Fathers did not wait until they were certain of results before acting. When Louisiana was pur- chased it was pointed to by the opponents of the Admin- LofC. 100 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? istration as a piece of gross extravagance. It was said the fifteen millions of money had as well be thrown into the sea — better, too, because the territory involved ex- pense and endangered the peace of the United States. Jefferson could not prove that they were wrong. Cir- cumstantial evidence was against them, and time proved the wisdom of accepting the circumstantial evidence. In Jefferson's message to Congress on March 10, 1808, he reports a purchase from the Cherokee Indians of a tract of land at the mouth of the Chickamauga. Note the reason he gives for this move : "It w r as represented that there was within that tract a great abundance of iron ore of excellent quality with a stream and fall of water suitable for iron works; that the Cherokees were anxious to have works established there in the hope of having a better supply of those in- struments of household and agriculture, of which they have learned the use and necessity, but on the condition that they should be under the authority and control of the United States. As such an establishment would occa- sion a considerable and certain demand for corn and other provisions and necessities, it seemed probable that it would immediately draw around it a close settlement of the Cherokees, would encourage them to enter upon a regular line of agriculture, familiarize them with the practice and value of the arts, attach them to property, lead them of necessity and without delay to the estab- lishment of laws and government, and thus make a great and important advance toward assimilating their condi- tion to. ours." You will note that Jefferson does not state his hope with mathematical exactness. Pessimist: Yes, but that case did not look to the great crimes which are contemplated in the Philippines. In those good old days monopolists were not looking for opportunities to rob people as they are now. Senator PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 101 Butler describes the situation we may expect in the Phil- ippines very briefly. He says: "So the policy upon which syndicates and monopolists and franchise grabbers have forced this country to em- bark, in open repudiation of every principle of the Declar- ation of Independence, and of every fundamental principle underlying a free republic, is fatal to the govern- ment, unless the people themselves realize the enormity of the crime committed, and drive from power their false representatives, and restore the government into the hands of the followers of Jefferson and Lincoln." Patriot: I would call your attention to another point in Jefferson's message. He says: "It is understood there are private individuals ready to erect them (referring to the new works), subject to such reasonable rent as may secure a reimbursement to the United States and to such other conditions as shall secure to the Indians their rights and tranquillity." What does Mr. Bryan think of President Jefferson's suggestion of franchises for greedy capitalists in Jeffer- son's time? The plain, simple truth is that individual success and good government, according to the Ameri- can plan, are inseparable, and Jefferson was too much of a statesman, too much of a lover of his country, too much of a well-wisher of his fellow men, to deny the govern- ment the right to purchase territory on the ground that some individual would be benefited thereby. This thought marks the distinct line of cleavage be- tween the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party pretends to say, "We will adopt no policy whereby men in particular can grow wealthy, no matter how much such policy might benefit men in general." The Republican Party says, "We will adopt that policy which will bring prosperity, growth and happiness 102 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? to the greatest number, even though it should result inci- dentally in the production of greater wealth for some than others," the difference being that the Republican Party is candid and the Democratic Party is insincere, because in its advocacy of the Free Silver Doctrine it was work- ing directly toward the end of special advantage to silver mine syndicates. Pessimist: Is not the real object to get a hold on the other people of Asia? Is it not true that the capitalists of America are buying franchises in China now with no other purpose than that of private gain? Patriot: That brings us to the question of the mar- kets in China and the Orient — suppose you tell the audi- ence about that. CHIXA AXD THE ORIENT. Pessimist: I have great fear for the safety of my coun- try when a condition exists such as is described by ex-Representative Henry U. Johnson, of Indiana. Speak- ing of the responsibility and results to follow, he says: "The wrong was with the Chief Executive. He alone is responsible. In my humble opinion, the reason for the change in the Presidential policy in the Orient is to be sought for and found in quite another direction from any of those referred to. It was his concession to the selfish capitalists of the country, his surrender to their demands. These are the gentlemen who furnished the money for his nomination, and who, I doubt not, have pledged him a renomination and re-election. These are the gentlemen who are seizing upon valuable franchises in China in connection with the English syndicate, with a Member of Parliament from Wales at its head. These are the gentlemen whom Lord Beresford has in mind in his cordial but not wholly disinterested invitation to an alliance in China with Great Britain, Germany and Japan against Russia and France — old time enemies of his countrv, but the old time friends of ours. These are the PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 103 gentlemen who are grasping after special privileges in the Philippines, in Cuba and in Porto Rico. * * * And what do these gentlemen propose? To amass colos- sal fortunes in the islands by virtue of their franchises and upon the cheap labor of the native population, not one dollar of which will ever find its lodging place in the pockets of the American people. Where now is the masterful champion of Protection, the author of the McKinley Bill, the man who advocated protection in season and out of season, and earnestly contended that it shed its blessings, as the gentle rain from heaven, upon all classes of our people alike, upon the farmer, the laborer and the manufacturer?" What does Patriot say about a condition which justi- fies such remarks as these? Patriot: What do I say about a condition which justifies such remarks as these? I say that such a condi- tion would indeed be regrettable, but I also say that such a condition does not exist as to justify such remarks. Some men do not wait for a justification before making such remarks as these. A man who will resort to abuse usually does not scrutinize the alleged facts upon which he bases his abuse. What does all Mr. Johnson said amount to in plain, business language? It is merely that the boundless natural resources of the Orient, which by reason of the sluggish, unschooled mental habits of the people have so far not been developed enable men of American genius and American push and" American thrift to go there and make a success, provided this govern- ment throws the mantle of its encouragement and pro- tection around them. So far this is not wrong, is it? That is, is it wrong to succeed, wrong to make money, wrong, indeed, to build up fortunes? Nobody claims that it is except those who have neglected their own opportun- ities or who have not been blessed with the gift of suffi- cient talents, or who have cultivated that morbid state of 104 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? mind which recognizes no such thing as merit, and joins the small socialistic procession in their clamor for a gen- eral levelling of things, and insists upon war by the have- nots against the haves. Of course somebody will be benefited; that is just what we contend. Shall we re- frain from opening up the unlimited possibilities in the Philippines because not all can be directly benefited, or postpone it until we can secure equal division? We should have to wait for socialism. We opened Oklahoma and the Cherokee Strip, and in the mad rush some were disappointed, but it was a great benefit to the most fore- handed and energetic, and to the extent that the success of any is the success of all,, all were indirectly benefited. When California was opened up not every man was benefited, but some were, and so it will be, of course, in the Philippines. And so our sum-total is made up by advantage for some in this enterprise — for others in that — 7 until all are served. Let us move forward one step further. What a crime is charged against President McKinley for free trade in the Philippines. As before suggested, if this concession in so small a way to non-manufacturing nations — a con- cession in the interest of humanity, a concession which is to elevate the standard of labor — is such a sad and evil deed, what language can we employ to characterize the effort of the Democratic Party to extend free trade all over the world? The difference is that the Democratic Party insists upon working to a theory, and it is so opinion proud that it would rather sacrifice any amount of benefit to the people than to acknowledge that its the- ory will not work exactly as laid down. The Republican Party has always treated the tariff question as a practical question. President Harrison said it was a question of markets rather than maxims. So the Republican PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 105 Party has always regarded it, and it does not hesitate to make reciprocity treaties, discriminating in favor of some nations and against others. It has looked upon the tariff question as a matter of business, making the best bar- gains it could in the interest of the people of the United States. Take the third proposition to which you have ad- dressed yourself by your quotation from Mr. Johnson — that cheap labor will be employed by these franchise- holders in the Orient. I have already shown by the discussion of the markets in the Philippines proper that this danger exists only in the minds of those who are looking for difficulties; that it is not real. The constant repetition of false charges does not add truth to them. In the quotation I gave awhile ago from Jefferson he speaks of the advantage in connection with the works to be built up in the territory purchased, and does not seem to fear any danger of discrimination against American labor. In the first place, all lovers of their country have faith enough in America to believe that the American laborer will be properly protected, no matter what exi- gencies arise in the far East. In the second place, few men who have studied the great economic questions fail to understand that the interest of the American laborer is likely to take care of itself in the evolution of Eastern civilization. If for a few years the bulk of the labor in the East should be natives poorly paid, enough American labor, American pride and ambition will impress themselves upon the conditions to leaven their whole life and to thrill them with the American pride, ambition and hope. They will begin to spend more money on their living, buy more goods at home and abroad, and needing more money with which to buy, they will not be slow in learning their 106 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? rights and demanding more. This has been the history of Japan without the intervention of America except merely that of moral influence. What may we expect when America goes to the field of action and puts her strong shoulder to the wheel? Does not every reasonable man know that from that moment the car of progress will rapidly move up the hill of civilization? In a short time there will spring up great cities like Hong Kong, great industrial centers, great mining districts, and high and exalted relations between the inhabitants. The export trade of America will move forward in leaps and bounds. We have already vastly increased the sales of American products, within the last few years, to China, Hong Kong and Turkish Asia, but greater than to any and all the oth- ers has been the increase to Japan, and we should not lose sight of the significance of this fact. Those who believe that the trade of America will be cut off by the increased development of the East, arguing on the theory that they will do their own manufacturing, should review their history of Japan. A few years ago a commission from Japan came over to America to investigate labor-saving machinery. They purchased from America, among other things, the machinery for several paper mills. Short- sighted pessimists whose attention was brought to this fact, said that it was a blunder to give these people the benefit of our inventions, that the machine manufacturers should withhold these advantages from them, because if they built their own paper mills our export of paper to their country would cease. But there is something in the evolution of the world's events which cannot be checked by such narrow views. Some greater power is working out the destiny of man, often in "wondrous ways." And so it proved in Japan. They built their paper mills. Strange to say, so far from its resulting in cutting of the PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? ' 107 exports of paper from this country to Japan, the export trade grew and continued to grow, and to-day continues to grow. Why? Simply because when even a Malay race had caught the vitalizing spirit of American enter- prise they wanted to know more about America — they wanted to know more about the world. More books, more newspapers, more prospectuses and descriptions of new enterprises were needed; therefore, more paper, and the growth is phenomenal. What has been said about the paper is true of all the other supplies. Their wants have so greatly increased that their wages have neces- sarily increased, for whatever may be the theoretical ob- jection by economists to the Irion Law of Wages, it has proved a blessing to mankind; even in America that law holds good. The laborer gets only what he needs be- cause he is willing to work for what he needs. His sal- vation and his hope lie in the fact that it is to the great interest of the great army of employers who have some- thing to sell to develop the needs of the great army of laborers so that they in turn will buy what the employers have to sell; and when that need has been developed it will be satisfied by sufficient wages to meet it. Thus all right-thinking men encourage insurance by which men may provide for their families after death, building and loan associations, by which they may provide themselves homes while living; the development of aesthetic taste, by which they come not merely to want but to need in order to secure their greater happiness, the thousand and one luxuries of life — better clothes, more stylish vehicles for transportation, more and better musical in- struments, more and better books, more and better of everything which God has put within the reach of man and given him the right to use. Inoculate the Eastern laborers with this ambition, and no being living to-day is 108 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? young enough to see at the end. of the most favored life any year which will not call for vast supplies from the United States to these millions upon millions of people in the East. Glance at the statistics in the Statesman's Year Book and see the story of our growth, growing greater in those countries which have had more of our enlightenment, and least of all in those which have not come in contact with it. Japan, in its small way, is what China will be in its larger way when its people have once been quick- ened by this new life. Pessimist: But what assurance have we that America will have the opportunity of supplying goods to these peoples? Will not England and the other European countries who will divide up China among themselves, adopt protective tariff laws, discriminating against Amer- ica? What hope can we have of open ports? Patriot: We are discussing the prospect in the East in connection with our possession of the Philippines. I would therefore answer your question in two ways. First, if there is any likelihood of their closing the ports to us, our chances for bringing favorable influence to bear are greater if we have the political advantage of ownership in the Philippines, which as a strategetic point is so im- portant to all that region, both in matter of trade and in matter of international differences. As stated before, the Republican Party has always regarded the tariff as a practical problem. It is based upon the "give and take" idea. One nation says to another, "You favor me and I will favor you." Being in the Philippines, we are able to offer advantages to the people in control of China and the Orient, as well as to hold over them the potential threat of unfriendliness in case of trouble between them and others. Thus it will be seen that our chances for the PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? i09 Eastern trade are bettered by being so near the scene of action. But my second answer is that our power among" the nations of the world has grown to be such that a diplo- matic expression of our wish, within reason, becomes the law of many other nations as to us. It is ^generally believed that in case of war between Great Britain and the other powers, America could, without forming an alliance against Great Britain, but merely by applying some extreme rules relating to contraband of war, actu- ally starve England out in a few months. English states- men have been frank enough to concede this and they have been frank enough to emphasize of late that our friendship is so important that they can afford to make any reasonable concession to maintain it. We cannot know positively that all this field will be open to us, but let us improve our chances all we can. Business men do not ask a certainty before making investments. They go on the theory that "nothing ven- tured, nothing gained." If we do not make the venture we stand no show to gain the advantages, and that these advantages are marvelous provided we can get them, even those opposed to the policy of the administration admit. They admit it when they say it is in the interest of franchise grabbers. Mr. Johnson, in his tirade against the President, is giving testimony, for whatever it is worth, to the effect that the trade advantages in the Orient are great. Mr. Worthington C. Ford, who is opposed to the retention of the Philippines, in an address at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, April, 1899, said: "No one denies the possibilities of Asia, its gold fields, its iron, its tin and its copper deposits; its wonderful 110 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? waterways, and its population that always seems to offer a rich market beyond description." He also says, speaking of China: "Not raising sufficient food for its people, it is from other countries that the necessary grains must be ob- tained. Ihe ability to buy from foreign nations has increased from $29,700,000 in 1886 to $94,800,000 in 1896, and the purchases have all been in needed and useful commodities." Pessimist: But does anybody believe that the Chinese are capable of developing like the Japanese have de- veloped? Patriot: Scientists differ. It has been but compara- tively few years since all were agreed that the Japanese were incapable of development. They tasted the draught from American genius, which quickened them, and al- most instantly, like "Alice in Wonderland," they grew from a pigmy to a giant. Mr. Ford says: "Wherever tested and an opportunity given, the China- man has proved himself a good workman. The problem then to be settled is, how this hive of potential industry can be made to work on the natural resources of China for the benefit of the nations of the West." And as to the character and ability of the Chinese, he quotes from Blackburn's Reports as follows: "The truth is that a man of good physical and intel- lectual, qualities, regarded merely as an economical factor, is turned out cheaper by the Chinese than by any other race. He is deficient in the higher moral qualities, indi- vidual trustworthiness, public spirit, sense of duty and active courage, a group of qualities perhaps best repre- sented in our language by the word 'manliness,' but in the lower moral qualities of patience, mental and physical, and perseverance in labor, he is unrivaled. * * * PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? Ill European superintendence is essential precisely because of their moral shortcomings above stated." While these vast numbers are being developed to the higher ideals, they will continue to purchase more and more of the cotton goods of our southern States and of the cereals of our farms of the Northwest and of the manufactured products of our central and eastern States, but when the great work of developing the natural re- sources begins, and the network of railroads and steam- ship lines created to accommodate these vast enterprises, and the cities spring up almost like magic in the night, as Hong Kong did when gold was discovered in Aus- tralia, the thrill of life and activity there will vibrate through every nerve center of our home industry, and benefit our people as much as it benefits the benighted Orient. Such is the dispensation of nature and na- ture's God, that when we give we receive, when we bestow a blessing, we reap a joy. No one believes the dissemination of knowledge will work an injury to the teacher. Civilization like knowl- edge is a concept which grows and enriches and sweetens by the very act of shifting a part of itself upon its more unfortunate neighbors. Another advantage to our markets which comes by our possession of the Philippines is that it gives the pioneering spirit of America scope for exercise. That same adventurous spirit which prompted the people of the May Flower to hazard property and life to cross the sea, which prompted them after landing to reach out into the forest beyond their immediate needs, which prompted Daniel Boone to leave home and friends and prospect through the wilderness, which prompted George Rogers Clark against tremendous odds and advice of his friends 112 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? to forge his way to the western wilderness and with a handful of faithful followers conquer the British at Kas- kaskia and Vincennes, and wrench from them a vast territory in time to have it included by the treaty of peace in the United States instead of being left a part of the province of Quebec, which prompted John C. Fre- mont to find the paths through the wilderness of the great West, which prompted our great naval heroes to break up the band of pirates which had preyed upon our commerce for years, this same adventurous spirit, I say, prompts the American merchant to seek opportunity abroad. Prof. John Bassett Moore, in a lecture before the American Academy of Political and Social Science said: "''From the foundation of our government the energy and enterprise that distinguish the American character have impelled our merchants in sight of unrivaled oppor- tunities at home to seek in the markets of the world an expansion of their commerce." And is it not wrong to discourage these merchants? Is it not wrong to withhold from Americans the oppor- tunities of private gain ? Jefferson said : "Agriculture, manufactories, commerce and naviga- tion, the four pillars of our prosperity, are then most thriving when left most free to individual enterprise." Here then was a recognition of the right to prosecute such enterprises. He further says: "Protection from casual embarrassments, however, may sometimes be sea- sonably interposed." To show again his proper solicitude for the financial success of individuals, in his fourth annual message, No- vember 8, 1804, he said: "Whether the great interests of agriculture, manufac- PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 113 tories, commerce or navigation can, within the pale of your constitutional powers, be aided in any of their rela- tions, whether laws are provided in all cases where they are wanting, whether those provided are exactly what they should be, whether any abuses take place in their administration or in that of the public revenues, whether the organizations of public agents or of public forces is perfect in all its parts — in fine, whether anything can be done to advance the general good, are questions within the limits of your functions which will certainly occupy your attention." President Monroe, in his eighth annual message, ex- pressed the sensible view of our government toward our merchant class. He says: "Extending as our interests do to every part of the inhabited globe and to every sea to which our citizens are carried by their industry and enterprise, to which they are invited by the wants of others, and have a right to go, we must either protect them in the enjoyment of their rights or abandon them in certain events to waste and desolation. Our attitude is highly interesting as relates to other powers, and particularly to our southern neigh- bors. We have duties to perform with respect to all to which we must be faithful. To every kind of danger we should pay the most vigilant and unceasing attention, remove the cause where it may be practicable, and be prepared to meet it when inevitable." There is little doubt even by those opposed to the Philippine policy of the financial advantage to American enterprise. Admitting this, they contend that it is not right toward the Filipinos and that it will degrade Amer- ican citizenship, but they do admit the fact of its indus- trial advantage. We are constantly admonished by Jefferson, Monroe and other of the Fathers to look carefully after the in- dustrial enterprises of American citizens, and the proofs 114 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST f adduced I believe have been sufficient to convince all in the audience that the possibilities to our trade in the Philippines and in the balance of the East are boundless. Does Pessimist doubt it? Pessimist: I concede the question put that way. It is to our financial advantage, but it is so much against our principles and so contrary to American traditions that I am still opposed to it. Patriot: Very well, since you concede the advantage Ave may pass to the next topic, because the question of right and duty comes later. The next topic in the order agreed upon I believe is International War and Neutrality. Will Pessimist pro- ceed? INTERNATIONAL WAR AND NEUTRALITY. Pessimist: If for no other reason, we ought to. give up the Philippines in order to avoid the disputes and wars which embroil European nations. As has been pointed out by anti-expansion writers, the Philippines will prove the "golden apple of discord" thrown among the rivals of the world for the Asiatic commerce. We are bound to be dragged into all sorts of disputes and contentions, and will be compelled to resort to arms to defend our honor. Our natural and logical attitude is that of neutrality to- ward the warring factions of Europe and Asia. Jefferson said: "Our first and fundamental maxim should be never to entangle ourselves in the broils of Europe." And Washington said in his Farewell Address : "The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. Eu- rope has a set of primary interests which to us have none or very remote relations, hence she must be engaged in frequent controversies, the causes of which are essentially PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 115 foreign to our concerns. Our detached and distant situ- ation invites and enables us to pursue a different course. Why forego the advantages of so peculiar a situation? Why quit our own to stand on foreign ground? Why by interweaving our destiny with that of any part of Europe entangle ourselves in the toils of European am- bition, rivalship, interest or caprice?" What would Washington say to such a course as that pursued by President McKinley? Mr. Carl Schurz says: "Our country is large enough for several times our present population. Our home resources are enormous and a great part not yet touched. We need not fear to be starved by the completest blockade of our coasts, for we have enough of everything and to spare. On the contrary, such a blockade might result in starving others that need our products. We are to-day one of the great- est powers on earth without having the most powerful fleet and without stepping beyond our continent." In discussing our future policy Mr. John G. Carlisle says : "Colonial alliance with France, had it not been for the wisdom and courage of Washington, would have driven us into the mighty conflicts which convulsed the nations of Europe at the close of the eighteenth and beginning of the nineteenth centuries, and we might then have shared the fate of governments that perished by the sword, or that were extinguished by treaties and Con- gresses which they were powerless to prevent." Can Patriot justify an act on the part of the President of the United States which is so likely to hurl our nation into European war? Such an act is contrary to the Monroe Doctrine, contrary to our uniform duty of neu- trality toward belligerent nations. No, he cannot justify such a course. How much better it would be to declare the islands independent and to establish a Protectorate over them, letting them work out their own government according to their own traditions and genius, and in or- der that we may do so, let the young and powerful Re- public of America say to the world, as suggested by Mr. Bryan: "Hands off." We stand ready to see that the Filipinos shall not be imposed upon. Mr. Bryan says: 116 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? "Independence for the Filipinos under a Protectorate, which will guard them from outside interference while they work out their own destiny, is consistent with Amer- ican traditions, American history and American inter- ests." Why should Patriot or anybody else insist upon our taking a course different from this, the one so appar- ently proper and consistent with American ideals? Patriot: With the permission of the audience, I shall undertake to refute the arguments of Pessimist under four heads. As I have repeatedly said, it is impossible to answer promiscuous charges without some logical analysis. There is no power on earth which can, and no power in heaven which will insure any nation against in- ternational war. It is liable to be encountered by the United States, no matter how fair or how judicious our conduct may be. The unfairness or injustice of some other nation is quite as liable to compel it as if we ourselves were at fault, for what American would consent to our refrain- ing from war if unreasonable demands were made against us and insisted upon under threats? The late war with Spain is an example of impossible forbearance. All of the great battles of the world have been the result, for the most part, of unfairness on the one side and practic- ally a fair disposition on the other. It will thus be seen that the abandonment of the Philippines would not prove a panacea against the ills of international war. The question is, to what extent the Philippine Islands are likely to cause international war as affecting us, and I propose to show, first, that so far from being more, there is less danger of international war on their account if we own them. Second, that there is more danger on their account if we stand a protector over them. Third, that the development of our industries and our trade relations with the far v East are such, and are bound to become PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST ? 117 such under the irresistible evolution of American genius, that intercourse with the European nations must and ought to be to such an extent that we shall be compelled to assert our rights against other nations and resist en- croachments by them, regardless of the Philippines; and fourth, I shall attempt to show that the Monroe Doctrine does not apply to the present situation. OWNERSHIP. Patriot : The right of sovereignty over property in territory is so sacredly recognized by European coun- tries, that nothing will conduce to our safety in the pur- suit of commercial enterprises in the East so much as a fee simple title to territory in that hemisphere. The mo- ment any act of ours is open to criticism, so long as that act is not of such inhuman character as to call for inter- vention on high moral ground, the powers of Europe will say to one another: 'That is an affair of the United States; it is their property." If anything of such repre- hensible nature as that of the Spanish treatment of their Cuban subjects should occur in the vicinity of the Philip- pines as, for instance, in the comparatively recent case of the brutal and barbarous treatment of the Turkish Sultan toward missionaries and other inhabitants of his Empire, the very fact of our proximity to the scene of such action, the very fact of our ownership of property in the Eastern Hemisphere, would give us a right, not only according to our own conscience, not only in the sight of God, but a right according to the accepted theory of the world to hold up the finger of warning against such brutal con- duct, and if in the judgment of our own nation we thought it wise to do so, to compel desistance at the point of the bayonet, as we did for the freedom of Cuba; )but for our ownership of property there, such an inter- 118 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? ference in the name of humanity would be rebuked and scoffed at by the Eastern world. In short, we are prac- tically powerless to carry the doctrine of humanity into the East unless we have property interests there, because we cannot hope to succeed in such a vast arena except with the co-operation of some of the European powers, and that co-operation could not be obtained at this stage of civilization by the mere claim, no matter how lofty, on the part of the United States that our interest in human- ity alone justified such interference. It will be easier for us to avoid war, because it will be easier for us to make treaties in the interest of peace. The fallacy of anti-expansion argument under this head can scarcely be shown better than by calling attention to an extract from a speech of Senator Chilton, in which he says : "We will have to go across the sea and fight battles with the powers of the Old World at a place which they, and not we, will select." This quotation suggests two thoughts-. First, that we are likely to have to go across the sea to fight battles whether we have the Philippines or not, as Dewey's vic- tory in Manila Bay demonstrates. Whenever we shall chance to be at war with any nation, good military and naval tactics will compel us to strike our adversary wher- ever she is vulnerable. If that be across the sea, then across the sea we must go. We could not have won the victory against Spain at so little expense of money and life, nor in so short a time had Admiral Dewey not dealt that stunning blow by sinking Spain's Asiatic fleet. The second thought suggested by Senator Chilton's quotation is, that no matter whether we do or do not own the Philippines, if it should become necessary for us to PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 119 go across the sea to fight battles, we may or may not fight at a place which they select. It depends on the circumstances. Before we owned the Philippines we fought at a place we selected. Now that we own them, if there should be another war, we would fight at the place we select again if we were attacking a country that had interests in the East, and if, on the other hand, our adversaries should select the place, it might be the Philip- pines, it might be Cuba or Hawaii or the Pacific or Atlan- tic coast. Under any circumstances, however, instead of having to go away from home to fight the battles of the East, we shall be able to fight them close to home, be- cause we are now at home in the Philippines. Senator Clay of Georgia says: "If we undertake to cross the ocean and to establish colonies, we will be driven to an alliance with Eng- land, Russia, Japan and some other foreign power in order to defend our newly acquired possessions." In the first place, we are not establishing colonies ' across the ocean, but are governing a territory in accord- ance with our Constitution and legislative enactments. In the second place, it is begging the question to say that we shall have to fight to defend the Philippines. The question is, whether we can afford to fight to de- fend them if necessary, and the answer to that is involved in the. entire discussion of this question. If we have a right there, and ought to be there, then we have this right and this duty, of course, in the face of the fact that if we are attacked there we shall have to defend ourselves. But it seems to me conclusive that with this ownership of property we can exact justice from all nations in the East to a better advantage than if we did not own the Philippines, and certainly our possession of the Philip- 120 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? pines will detract nothing from our power to exact jus- tice from the nations of the Western Hemisphere. Pessimist has quoted Washington and has attempted to apply it to the present situation. A shallow reading of that portion of Washington's Farewell Address might carry the thought Pessimist intended to convey, but let us analyze it briefly. In the first place, Washington clear- ly commends "the extending of our commercial rela- tions.'' True, he admonishes us to have "as little political connection as possible," but he does not say we should have no political connection. On the contrary, he im- pliedly says that we should have all the political connec- tion which may prove to be necessary; so this quotation from Washington must be applied to the Eastern situa- tion in conjunction with the answer to the further ques- tion, how much political relation is needful now, not one hundred years ago, but now at the end of a century of industrial evolution and marvelous skill and undreamed- of growth and development of American possibilities as a world power. How much political connection, I say, is necessary now with the Eastern countries "in extend-' ing our commercial relations?" Note the next sentence from Washington: ''Europe has a set of primary inter- ests which to us have none or very remote relation.'' Whatever primary relations referred to by Washington then "which to us have none or a very remote relation," and which may still be found to exist and which may still be found to have no interest for us, we shall be able to let alone now as then, with the Philippine Islands as without them. Some of these concerns which at that time were essentially foreign may prove to be no longer so. If after the advice of Washington and a century of experi- ence added to it, we should find that it is to our com- mercial and our political advantage to have concern with PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 121 them, who shall say that we should follow the course which seemed to be wise a hundred years ago, rather than the course which seems wise now? Another sen- tence from the extract quoted from Washington: "Why quit our own to stand on foreign ground?" In giving due and proper credit to the wise enunciations of states- men or leaders in any branch of thought, we should give attention to the circumstances under which they spoke. It should be borne in mind that when Washington gave this advice England and France were at war. Lafayette, under the breath of the King of France, had lent succor to America. The hatred of British institutions ran high and the anti-federalists were so bitter in their hatred to- ward anything that seemed to smack of royalty that a most persistent effort was made by the people of the United States to force the Administration into an alli- ance with France against Great Britain. The Fathers knew, and Washington spoke for the Fathers, that such an alliance would embroil us in a world war. It required the most cool-headed statesmanship and the highest type of patriotism to so analyze the situation as to allay that feeling of hatred toward England and in its stead im- plant the doctrine of neutrality toward belligerents, and it was for this purpose that Washington admonished them to attend to home affairs, and not for the purpose of lay- ing down specific rules for all future time. Since the next topic presents the converse of the argu- ments which I have just made under the present head, I shall, unless there is some further question, proceed to discuss it. PROTECTORATE. Patriot: Having shown that ownership of the Philip- pines incurs no greater danger of war than an entire 122 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? absence from them, I shall now attempt to demonstrate that the establishment by the United States Govern- ment of a protectorate over the Philippines would have a greater tendency to entangle us with foreign nations than would the complete sovereignty. The scheme of a protectorate must be one of two things: either it must leave the nation free to conduct its own internal affairs without molestation from the protector, the protector standing merely between the protected nation and the outside world — the true protectorate — or, on the other hand, the protected nation must defer to the protector in matters of local concern, as well as in international affairs; but this latter condition is merely a deception because while pretending to give independence the pro- tector stands in the attitude of absolute guardian and master, able at all times to thwart every independent purpose. This is colonial rule under another name. Since those who favor a protectorate vigorously declaim against a colonial policy, we are forced to presume that they favor the former of these two conditions — i. e., the com- plete local independence and the international subordina- tion. Pessimist: It seems to me that you have pictured exactly the kind of government we should establish in the Philippines. Mr. Bryan says: "The United States can protect them from molesta- tion from without." He also says: "The Filipinos are not far enough advanced to shire in the government of the people of the United States, but they are competent to govern themselves." Patriot: The proposition by Mr. Bryan seems rather paradoxical. It seems to me that any people capable of governing themselves without the advice and assistance of the United States, would be all the more capable as a PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 123 part of the government of the United States, with the right which that connection would give it to our immedi- ate counsel and aid. But, adopting for the moment the suggestion that they are not far enough advanced to share in our government, does it not follow that in the pursuit of their own affairs, without the experience and intelligence of the United States Government, they would make mistakes because of their inexperience, would re- sort to rash conduct because of their unduly inflated pride, and indulge in corruption because of their low ideals of honor, all in such manner as to bring them into contempt in the eyes of other nations, and resulting in affronts, which we, as their protectors, would be bound to resent, or defend them against? Picture, if you can, the position of the United States if we adopted the policy advised by Senator Teller. He says : "I would say to the inhabitants of these possessions: 'If you can maintain a government of order for your local affairs, you shall be allowed to do it.' I would say to them in addition: 'We will, for your good, stand between you and the European powers who would appropriate your country and would inaugurate a system of colonial dependence such as England has in India and such as Spain has maintained over you, and we will see that no foreign power interferes with you.' And to do that we must say to them: 'If you wish to speak to the world on foreign affairs, you must speak through us.' " This fledgling nation — what kind we cannot say, and as a mere protector we would have no right to dictate — would get into all sorts of quarrels, leaving us to act the part of indulgent uncle to degenerate nephew, ever and anon paying off their debts with a little fatherly advice, but with no power to direct their future course, Mr. Jordan, previously referred to, says: m PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? "A protected republic is the acme of irresponsibility. Its politicians may declare war against neutral nations solely to 'see the wheels go 'round.' " Pessimist : I have a copy of Rev. Jordan's sermon and find that he endorses the recommendation of Prof. Jones, which on this point is as follows : "Let them fit their government to their own needs with the guarantee of our protection from outside interference." Patriot: That simply shows the inconsistency of the anti-expansion argument, for the same man favors a pro- tectorate, while admitting that nothing could be more irresponsible. * Pessimist : Well, why not adopt the suggestion of Mr. Schurz and cover the Philippines by a guarantee of neu- trality on the part of the Powers most interested? He says this would no*; be difficult to obtain by United States' diplomacy, and that it "would secure them against foreign aggression." Patriot: Well, let us dissect this proposition. Our Government has pride and an honor which it must sustain. If it makes treaties it must insist upon their fulfillment, even at the cost of war. As before said, the European nations would not recognize so much right on our part in the Philippines if we had merely entered into an agree- ment with them in reference thereto, as they would if we owned them outright. In the second place, the Filipinos themselves would be more likely to provoke hostilities if in control of their local affairs than if directed by the United States as a territory. Thus the occasion for war would be more likely under a protectorate, and our position to de- fend against attack would be less favorable. As a pro- tected government they would have a right to admit into their territory any person, or group of persons on any terms. They would be subject to the flattery and bribery of European adventurers who desired to get control of PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 125 their franchises, and so long as this took place under the sanction of their local law, and with the permission of the local authorities, we would be powerless to prevent it, even though the insinuation of such foreign influence should eventually result in the practical bondage of the natives. The rights of the protected nation, as I have just set forth, can be disputed by no authority. Any curtail- ment of those rights would amount to subjugation instead of protection. The well recognized authority on International Law, W. E. Hall, says of protectorates which differ from colo- nies: "The protected community retains, as of right, all pow- ers of internal sovereignty which have not been expressly surrendered by treaty, or which are not needed for the due fulfillment of the external obligations which the protecting State has directly or implicitly undertaken by the act of assuming the protectorate." All this responsibility must be upon the United States as a protector of the Philippines. In government, as in most relations between man and man, there must be a quid pro quo. This condition would leave us no control over the tax budget, and if war was provoked, as it would likely be, we are handicapped by our limited control and by the danger of foreign influence among the Filipinos themselves, which might result in a change of their pur- pose right while we are in the field fighting their battles ; or if we should ourselves become engaged in war with any Eastern power, we, the protectors of the Philippines, who must fight at their suggestion, cannot call upon them to aid in our defense, for it is one of the rights and privileges of a protected nation to remain neutral even when one of the belligerents is its protector. During the Crimean War the Ionian Islands, protected 126 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? by Great Britain, stubbornly persisted in a neutral course, and the right of their position was acknowledged in the English court. Pessimist : Where is your authority for this ? Patriot: Fourth Edition of Hall's International Law, page 30. Those who would impose upon the United States the task of protecting the Philippines are engaged in the anomalous effort to have the United States assume all the burdens connected with whatever Eastern troubles we may ever have, while disclaiming and denying our- selves of the right to any of the benefits. No, a protec- torate may be fraught with too much danger and accom- panied by too little means of defense ever to find sanction in the statescraft of America. Pessimist : Well, what do you propose to say on inter- national war and neutrality regardless of the Philippines ? REGARDLESS OF THE PHILIPPINES. Patriot : The only ground upon which we can keep out of all danger of international war is that of selfish se- clusion — a condition which is so repugnant to American push, enterprise and daring, that he who indulges in the wish for it is a mere political dilletante, and he who ex- presses the hope of it is engaged in idle day dreams. America, with a foreign trade already amounting to two thousand millions of dollars, America, who almost a cen- tury ago made the largest contribution toward the anni- hilation of piracy in the Barbary States ; America, who waved her magic wand over benighted Japan and bid her arise to new light and life ; America, who has produced the inventive genius and the industrial faith and the me- chanical skill to bind this nation with the other nations of the world by a score of oceanic cables ; America, who has said to Spain : "You shall not degrade humanity by treat- PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 127 ing men like brutes ;" America to be isolated ? No, banish the thought. We are going to stand up as a citizen of the world of nations that we are, on the one hand taking the responsibility of such a position and on the other insisting upon our share of the benefits of such citizenship. When the young gladiator strips and steps into the arena, he does it after making up his mind to take the consequences ; and so when a nation puts up its flag, it does it knowing that the status of nationality brings with its blessings the perils of war. America has kept in the front rank of diplomacy, as she has in other accomplishments. She has attended strictly to her own business, though she has con- stantly enlarged the field of her business. Whether we own the Philippines or not, our future, as well as our past, will bring with it the duty to ourselves of exact- ing justice from other nations and the duty to them of our- selves rendering justice to all. Pessimist : But there is more or less apprehension of a general world war in the no distant future. Why should America increase the danger of being drawn into that war by holding on to the Philippines? Senator Bacon points^ out the prospect of such a war and says : "If mat war comes it will not be confined to the Orient ; if that war comes it will involve every leading nation of the world ; if that war comes, not only will our young men lay their bones upon the distant soil of Asia, but our own country will have to stand its defense. When that war comes there is not a sea-coast city but that will be in danger of destruction from the allied navies of the world. This nay be a remote possibility, but if so, it is a possibil- ity so fraught with disaster to the United States that T will do nothing to tempt so dire a fate." Why will Patriot insist upon bringing such *~~ : .l to America? Patriot: My answer is three-fold. First, the danger 128 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? of this war exists regardless of the Philippines. Second, America will be in better positron to bring to tear her good offices in the field of diplomacy for preventing the war, if by ownership of the Philippines she is a recognized member of the European diplomatic fraternity ; and, third, since such a war is even a remote possibility, it is the sacred duty of those charged with the peace and welfare of this Government gradually, but with due facility, to in- crease our navy and our standing army sufficiently to meet such emergencies without disaster to our institutions ; and if the possession of the Philippines makes the increase of the army and navy a practical necessity now, and gives the excuse for such expense — without which any increase is always unpopular — then we have in the possession of the Philippines for this one reason alone an unmistakable blessing, even if for the time being it is to our adversaries a blessing in disguise. A further point should be observed: In the event of this world war it will be greatly to our interest to own the Philippines. Those islands would be legitimate fight- ing ground anyway, and the one on the ground will have an unquestioned advantage. Aside from the aggressive nature of America as a force which compels our constant intercourse with the world in a large way, we should not lose sight of the frequent and almost constant necessity for resenting the too great or impertinent aggressions on the part of other countries. In President Monroe's last annual message he recites the difficulties and losses incident to the unsettled state of neutrality laws; and in alluding to the war then just closc v, i between France and Spain, he laments the fact that ^oth parties had mistreated us. He first calls atten- tion w our resentment by war against Great Britain and says; PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 129 "From the other by whose then reigning government vessels were seized in port as well as at sea, and the car- goes confiscated, indemnity has been expected but has not yet been rendered. It was under the influence of the latter that our vessels were likewise seized by the govern- ments of Spain, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, and Naples, and from whom indemnity has been claimed and is still expected with the exception of Spain, by whom it has been rendered. With both parties we had abundant cause of war, but we had no alternative but to resist that which was most powerful at sea and pressed us nearest at home." It will thus be seen that ownership of property in the Eastern Hemisphere is not essential to national quarrels. They are quite as likely to be forced upon us without such ownership ; and, indeed, the evidence so far goes to show that these quarrels are more likely to be forced upon us without such ownership. Pessimist : What evidence goes to show this fact ? Patriot : The history of our country shows that we have always been annoyed, and that redress for annoy- ance has been difficult and slow. Since we purchased the Philippines, however, all the nations have vied with one another to show us respect, and but one disturbance has occurred to our commerce — the single instance of the British seizure of a cargo of American flour in Delagoa Bay, for which apology and restitution was made with unprecedented promptness in answer to our first diplo- matic request. Have I not demonstrated the danger of international war to be as great regardless of the Philip- pines as when they are taken into consideration ; and that both the danger of war and the difficulties of fighting it are greater under a protectorate than with the sovereign ownership of the Philippines ? Pessimist: But how can you justify our ownership of 130 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? the .Philippines in the light of the Monroe Doctrine, which promises on the one hand to allow no interference on the part of European governments in the Western Hemi- sphere, and on the other hand by implication promises to leave European nations to their own fate and inclination in all other parts of the world ? MONROE DOCTRINE. Patriot: The Monroe Doctrine, as represented by Democratic orators, affords another instance in which there is a studied effort to mislead those who do not take the pains to analyze the conditions. Application of this doctrine should be made, first, in the light of comparison between the conditions existing at the time of its enun- ciation and the conditions existing now ; and second, the application should be made by reference to the full mean- ing of the language of that Doctrine, studied in all its parts. Pessimist: I had no idea that you would hazard an opinion that the Monroe Doctrine has not been violated by our seizure of territory in the Eastern Hemisphere. Mr. Bryan says : 'The Monroe Doctrine, too — what will become of it? How can we expect European nations to respect our su- premacy in the Western Hemisphere if we insist upon entering Asia?" Your intimation that our policy in the Philippines does not contravene the international law, as represented by the Monroe Doctrine, is the first I have heard since the controversy began. Senator Hoar of Massachusetts says : "The Monroe Doctrine is gone. Every European na- tion, every European alliance, has the right to acquire dominion in this hemisphere when we acquire it in the other." Patriot: When Pessimist spoke, I was about to take up the question in its logical order. I shall now proceed to make the following points: PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 131 First : That the Monroe Doctrine is not and never has been accepted as a tenet of international law. Hall on International Law ignores it. Wheaton, an American authority, says : 'This political formula has been, to a great extent, acted upon by the United States, especially with regard to their taking no part in European politics. Nevertheless, it still exists only as a 'doctrine/ and has not been incor- porated into any legislative enactments or into any con- vention." It follows from this that the condition described by Senator Hoar as existing now has always existed. Eu- ropean nations have always claimed the right to do what they liked in the Western Hemisphere. They simply dared not exercise that right. The Monroe Doctrine was therefore effective only by virtue of its sanction in Amer- ican virility and American arms. Second : At the time the Monroe Doctrine was enun- ciated Spain was endeavoring to extend the "Holy Alli- ance" to the whole of South America, and her efforts seemed in a fair way to succeed. This alliance offered a powerful menace both to America and to England, be- cause it would put in the power of Spain all the Latin peoples of the Western Hemisphere, and with her then powerful navy she would have been in a position to make such exactions and to offer such insults as her greed, or her bigotry, might prompt her to, both against the inter- ests of America and of England. Realizing this danger, George Canning, the renowned English orator and states- man, transmitted a confidential proposal to our Mr. Rush, Secretary of State, and this proposal was, after careful deliberation and secret conference with the English authorities, in the language of Justin McCarthy, the his- 132 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? torian, "Adopted in the interests of England, as well as in those of the American Republic.'' Pessimist: Do you mean to tell this audience that President Monroe was not the author of the Monroe Doc- trine ? Patriot: I have so stated, although that is not the im- portant fact of my argument. It matters not who was the author, the question is : What was the doctrine and does it apply to our present policy ? Pessimist: Does any reputable historian claim that Monroe was not the author? Patriot : It is not put in the shape of a claim, but sim- ply related as a matter of course. You can verify this statement by looking in the "History of Our Own Times," by McCarthy, or in Mr. Koerner's article on the Monroe Doctrine in "Lalor's Cyclopedia of Political Science." In passing, it may not be amiss to remind the critics of the Administration that President Monroe deemed it justifiable to confer with England, even in a confidential way, on grave matters of international concern. In the third place, our adversaries who appropriate to their own side of the argument all the virtue of the Mon- roe Doctrine, read it only in part and interpret that part in the most narrow sort of way. Let us center our minds for a brief space upon the language of the doctrine itself. And for convenience to this end let me recite that portion of President Monroe's message of December 2, 1823, which is generally accepted as embodying the principles of the Monroe Doctrine. It says: "In the wars of the European powers in matters relat- ing to themselves we have never taken any part, nor does it comport with our policy so to do. It is only when our rights are invaded or seriously menaced that we resent PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 133 injuries or make preparation for our defense. With the movements in this hemisphere we are of necessity more immediately connected, and by causes which must be ob- vious to all enlightened and impartial observers. The political system of the allied powers is essentially different in this respect from that of America. This difference pro- ceeds from that which exists in their -respective govern- ments ; and to the defense of our own, which has been achieved by the loss of so much blood and treasure, and matured by the wisdom of their most enlightened citi- zens, and under which we have enjoyed unexampled felic- ity, this -whole nation is devoted. We owe it to candor and to the amicable relation existing between the United States and the allied powers to declare that we should consider any attempt on their part to extend their sys- tem to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety. With existing colonies or de- pendencies of any European power we have not inter- fered, and shall not interfere ; but with the governments which have declared their independence and maintained it, and whose independence we have, on great considera- tion and just principles, acknowledged, we could not view an interposition for oppressing them, or controlling in any other manner their destiny by any European power, in any other light than that as a manifestation of an un- friendly disposition toward the United States. In the war between these new governments and Spain we declared our neutrality at the time of their recognition, and to this we have adhered, and shall continue to adhere, provided no change shall occur which in the judgment of the com- petent authorities of this government shall make a cor- responding change on the part of the United States indis- pensable to their security." Pessimist : Does this not show clearly that we cannot, in keeping with the American policy, interfere with for- eign nations? Patriot : If immediately after hearing the Monroe Doctrine recited Pessimist fails to understand, why, how can you blame people who have one side only pointed 134 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? out to them, and its purpose distorted by fervent oratory, for obtaining the wrong impression? I am determined, however, that this audience shall not go away with such misconceptions. In the first portion of the doctrine the disaffirmance of our policy to interfere with European powers is based up- on the express qualification that they "attend to matters relating to themselves." The necessary inference is that we should take a hand if they were engaged in matters relat- ing to us. Any other interpretation would be an abandon- ment of our independence, and as a matter of fact we have recently taken a hand in European matters, as may be attested by a glance at the humbled pride of that monar- chy which, with its invincible Armada, once boasted its jurisdiction over all the waters of the world. Monroe also makes very plain the purpose of "this whole nation" to defend our own. Does any one believe that he meant to confine that defense to what was our own at that time, to that which we had then "achieved by the loss of so much blood and treasure?" No, a more reasonable sup- position is that he would apply it also to whatever we should in the future achieve or acquire. So we bring this doctrine to the defense of that world power which fell to our lot by the matchless though almost bloodless victory of Admiral Dewey in Manila Bay. I have been frank to quote fully all that is claimed as part of the Monroe Doctrine, for I believe that it is all reconcilable to the policy of the Administration at this time when viewed in the light of changed conditions. I dare say we have no adversary who is so abject a wor- shiper of precedents, or so precise a stickler for strict construction of precedent, as to lay any blame upon the Administration for the war so far as it affected Cuba; and yet I make bold to assert, without fear of even an PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 135 effort at contradiction, that the declaration of war against Spain in the interest of Cuba was the writing of an amendment to the Monroe Doctrine ; or more sensibly yet, it was the application of modern common sense in the interpretation of that doctrine. Need I do more in eluci- dation of this claim than to reiterate one sentence of that doctrine which I recited a moment ago ? "With the exist- ing colonies or dependencies of any European power we have not interfered and shall not interfere." Let those orators who have been so rampant in de- claiming the efficacy of the Monroe Doctrine reconcile this language to our recent conduct in interfering with a Spanish colony in the Western Hemisphere which ex- isted at the time Monroe wrote. Pessimist : But you asserted that all of our recent con- duct would square with the Monroe Doctrine. Patriot : And so I assert now, for the simple reasons that the Monroe Doctrine was merely a recommendation to Congress and a declaration to the people as to the policy which should be pursued by the United States govern- ment as conditions existed then, and not otherwise. This is proved by the further declaration of Monroe that we would adhere to the neutrality then practiced toward Spain and her combatants "provided no change shall oc- cur which in the judgment of the competent authorities of this government shall make a corresponding change on the part of the United States indispensable to their security." Monroe realized that questions of this nature must be left to the solution of men charged with the affairs of government under the conditions prevailing when the solution might be called for. In the same message Mon- roe said : "A precise knowledge of our relations with foreign 136 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? powers, as respects our negotiations and transactions with each, is thought to be particularly necessary." Will Pessimist tell this enlightened audience of what consequence such "precise knowledge" would be if we are not to base our international conduct upon it? Why should we be concerned about our relations with foreign powers if, regardless of these relations, we are to remain supinely silent in all Eastern matters? I declare, there- fore, that the war with Cuba was a violation of a strict and slavish interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine; but that neither that war nor its Philippine sequel is a vio- lation of an enlightened and liberal construction. Indeed, in the whole doctrine, there is no specific promise to the powers of Europe that we will not interfere with their affairs. It is merely laid down as not comporting with our policy to do so, but on the other hand we did prom- ise specifically there not to interfere with any European colonies already planted in America. Pessimist: But ex- Vice President Stevenson says: "The essence of the doctrine, as understood by the world then, was, While we forbid the establishment of despotic governments upon the American continent, we recognized the corresponding obligation to refrain from any attempt to force our political system upon any part of the old world." This, according to my understanding, establishes an implied promise on our part not to interfere in the East. Patriot: This doctrine, like every other state enun- ciation by the founders of our government,- was carried only so far as the expediency of the times would warrant. Its great ultimate purpose was in the interest of justice; its immediate purpose was to baffle Spain in her effort to become the dominant force of the Western Hemisphere. It went as far as it could toward the alleviation of man- PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST'/ 137 kind then — any larger claim of right by the United States as a young country of limited means and a correspond- ingly limited naval power would have been nugatory for the want of the only sanction known to international law, namely, force. It did that little missionary work well, though that was all it was strong enough to do. But it would be no more daring on the part of the powerful United States of to-day to declare that no more. monarch- ies should be established or fostered anywhere in the world than it was to make such declaration then with reference to the Western Hemisphere. We have not gone that far, but we have strongly implied that in future wars and in future colonial rule there shall be no more slaugh- tering of innocent reconcentrados, nor maiming with poi- soned Mauser bullets, nor devastation of private resources for the sake of military official enrichment. If it was noble for the Fathers to take such a bold stand as that announced by the Monroe Doctrine, how much nobler a part are we playing in the humanitarian evolution of the world by what will be known and honored in history as the McKinley Doctrine ? And yet we have done no more than duty. We would be unworthy the heritage of our fathers if, with our additional century of enlightenment, our vast revolutions in invention and our almost fabulous wealth and power, we refrain from making correspond- ing improvements upon the condition of our fathers. Washington looked forward to the time when we should have such power that we could "defy material injury from external annoyance," and again in his language, "When we may take such an attitude as will cause the neutrality we may at any time resolve upon to be scrupulously re- spected," and "when we may choose peace or war as our interests, guided by justice, shall counsel." He was too much of a statesman to attempt a prophecy as to precisely 138 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? what neutrality we should in the future "resolve upon," or when and under what conditions we would "choose peace or war ;" but like the grand statesman that he was, he left it to the responsible parties in the government at whatever time they should be called upon to act to deter- mine these great questions "as our interests, guided by justice, shall counsel." Pessimist: But Senator Daniel says, "Our Monroe Doctrine * * * is as much a law as if it were in our written constitution." If this be true, I hold that we have no right to violate it even if such holding forces me to regret our freeing of Cuba. Patriot : I cited both Hall and Wheaton, acknowledged authorities on international law, to show that the Mon- roe Doctrine was never regarded as anything else than a mere political formula by other nations, and it needs scarcely to be asserted that our own country did not regard it as a law, for if we had we would have pursued the usual and orderly method of putting it either in the Constitution or on the statute books. The only force the doctrine has had with European powers was that given it by the sanction of American arms, and we can give the same proportionate force to-day to any enlarge- ment of that doctrine which the wisdom of the past, ap- plied to present conditions, may warrant. And I should not be willing to indulge in the doleful speculation that with all the advantages of the past before us, we are so weak as to be incapable of formulating a new Monroe Doctrine — a McKinley Doctrine, if you please — suited to our changed conditions and justified by our added strength. Indeed, President McKinley was not the first to make ex- ceptions to the Monroe Doctrine. In 1880 Mr. Evarts, Secretary of State, said: "The United States are not averse to having the great PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 139 powers know that they publicly recognize the peculiar relations between them and Liberia, and that they are pre- pared to take every proper step to maintain them." And the powers heeded our warning. Pessimist : But Liberia was practically colonized under the tutelage of our government. Patriot : In some sense, yes. But it is not in the Western Hemisphere, and you have insisted that the doctrine con- fines us to it. What the Monroe Doctrine really amounts to is an assertion that America will resist the interference on the part of any power with what America herself deems to be America's business, and that she in turn will deal out justice to all other powers according to her idea of justice. No other view is rational, and no other view could stand. Even if the Monroe Doctrine had been en- grafted in our laws, it has been repealed in part. It is a well-settled principle that where two laws conflict the latter law annuls and repeals the preceding one. And this would be especially true where, as in the present case, the latter law is a treaty, because a treaty is the supreme law of the land. Whatever may be said, then, of the pre- vious force of the Alonroe Doctrine, our treaty provision — that is, our supreme law enactment stipulating certain covenants to Spain as to the Philippine Islands — compels whatever interference may prove necessary with foreign powers to preserve the integrity of these covenants. Citizen : It seems to me that no further proof is needed to justify our conduct as far as the Monroe Doctrine is concerned. Uncle Sam : Is there any different opinion? Pessimist: I am not convinced. Uncle Sam : Is there any one except Pessimist who still doubts this justification? 140 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? Chorus of voices : No. No. Uncle Sam : If there is any further doubt, let it be made known now. Hearing none, I assume that all but Pessimist are convinced, and I recommend that we pro- ceed to the next topic. STRONG ARMY AND NAVY. Pessimist: One of the objections which we make against the Philippine policy is that it necessitates a strong army and navy. Mr. Bryan says : "It is strange that this request for so large an increase in the permanent army should be asked of a peace-loving people just at the time when the Czar of Russia is urging the nations of the world to join in the reduction of mili- tary establishments, but strange as it may seem, the Presi- dent not only requests it, but the Republican leaders in Congress seem inclined to grant the request. Progress in Europe, retrogression in the United States." Patriot : I would not cast any reflection upon the efforts of nations to minimize the necessity of war; and whatever may have been Air. Bryan's view at the time he delivered himself of the opinion you have quoted from, he certainly would not contend now that either the Czar of Russia or any of those who joined in co-operation with him had in view anything more than merely to reduce such necessity to a minimum. The condition of the crown, as well as the character of recommendations made by his representatives, proved the limitations of his pur- pose. Charity compels this construction rather than to charge him with insincerity. That recognized internation- al statesman yet remains to be heard from who took seri- ously the proposition of disarmament, and the enterprise with which Russia continued to build her ships and to exert her diplomatic genius in the prospective division of niina to her selfish interest, all conspire to limit any PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 141 serious purpose she may have had to the realm of reason- able additions to our international law in keeping with that human nature which from the dawn of history has existed, and which all save a few theorists still believe to exist, whereby men and nations subscribe to the first law of nature — self-preservation. The founders of our government were all agreed that we should surround ourselves with sufficient warlike power to insure peace. George Washington said: "To be prepared for war is the most effectual means to pro- mote peace." This maxim has been subscribed to from the day it was uttered a century ago until the present time; and it was ably elaborated by one of America's proud warriors and able statesmen, Governor Roosevelt, in an address before the Naval War College, June, 1897, while he was Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Speaking at that time, this distinguished political philosopher ut- tered a prophetic truth, which he himself later helped to verify, to the effect that modern warfare is decisive. He says: "In most recent wars the operations of the first ninety days have decided the result of the conflict." Let us not forget what disastrous fate might have befallen the United States if we had not happened to be warned of the plans of the Rebels for building the Merrimac in time ourselves to construct the Monitor for its rival and vic- tor. And let us review that sad page in American history which records the lack of foresight preceding the War of 181 2, freely acknowledged by our ancestors, by ignoring the admonition, "In time of peace prepare for war," and which neglect led to severe loss, the burning of our capi- tol, almost civil war among ourselves, and a treaty of peace which was scarcely short of American humility. A necessary conclusion upon which historians are agreed is, that if we had been prepared for war Great Britain 142 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? would never have provoked it. Governor Roosevelt, in the address before referred to, said: "In public, as in private life, a bold front tends to insure peace and not strife. * * * In war the mere defensive never pays, and can never result in anything but disaster. It is not enough to parry a blow ; the surest way to pre- vent its repetition is to return it." If any one doubts Governor Roosevelt's right to speak as one in authority on this question, let me remind that one that when we took the aggressive and struck back- by sending Dewey to capture or destroy the Spanish fleet at Manila, this nation had the benefit of the combined wisdom of McKinley as President and Roosevelt as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Again Governor Roose- velt says : "Preparedness deters the foe, and maintains right by the show of ready might without the use of violence. Peace, like freedom, is not a gift that tarries long in the hands of cowards, or of those too feeble or too short- sighted to deserve it." It would seem needless to present any argument in favor of an adequate army and navy, but so much irre- sponsible criticism has been hurled at the Administration for encouraging the continued growth of these instru- mentalities for peace that some attention to the subject seems warranted. By the presence of adequate force we not only preserve peace where war may be threatened, but we are thus enabled to impress upon the world our notions of neutrality. So familiar is every one with the truth for which I am contending, that every utterance seems a platitude. Scarcely a message delivered by any one of the Presidents from Washington to McKinley has been closed without some express or implied approval of PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 143 an adequate army and navy. Monroe says in his Annual Message, 1824: "If a system of universal and permanent peace could be established, or if in war the belligerent parties would respect the rights of neutral powers, we should have no occasion for a navy or an army. The expense and dan- gers of such establishment might be avoided. The his^ tory of all ages proves that this cannot be presumed, but on the contrary, that at least one-half of every century in ancient as well as modern times has been consumed in wars, and often of the most general and desolating char- acter. Nor is there any cause to infer, if we examine the condition of the nations with which we have the most intercourse and strongest political relations, that we shall in the future be exempt from that calamity within any period to which a rational calculation may be extended; and as to the rights of neutral powers, it is sufficient to appeal to our own experience to demonstrate how little regard will be paid to them whenever they come in conflict with the interests of the powers at war while we rely on the justice of our cause and on argument alone." Again in the same message President Monroe said : "Two great objects are therefore to be regarded in the establishment of an adequate naval force; the first to prevent war so far as it may be practicable, the second to diminish its calamities when it may be inevitable. Hence the subject of defense becomes intimately connected in all its parts in war and in peace for the land and at sea. No government will be disposed in its wars with other powers, to violate our rights if it knows we have the means, are prepared and resolved to defend them. The motive will also be diminished if it knows that our defenses by land are so well planned and executed that an invasion of our coasts cannot be productive of the evils to which we have heretofore been exposed." In another message Mr. Monroe voices the same senti- ment in very succinct language : "It is by our ability to 1U PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? resent injuries and redress wrongs that we may avoid them." President Tyler said in his Inaugural Address in 1841 : "In regard to foreign nations, the groundwork of my policy will be justice on our part to all, submitting to in- justice from none. * * * With a view to this, the con- dition of our military defenses will become a matter of anxious solicitude." And he urges that these "should be rendered replete with efficiency." And so I might go on quoting from practically all the Presidents to the same effect. ADEQUACY. Pessimist: I am ready to concede that we need some sort of army and navy, but it is proposed to make it too large. We are threatened with militarism. I saw it sug- gested in an editorial not long ago that there is great danger of our becoming an army-ridden nation, and that when the army is sufficiently increased and brought under the subjection and discipline of the President, who is its commander-in-chief, he will use the forces for the pur- pose of keeping himself in office ; that he might even dispense with the formality of election; but if not so bad as that, he would at least see that the vote was influ- enced for him by military menace. Patriot : It may be well to divide the question immedi- ately in hand into two sub topics : First, what kind of army and navy are adequate ; second, is there any danger of military excess ? Adequacy is a comparative term. What was adequate in our army and navy a hundred years ago would not be termed adequate to-day. For a comparison of this thought, let us take the ordinary walks of life. Look around you and witness the development of necessities, PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 145 and necessity in the matter of national war footing is synonymous with adequacy. Smith and Jones are grocerymen in the same town, catering to the same class of trade, and have no competi- tion outside of themselves. It may be said truthfully that neither of them needs a telephone, but Jones puts one in. To him it is a luxury, but the moment he has it Smith must put one in — not as a luxury, but as a necessity. In the country districts many of you remember when a top k u ggy was a rare possession, and an organ or piano scarcely seen at all in any of the country homes. To-day these are regarded as necessities. Some neighborhoods went on developing until the pride of others was quick- ened, and they purchased these actual necessities which but a short time ago were mere luxuries. Pessimist : But if you apply this doctrine to war prep- aration where will we stop? Is not the United States doing wrong in advancing, and thus compelling, the emu- lation and similar advance of foreign nations? Is not this just the thing objected to by the Czar of Russia when he declared that there was danger of all the nations arm- ing to the teeth, and draining their resources to sustain the soldiery? Patriot : I have already given my opinion of the extent to which the Czar's peace conference might be thought of to advantage, but this question should not be determined either by light remarks about the Czar's intentions, nor on the other hand should it be left to the fate of mere senti- mentalists, and "peace at any price" doctrinaires, of which it must be confessed America, like the rest of the world, has a scattered few. Those few, however, make enough trouble to require a somewhat larger war footing than would be necessary without their disturbance. The ques- tion should rather be considered calmly, and in the light of all the facts and circumstances. It is a fact that the 146 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST. 7 United States, instead of taking the lead and setting the 1 example referred to by Pessimist, has not only resisted the too great increase of war preparation, but has lin- gered a generation behind the other powers of the world ; and she has paid dearly for it at times. I hold that that army and navy is adequate which will enforce our just claims and protect our rights at the minimum of cost in life and money. The question of expense, therefore, in- fluences the question of adequacy in so far that false economy in the peace footing of war preparation results in such abnormal expense in the actual clash of arms that the average expense distributed over both periods is greater than if sufficient preparation for emergencies had been provided in the beginning. Certainly we cannot call that national economy which calls for such description as is found in Monroe's message of January 50, 1824, where he says : "The amount of the property of our fellow-citizens which was seized and confiscated or' destroyed by the belligerent parties in the wars of the French revolution or of those which followed before we became a party to the war, is almost incalculable. * * * Two great ob- jects are therefore to be regarded in the establishment of an adequate force — the first to prevent war so far as it may be practicable, the second to diminish its calamities when it may be inevitable." But what is adequacy? that is the question. There may be several tests. One is a comparison with the other powers as suggested before. A standing army of 100,000 men would still be but one out of 800 of our population, whereas the standing army of Germany is about 1 out of every 200 of the population; that of England 1 out of every 180 cf the population, and that of Russia 1 out of every 150 of the population. In our navy we have a total of 130 effective fighting vessels, or without any qualifica- PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? U1 tion whatever, we shall have, after the completion of the eight fitst-class battleships, four monitors, thirty torpedo boats and sixteen torpedo boat destroyers now under con- struction, and including all the yachts, steamers, colliers, etc., only a total of 242. Germany has, including torpedo boats and torpedo boat destroyers, about 244 vessels in her navy ; England has about 727, and Russia about 269. But. we have also our own experience as a criterion and by which to compare our present and future needs. In 1867 the peace establishment of the regular army of the United States was put at 54,641 men. In 1893 it had been reduced to 27,862 men ; in 1898 still further reduc- tions had taken place until it numbered but 25,051. At the beginning of the Spanish-American War it was in- creased to 27,700 men, and later, for the emergency of war, to 65,000, and again by Act of Congress March 2, 1899, to 100,000 men. Pessimist: If it was not wrong and unnecessary to have a large standing army, why was the great reduc- tion made in 1867 and 1898 — a 60 per cent decrease? Patriot: The reason for this reduction forms a part of the answer to the doleful warnings of the peace-loving claimants to sanctification, and with the permission of the audience I will postpone the statement of reasons for that reduction to a little later period in the discussion. I shall first attempt to show that the maintenance of 100,000 in the standing army is not without precedent in the United States. It is, indeed, a smaller army in time of war, in pro- portion to our population, and a much smaller army in pro- portion to our wealth than was maintained in 1867 in time of peace. In 1867 our population was, in round numbers, 37,000,000, and the estimated aggregate wealth of the nation was $28,000,000,000. It is thought that the census 148 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST* will show a population of 75,000,000 and that the aggre- gate wealth of the country is $100,000,000,000. It will thus be seen that the present army is but one man to 800 of population, whereas the army of 1S07 was one man to 677 of population, and the ratio of wealth in 1867 to the wealth of 1900 is as I to 3 ; and yet we now have less than two to one of aetual military members. Those who are criticising President McKinley for doing his plain, patri- otic duty are impliedly eritieising Lineoln for that for which the world praised him. I have called your attention to the strength of the navy at the present time, or as it will be in the near future. Our modesty in 1900 is shown further by the comparison of the navy to-day with the navy as it was in 1S64. At that time the national govern- ment had more than coo vessels, or over twice the num- ber — nearly three times the number — now in the service. MILITARY EXCESS IMPOSSIBLE IN REPUBLIC. Patriot : I shall now address myself to the proposition that military excess is impossible under a true republican form of government. Those who try to curry favor with the people by alleg- ing the danger of militarism when the increase of the army or navy is suggested, either wilfully magnify the danger, or else they fail to catch the spirit of representa- tive government. Why has almost every President found it necessary to cultivate a willingness on the part of the people to provide the necessary strength of army and navy, and why is it that notwithstanding their constant admonition, our army and navy have grown unevenly and slowly? The reason is plainly found in the fact that representatives in a representative government are loath to vote taxes upon the people, and will not do so until they are justified by popular opinion. Whenever the PAT} UST? time comes, therefore, tte navy have reached the proper strength, the party advocating a c sation of appropriations for them will be able to ma such an appeal to the American people that the ce will take place. The same calamity prophets busied them- selves in warning the people in the same manner when they were ing the adoption of our national consti- tution, and they were answered most effectively by Mad- n in one of the Federalist papers m which he says : "That the people and the States shou! a sufficient period of time, elect an uninterrupted succession of men ready to betray both ; that the traitors should through th: 1 uniformly and systems. pursue some fixed plan for the extension of the military establishment ; that the governments and the people of the United Sta [entiy and patiently behold the gathering storm and continue to supply the materials until it should be prepared to bur 'heir own heads, must appear to every one more like the incoherent dreams of a delirious jealousy, or the misjudged exaggerations of a counv feit zeal, than like the sober apprehension of genuine patriotism That public servants study to place themselves on rec- 1 in fa ' judicious economy — aye, too often in fa^. excessive, and there" : false economy — is evider. the very fact of inevitable reduction in the strength of our war footing during uninterrupted periods peace. This is the answer to Pessimist's question of a few moments ago. In f the constant warnings of our patriotic Presidents, uniform growth of the navy and army has been in ave had to be developed fits and start a sufficient incr: alv anting in the people in til profound peace, iherent in Arr nt that repr 150 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? atives invariably echo the desire of the people. This condition, though an inconvenience, is nevertheless jus- tified, because it forms one of the strongest pillars of safety in the governmental structure. Resort must there- fore be had to the people's consent under extraordinary conditions when their consent is obtainable. When war clouds are gathering in the peaceful sky or amid the actual clash of arms, or while the sad memories of disaster and the proud deeds of martial heroes linger vividly in the mind, and the moral of needful preparation takes hold upon the imagination — all of which conditions prevail in a cluster about the immediate events of war — at such times, and at such times only, will the people sustain their representatives in their honest zeal for public defense. Since opportunities present themselves at rare intervals, a President of the United States who neglected to make earnest recommendations at these timely seasons would be derelict in his duty and open to the just charge of time- serving. He would be indulging in the worst type of charlatanism imaginable who, for the sake of momentary popularity by display of economy, would neglect the only opportunities which come "in our form of govern- ment, of surrounding the people with the means and facil- ities by which a little later on they can defend their homes, their honor, and the very government itself from the un- foreseen attacks which history teaches us are likely to be made against a nation prepared for war, and abso- lutely certain to be made against a nation which is un- prepared ; and as the President would be culpable for such neglect, so any man who, occupying a position of influence in his community, for the sake of parading his notions of economy, exerts that influence to thwart the President's dutiful effort, is wanting in genuine patriot- ism, for patriotism looks to the safety, comfort and hap- PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 151 piness — not alone of the people to-day living, but of all future generations. In 1797-98 the fear of war with France so stimulated the confidence of the representatives that they authorized the construction and purchase of 27 vessels. These were not needed for the purpose designed, for war was averted ; but with what honor and glory this navy served the in- terests of this government later on let the story of our intrepid resistance to the Barbary States and of the ser- vice of the few little giant vessels, such as Constitution, President, and United States in the War of 1812 relate. If the fear of war with France had not afforded the oppor- tunity for strengthening our navy, or if the President and Congress had been so craven as to neglect that oppor- tunity, the buccaneering triumphs of the Barbary States might have continued indefinitely to lay waste our com- merce at sea, and England's navy, 830 vessels strong, would have made a more pitiable spectacle of the United States than she did in the War of 18 12. Need I multiply illustrations to prove the fact that in our government, so far from there being danger of military excess, exceptional opportunities are essential to sufficient military growth. Pessimist : But who shall say when we get over the line? Suppose when our military has grown a little stronger and thoroughly disciplined, the President should issue such commands as to use this force to perpetuate his office? Patriot has not ventured to answer this part of the objection I made awhile ago. Patriot: I lay it down as a fundamental principle in our government that there can be no such automaton dis- cipline among this free people as would cause a soldier or an officer to commit an act of treason at the command of anybody. The regular army itself would be divided on such a proposition, and I should hate to believe that they 152 PATRIOT OR PESSIM.IS1 : would all be traitors. On the contrary, I would rather believe both for the sake of accuracy and my faith in their manhood that treason will be the exception. Does anyone doubt that soldiers will refuse to follow the com- mander-in-chief when they differ from him on a great national question? It has been demonstrated that they will break the ranks when they are wrong - and the Execu- tive right, as witness the division of our regular army in our War of the Rebellion. The suggestion Pessimist makes contemplates nothing short of treason which would convulse the entire population, throw the country into revolution, and draw a distinct line of separation, on the one side of which would be those ready to abandon the principle of our government and to violate not only the spirit but the letter of the Constitution, which lays down and surrounds with safeguards the methods of election. On this side of the line would be represented only those who, by some inconceivable, unimaginable and impossible magic of thought, would of a sudden conceive a prefer- ence for a king rather than for a President ; for a mon- archy rather than a republic — for a despotism rather than liberty and freedom. If abject subservience on the part of the army to such a condition can by any stretch of the most lurid imagination be conceived, then on this side of the line would be only the army of 100,000 men at most. On the other side of the line would be the patriots who prize the heritage of liberty, freedom and equality, who believe in the representative governments, who regard the right of suffrage and the purity of the ballot as a sacred trust, as binding as an oath before high heaven, and in addition to this there would be lifted against the puny threat of the 100,000 soldiers the mighty arm of the irre- sistible host of militia made up from the 20,000,000 of PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 153 freemen, from each of whom would go forth the defiant appeal made by Patrick Henry : "Give me liberty or give me death." Does any sane person think that a man capa- ble of being selected for the high office of President, which is 'regarded the world over (because it is selec- tion and not by force) the most exalted and the most dis- tinguished honor possible in civic life — does anyone, I say, think that such a man would risk his reputation, his good name, and, indeed, his life, in such a game as that ? Insane would be the President who could think of such a venture ; and no less insane is the man who can picture such a thing as remotely probable. No reasoning man believes it possible. It is pointed out by our adversaries as a part of that spurious political capital which in a pri- vate corporation would be called watered stock. It repre- sents no value. It is a means of obstruction to the on- ward movement of the Ship of State, with objects in view on the part of the obstructionist wholly selfish. He hopes when the majestic vessel slows up, that he will be able to pull his little, old-fashioned craft up beside her and climb on and take charge of the pilot house. Every step forward proposed since the government began has been antagonized by the ultra-conservatives, and these adversaries always assure us that we are blindly rushing over a destructive precipice which they, but not we, can discern, and which will land us in the abyss of monarchy or anarchy, or some other form of utter ruin. Uncle Sam : I would like to ask if any one doubts the wisdom and justice of the attitude of the Administration in increasing the strength of the army and navy. Shall I assume from your silence that the President is right? Voices : He is right. Uncle Sam : Then let us proceed to the subdivision of the discussion which deals with the question of humanity. III. QUESTION OF HUMANITY. Pessimist : Though you seem to have convinced the audience of our legal right to acquire and to govern the Philippines ; and though the audience seem also to believe that it will pay ; that both labor and capital will be bene- fited, and that the danger of international war and the jeopardy of neutrality are less by our ownership than under a protectorate; and that neither of these dangers can be avoided regardless of the Philippines ; and though I stand alone in my belief that the Monroe Doctrine has been violated, and that our army and navy are being de- veloped to an unnecessary and dangerous degree of strength, yet I defy you to convince any of us that the policy pursued is right in the name of humanity. Uncle Sam : Patriot has made such suggestions in regard to the order of treatment of the previous topics as to indicate exhaustive reading and thought upon the en- tire subject. Perhaps he has a plan of outline for the sub- ject of humanity, or will Pessimist offer an outline? Pessimist : I see no reason why we should sub-divide the subject up. It is the trick of a lawyer to tear to pieces a single proposition and talk about the parts instead of the whole, and the purpose is the confusion of the court and jury. I can say what I have to say under the general subject without cutting it to pieces. Uncle Sam : I confess my surprise that Pessimist should discourage analytic thought and discussion. It is a subject for regret that so much haphazard, unscientific and therefore irresponsible criticism should be hurled at all efforts in the direction of progress. How a logical 154 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 155 division of a main subject, with the dissection and study of each step in its proper order, showing its connection with the next step, can result in confusion, I am unable to understand. My own view is that it is precisely this sort of reasoning which leads to the light, and that the cause, however meritorious, which falls into the hands of loose and careless thinkers or men who avoid logic because of its unerring index to truth, is the cause which suffers even at the hands of just courts and juries for the want of lucid presentation. At least I think we should listen to Patriot's plan of outline. Pessimist : Very well, let him spout. Patriot: The question upon which we are about to enter presents itself to my mind in five main divisions. First, we can spend some time to advantage in discussing right and duty, both as to Aguinaldo and his followers, and as to the Filipinos in general, and as to the world ; then, second, some attention should be paid to humanity as taught by the traditions and precedents of the Fathers. We should in the third place consider this main subject as affected, so far as it may be properly affected, by gov- ernment expediency ; then, fourth, the specific question of territorial government in the light of humanity cannot be overlooked ; and last of all, we should take into considera- tion the effect on American civilization. Voices : Very good ; very good. Pessimist : I do not see how I can make such a divi- sion, as I have not thought of it before. I have read charges of unrighteous conduct against the Administra- tion for such unwarranted conduct as the subjugation of the Filipinos, and I do not believe any one can hear what orators have said to this effect without being convinced as I have been convinced ; and I prefer to take up these arguments as they come to my mind and not be annoyed in 15G PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? the discussion by rules and regulations, as Patriot has been insisting upon from the beginning. Uncle Sam : I am constrained to say in the interest of justice and fair discussion that Patriot's outlines so far have been the means of a clearer understanding of the subject, with no tendency to trammel the thoughts of any nor to baffle the course of proper argument. Truth is the object of our search, and we cannot discard the pro- cesses of thought and analysis which have approved themselves to scholars and statesmen since Socrates began to teach merely for the convenience of those who feel a grievance, but who for their own reasons have neglected and failed to put their grievances in the shape of specific and intelligible indictments. If Pessimist prefers to go on in the rambling sort of way which seems to have been his plan from the beginning, it is not within my province as chairman of the meeting to hinder him ; but he can have no reasonable objection if Patriot should pursue his order- ly and logical course in answering Pessimist's arguments. Pessimist may therefore proceed as suits him best. Pessimist: I don't care how Patriot answers, but I propose to produce some burning truths that cannot be denied, no matter how systematic may be his effort. Mr. Bryan says : "Imperialism finds its inspiration in dollars, not in duty. It is not our duty to burden our people with increased taxes in order to give a few speculators an opportunity for exploitation ; it is not our duty to sacrifice the best blood of our nation in tropical jungles in an attempt to stifle the very sentiments which have given vitality to American institutions ; it is not our duty to deny to the people of the Philippines the rights for which our fathers fought from Bunker Hill to Yorktown. Our nation has a mission, but it is to liberate those who are in bondage — not to place shackles on those who are struggling to be free." PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 157 Again Mr. Bryan says : "The main purpose of the founders of our government was to secure for themselves and for posterity the bless- ings of liberty, and that purpose has been faithfully fol- lowed up to this time. Our statesmen have opposed each other upon economic questions, but they have agreed in defending self-government as the controlling national idea. They have quarreled among themselves over tariff and finance, but they have been united in their opposition to an entangling alliance with any European power." Again Mr. Bryan says : "The Philippines are too far away and their people too different from ours to be annexed to the United States even if they desired it." He says : "If an orator of the Fourth of July dares to speak of inalienable rights, or refers with commendation to the manner in which our forefathers resisted taxation without representation, he will be warned to keep silent lest his utterances excite rebellion among distant subjects." Mr. Bryan asks the painfully-suggestive question, "Shall we change the title of our Executive and call him the President of the United States and the Emperor of the Philippines?" Uncle Sam will recall my reference to this sad prospect in our conference at his retreat. Again, Mr. Bryan asks : "If independence is more desirable to our people than a colonial policy, who is there or what is there to prevent the recognition of Philippine independence?" Citizen: Pessimist jumps around from one subject to another so rapidly that I fail to follow him. I am almost dizzy with the effort. It reminds me of looking at a kinetoscope when I was down to New York last summer. I simply hear such a variety of statements following one another with lightning change that I cannot distinguish between them nor grasp the meaning of any of them. Pessimist : I do not see how any man can be so blind to patriotism as to fail to see in these quotations a faith- iv PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST* ful warning against the most terrible evils of our time; and what objection can there be to massing these evils ■ and destroying them all at once? Whal is the use of mak- ing peace with any of them? Although 1 am frank to say that I have not pointed out anything like all the wrongs of the Government, language fails me to depict the terrible evils of our time. When the moneyed men <>f the coun- try can eorncr all the money in the United States and let the poor wage earners starve ; when gigantic hydra- headed eorporations hover over the entire country, fas- tening their tentacles upon all the industries and sucking the life blood out of labor, and when on top of this the President of the United States places a crown upon his own head and seats himself upon a throne and conducts a devastating and cruel war for the purpose of subjugat- ing a foreign people and bringing them under the hated rule of colonial empire, and when men will set themselves up to justify all this infamy in the name of humanity, I think it is time to call a halt ; and 1 refuse to be hindered in the missionary work of enlightening the people as to their condition of slavery by any set of rules and regula- tions of debate taught by professors in millionaire college.- whose very positions depend upon their training the youth of the land to betray our country. Uncle Sam : I trust, sir, you will not make it necessarv for me to repeat in public the warnings I felt certain it was necessary for me to give to you in private about the degeneration of argument into mere abuse. Pessimist: I thought I had some rights at this meet- ing. I was to be the principal speaker, and did not sup- pose even you would attempt to hinder me in my speech. The people want to hear the truth, and I propose to give it to them. I care not what Patriot or anybody else may think, so long as the people are with me I shall continue to preach the gospel of liberty and freedom. Uncle Sam : Even in the face of propriety of speech I have such an abiding faith in the good judgment of my people that I shall interpose no objection to your pro- PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST ? L59 ceeding in the way you have set out, provided they shall desire to hear you. I appeal to the audience — shall he go on? Multitude- of Voices: No, No! Put him out! Hear Patriot ! Uncle Sam: I trust I interpret the voice of the audi- ence rightly when I say that you are willing to hear Pessimist also if he will he orderly and respectful in his remarks. Voices : Certainly, certainly. Uncle Sam : You understand, then, Pessimist, that you are welcome to continue the debate in a fair way. Do you accept the conditions? Pessimist : If Patriot will first answer the arguments I have reproduced from Mr. Bryan I shall then have some- thing more to say, and shall try to say it with that degree of refinement and culture which seems so much to suit the taste of imperialists, who would like to hobnob with kings and princes. Citizen : I have no desire to hobnob with kings and princes. I want only what is fair and just and economical in government, and I think the rest of the people here feel the same way. We approve the kind of discussion rec- ommended by Uncle Sam, and we do not want any reflec- tions cast upon our taste. Pessimist : Let Patriot talk awhile. Patriot: Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: I deeply regret that anything has occurred to occasion the slightest ill feeling on the part of Pessimist. It was my sincere wish that the discussion might go on with an eye single to truth. Neither anger nor passion — nor, indeed, impatience — constitutes a suitable vehicle for the convey- ance of truth. Reason is the mother of truth, and fairness 160 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST/ its handmaid. I trust that Pessimist will conform to these views and give us the benefit of his ideas in the residue of this discussion. I, for one, believe that Ameri- can manhood has nothing- to fear, even from intemperate, exaggerated and untruthful utterances of demagogues or misguided partisans, because we do not act until we have consulted the true oracle of wisdom and tested it by the rule of fairness ; but it takes longer to accomplish this desired end against promiscuous and erratic charges than if these charges are brought intelligently and sincerely. The arguments, such arguments as they were, set forth by Pessimist, run the entire gamut of our discussion, and indeed, reach out into other fields. For example, he has raised the discussion of the dollar argument, which we disposed of in the early part of the discussion. He tells us that the Philippines are too far away, after having admitted our claim with reference to "remoteness." Still other of his arguments distribute themselves over the remaining portion of the discussion. He speaks of tax- ation without representation, which, it is submitted, can best be treated in connection with American Traditions and Precedents. He charges us that we have entered upon a colonial policy, which comes under the topic of Territorial Government ; he refers to the entangling alli- ances, which has already been treated in part as a question of fact under the topic of International War and Neutral- ity, and, which may further properly be treated as a ques- tion of humanity under the topic of Right and Duty as to the world. And so I see no way to give this audience the benefit of my views except to take up these questions in the order indicated by me awhile ago ; and since Pessi- mist lias requested me to talk awhile, I invite your atten- tion to the first topic under the question of Humanity. PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST f 1(31 RIGHT AND DUTY. Patriot : In order to a still more clear understanding of this topic, I suggest that we consider it under three sub-topics. First, as to Aguinaldo and the Insurgents ; and I would like to ask Pessimist if he has anything to offer at this particular juncture. AS TO AGUINALDO AND INSURGENTS. Pessimist : I would like to read a passage from Rev. Van Dyke's sermon. He says : "No party, no administration, could have received the loyal support of the whole people unless it had written on its banner the splendid motto, 'Not for gain, not for territory, but for freedom and human brotherhood.' That avowal alone made the war popular and successful ; for that cause alone Christians could pray with a sincere heart, and the mothers give their sons to death by slaugh- ter and disease-, and lovers of liberty take up the unselfish sword." Let us see how much a true devotion of analysis will aid Patriot in replying to this. Patriot : No reply is necessary. I most heartily sub- scribe to it, and if this discussion results in demonstrating that the war in the Philippines is for gain and for territory only, and is against freedom and human brotherhood, then I shall vote success to Pessimist in all the claims he makes. But it is easily demonstrable that the war and the Ameri- can control of the Philippines make for freedom and human progress, while incidentally it results in gain and added territory. We should not lose sight of our prop- erty rights in the Philippines which the former part of this discussion has demonstrated, and we shall not fail to see that in asserting our property rights we are perform- ing the highest duty and recognizing the most salutary 162 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? right of Aguinaldo and all the other tenants of our prop- erty there. The trouble with Pessimist is that he confuses liberty with ownership of property. When did we adopt the "leveling system" of anarchy which contends that no man is free who is bound to recognize a superior author- ity ? The moment we admit that Aguinaldo and the insur- gents, who are in possession of a part of the Philippines, should be pronounced the owners of the islands when the title changed hands, we must, to be consistent, say to every tenant of real estate : "Watch the records of trans- fer, and if your landlord should ever sell this property instead of making attornment to the purchaser, assert your claim as owner." Such advice might have been ac- ceptable properly enough in the Place de la Concorde dur- ing the Reign of Terror, but in America, where the rights of property are held sacred, no such advice will ever be given by any. one in authority, and it would not be accept- ed by the tenant himself if it were given. Such advice is of the same ilk as that which recommends that the prop- erty of the industrious and frugal should be divided up equally with the idle, shiftless and degenerate. Pessimist : But Aguinaldo and the other Filipinos are laying claim to their own native soil, to which I contend they have the right as against the Americans. Patriot: Once more I declare that our possession of the Philippines is by consent of the Filipinos, but, in addi- tion to this fact, it is in keeping with the progress of civilization. History scarcely reaches back far enough to determine the right of title to any territory anywhere on the question of priority. If we are to condemn ourselves for taking territory for the pupose of civilization, then we must place the blame futher back, because we have in- herited that idea from our ancestors, and he who quarrels PATRIOT UK PESSIMIST t 163 with President McKiniey for his policy in the Philippines would quarrel with George Rogers Clark for invading the territory of which the State where we are holding this celebrated meeting is a part. He would, by implication, say that this great garden spot of the Central States ought still to be a part of the Province of Quebec. He would call Pontiac a patriot as he does Aguinaldo, he would condemn the French and Indian War of 1754 and call Major Washington a despised imperialist for trying to capture Fort Duquesne. But his sophistry would carry him further back, and condemn the Indians themselves because they drove out and exterminated the Mound Builders. Indeed, he could not be sure that the Mound Builders themselves were the rightful occupants of the soil, for perhaps they in turn drove out some other peo- ples. Such is the folly of trying to square the conduct of progressive civilization with puristic, holier-than-thou theories in the hands of demagogues. There is a prac- tical side to American nature which seems to mete out justice, though it must sometimes ride over those who refuse to progress. Had Aguinaldo done nothing to de- serve our animosity he would still have no right nor claim upon our duty for any ownership in the Philippines out- side of that ownership which belongs to the citizens of other territories, legally and properly acquired and held by the United States. Pessimist: Do you mean to say that Aguinaldo is at fault? Patriot : I certainly do declare it. He plotted an as- sault upon the American army. Pessimist : I don't believe it. Our soldiers fired the first shot. 164 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? Patriot : That proves nothing. We fired the first shot in the war with Spain. WHO PROVOKED THE PHILIPPINE WAR? Patriot : The real question is not who struck the first blow, but who, according to the code of national honor, made the first blow necessary? I therefore admit with- out discussion that we did fire the first shot, but it was done after the most wanton provocation on the part of the insurgents. Pessimist : They were acting within their rights. They were insisting upon that recognition which had been promised by our consul-general at Singapore through Aguinaldo, and when they saw they were going to be subjugated, and that the success of America meant not the riddance of a master but a change of masters, they availed themselves of their right to protest. They had no assurance from the President, such as the Cubans had, that our purpose was in the interest of humanity and not territorial aggression. Why should the President refuse to speak? Why should Congress, when it had the opportunity, refuse to pass the Bacon Resolution, which specifically outlined the future policy of the United States in the Philippines ; and who can blame Aguinaldo and his compatriots for protesting against our conduct when we thus refused to announce our purpose? The protest made by Aguinaldo and his soldiers was not such as should cause our soldiers to fire upon them. Uncle Sam : The charge Pessimist makes that our sol- diers fired without justification is a serious one. It is perfectly admissible in this discussion, if true; but it should be accompanied by unquestionable proof or else be left unmade. Pessimist : I can prove it by letters from the boys at the front, and by Senator Hoar, Senator Pettigrew, Mr. Brvun and a number of other eminent authorities. PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 165 Patriot : In order to settle this question, permit me to quote from the report of the Philippine Commission, offi- cially made in Washington, Nov, 2, 1899, by the Com- missioners, J. G. Schurman, George Dewey, Charles Denby and Dean C. Worcester. You can get a full copy of this report if you will drop a postal card to the Secre- tary of State, and it is well worth reading, because it is not hearsay, but official testimony and conclusive proof of the situation in the Philippines. That report says : "All manner of abuses were indulged in by the Insur- gent troops, who committed assaults and robberies, and, under the order of Gen. Pio del Pilar, even kidnaped natives who were friendly to Americans and carried them off into the mountains or killed them. In the interest of law and order it became necessary to order the Filipino forces back, and this order made them angry." The Report then relates the organization of the "popu- lar clubs" in Manila and vicinity under military order from Aguinaldo, the object of which clubs was "to pro- voke bitterness toward the Americans," and "to attack us from within Manila while the regular Insurgent troops at- tacked us from without." Again the Report says : "It is now known that elaborate plans had been per- fected for a simultaneous attack by the forces within and without Manila. * * * A signal by means of rockets had been agreed upon, and it was universally understood that it would come upon the occurrence of the first act on the part of the American forces which would afford a pre- text ; and in the lack of such act, in the near future at all events." The Report then goes on to show a most per- sistent and hateful effort on the part of the Insurgents to draw our fire, violating the orders of our officers and then openly calling our soldiers cowards for not firing. In order to further facilitate their preparation for the secret 166 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? attack, they pretended a desire for peace by diplomacy, and time after time sought conferences with our officers. Six sessions were held, during all of which Aguinaldo was secretly advising those "friendly to him" to seek refuge outside the city. And now note how it came that the brave boys from Nebraska, acting as they believed in the interest of patriotism and in the interest of right, fired upon these Filipino Rebels who were insulting our flag, and who were at the same time being advised by Mr. Bryan, also of Nebraska, that they had a right to do so. The Report says : "On the evening of the 4th of February an Insurgent officer came to the front with a detail of men and at- tempted to pass the guard on the San Juan bridge, our guard being stationed at the west end of the bridge. The Nebraska sentinel drove them back without firing, but a few minutes before nine o'clock that evening a large body of Insurgent troops made an advance on the South Da- kota outpost, which fell back rather than fire. About the same time the Insurgents came in force to the east end of the San Juan bridge in front of the Nebraska regiment. For several nights prior thereto an lieutenant in the In- surgent army had been coming regularly to our outpost number two of the Nebraska regiment and attempting to force the outpost back and insisting upon posting his guard within the Nebraska lines ; and at this time and in the darkness he again appeared with a detail of about six men and approached Private Grayson of Co. D, 1st Nebraska Volunteers, the sentinel on duty at Outpost No. 2. He, after halting them three times without effect, fired, killing the lieutenant, whose men returned the fire and retreated." If anyone doubts the conspiracy set on foot by Agui- naldo to kill indiscriminately men, women and children, combatants or non-combatants alike, who might happen to be in Manila, let him pay attention to the next sen- tence of the Report : PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 167 "Immediately rockets were sent up by the Filipinos and they commenced firing all along the line. * * * And about four o'clock on the morning of February 5 the Insurgents again opened fire all around the city and kept it up until the Americans charged them and drove them, with great slaughter, out of their trenches." So much for an authentic statement of the facts. Hav- ing heard the facts, you, ladies and gentlemen, have a right to your own opinions ; but it may not be amiss if I quote you the expert opinion of the Commissioners them- selves. They say: "Deplorable as war is, the one in which we are now en- gaged was unavoidable by us. We were attacked by a bold, adventurous and enthusiastic army, and no alterna- tive was left to us except ignominious retreat." Bear in mind that the evidence upon which this opinion is based is of the highest order. The mails have been loaded with letters from the boys to the same effect, and, as stated in the earlier part of this discussion, if we were compelled to resort to this sort of testimony, both the earnestness and the number of communications support- ing the Administration would equal, if they did not ex- ceed, those opposing them ; but I have chosen rather to rest the case upon the kind of testimony which a court would receive and which appeals most strongly to genu- ine seekers after truth in all such cases. Uncle Sam: Will Pessimist now claim that our sol- diers were unjustifiable in firing? Pessimist: Perhaps as soldiers they could do noth- ing else, but the policy of the government which com- pelled them to fire was wrong, and therefore I contend that, going back further, it can be shown that the Amer- icans, and not Aguinaldo, provoked the war. They had been told that victory for us meant victory for them, and when they began to doubt this and called upon 168 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST: the President to declare his policy lie refused to do so. They were, therefore, justified in resorting to force. Patriot: Waiving the question of brutality and Aguinaldo's plan of butchering innocent and alleged guilty alike, which was perpetrated, and as far as pos- sible executed by the insurgents, I undertake to say that all the assurances authoritatively made by the United States Government have been carried out in a way that is satisfactory to the great majority of the Filipinos, as I shall prove a little later on, though naturally it does not meet with the precise wish of Aguinaldo and his co- adventurers who had in mind the establishment of a despotism under the name of republic; and I make bold still further to assert that even if our purpose had not been carried out at that time, the demands of Aguinaldo for a declaration of purpose were premature and unrea- sonable, because in the very nature of things we had no opportunity, up to that time, to ascertain facts sufficient upon which to build the administrative purpose,, and for the further reason that the declaration of civil purpose* during the continuance of war, or under the threat of war, would have been without precedent. Such a course be- longs to the nation suing for conditional peace rather than to the nation whose just cause and strength of arms both compel and enable it to exact unconditional surrender. Insurgent sympathizers in the United States have acted as if they would hold a stop-watch over the President, constituting themselves the judges, not only of what the President, in his executive discretion, should do, but when he should do it, and while mercilessly condemning him for not acting hastily and upon partial or imperfect information, they themselves, in the very act of con- demning him, do so upon mere guess as to the situation. PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST f 169 The Bacon resolution was so great an interference with executive authority in time of war as almost to entitle it to be called impertinent. No one could doubt its ten- dency to aggravate war conditions, just as the repeated efforts to compel President Lincoln to outline his recon- struction plans before the War of the Rebellion was over made the termination of that war more difficult and more expensive. In trying to ascertain who provoked the Philippine war these questions must be taken into consideration. Those who insist upon doubting the loyal purpose of the President and who attempt to wring from him in ad- vance an expression which he should be allowed to withhold until the restoration of peace, are no less absurd than the youth who, having suddenly reached the first stages of manhood in the opinion of others, but having grown to full stature of body and mind in his own opinion, conceived it to be the proper and smart thing to discipline his father; and so he requested his father to make a new declaration of duty toward his neighbors, and threatened that unless he made it in public he would inform the neighbors that they had a right to fall out with him and call him a traitor to the traditions of the family and an ingrate in the fraternity of neighbors. Just compare for one moment the quality of mind and soul in the man who will thus embarrass the govern- ment and question motives in such rank haste with the quality of mind and soul in Admiral Decatur, who said: "My country! May she always be right; but right or wrong, my country!" Pessimist. But, as Mr. Bryan has said: "Our nation owes it to the nations with which we have dealings, as well as to the inhabitants of Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines, to announce immediately what 170 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? it intends to do respecting the territory surrendered by Spain." Patriot: Whatever may have been the supposition on the part of Anti-Expansionists a year ago, it is now cer- tainly plain to everybody that the majority of the Fili- pinos were satisfied, and are to-day satisfied, with the declaration of purpose which was made. The attitude of the Administration all along has been clearly under- stood by those who were not looking for little flaws, to be the same as that announced by the President in his Ocean Grove speech: "Peace first; then, with charity for all, establish a gov- ernment of law and order, protecting life and property, and occupation for the wellbeing of the people who will participate in it under the Stars and Stripes." It is no surprise that the people who insisted upon a premature declaration of purpose immediately upon the announcement just quoted, began to question the Presi- dent's sincerity in the utterance; but in the second place, replying to the quotation which Pessimist just made from Mr. Bryan, no nation owes anything to a hostile nation, a rebellwus faction nor to a seditious person. To estab- lish such precedent would immediately give the right of secession not alone to territory owned by the United States, where all the people desire it, but where a self- constituted faction of pretended rulers make the demand. Pessimist: But Aguinaldo had been promised inde- pendence for the Filipinos. STATUS OF AGUINALDO. Pessimist: Mr. Bryan says, in one of his articles on Imperialism : "In the formal protest filed with the Peace Commis- sioners in Paris, the representatives of Aguinaldo assert PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? m that they received friendly assurances from the United States officials, and acted upon those assurances in co- operating against Spain." Patriot: Over against the testimony which Mr. Bryan has seen fit to accept, namely, that of the emissaries of the rebels themselves, I should like to impose the testi- mony of the Philippine Commission, which accepts and endorses as a committee the following statement of Ad- miral Dewey: "No alliance of any kind was entered into with Aguinaldo, nor was any promise made to him then or any other time." Pessimist: But did not our consul-general, Mr. E. Spencer Pratt, at Singapore, send Aguinaldo to Admiral Dewey to assist him in putting down the Spaniards, and did not General Anderson treat him as an ally? And would Aguinaldo have aided us with any other under- standing? Patriot: Taking up Pessimist's questions one at a time, I should say in the first place that Aguinaldo would naturally act with the Americans to destroy the power of Spain, since it could be destroyed in no other way, and since he had in mind, as subsequent events proved, the subtle purpose to seize the fruits of the victory from the Americans when it should have been achieved. I have read you what ought to be accepted as sufficient evidence — and, indeed, sufficient authority — upon which to base our conclusions; but I may add in answer to your last question, first, that if Mr. Pratt, in sending Aguinaldo to Dewey made any promise of independence, he ex- ceeded his authority specifically given by the Secretary of State, and such, promise, therefore, would not be bind- ing upon this government. It would not be bind- ing even if Mr. Pratt had not been instructed to refrain from such promise. It would be binding only if made 172 PATRIOT GR PESSIMIST? with the President's affirmative sanction. But Dewey promised Aguinaldo nothing — he merely used him as a volunteer assistant without compromising the sov- ereignty at home. Pessimist: This does not agree with Aguinaldo's rep- resentation as was shown by Senator Pettigrew's recent statements in the Senate. Patriot: You seem to forget the reply to Senator Pet- tigrew by Senator Lodge, which left Aguinaldo's sym- pathizers no ground to stand on; and in addition to the argument, Senator Lodge read the following letter, writ- ten as late as Jan. 30, 1900, by Admiral Dewey himself: "Washington, Jan. 30, 1900. "Dear Senator Lodge : The statement of Emilio Agui- naldo, as recently published in the Springfield Repub- lican, as far as it relates to me, is a tissue of falsehoods. I never promised directly or indirectly independence for the Filipinos. I never treated him as an ally, except to make use of him and the soldiers to assist me in my operations against the Spaniards. He never alluded to the word 'independence' in any conversation with me or my officers. "The statement that I received him with military hon- ors or saluted the so-called Filipino flag is absolutely false. Sincerely yours, George Dewey/' Whom will the people believe — Senator Lodge, cor- roborated by Admiral Dewey, or Senator Pettigrew, cor- roborated by Aguinaldo? Chorus of Voices: Lodge and Dewey, of course. Pessimist: But why did not General Otis yield to Aguinaldo's request for a cessation of hostilities and for the establishment of a neutral zone between our armies and the Filipino insurgents. Aguinaldo explained that the firing had been a mistake, PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 1?3 Patriot: Of course, after this treacherous effort to lead our soldiers into ambush had met with a dismal fail- ure, the same treachery prompted him to try by other means to accomplish his wanton purpose. In other words, if he could win by surprise and attack, all well, but if that fail, then he would resort to crafty diplomacy. Of course, General Otis would not yield. No American general would submit to such trifling and such humility. Not to demand unconditional surrender in such a case would be to cast an unjustifiable reflection upon the name of America's most illustrious warrior — General Grant — who, in answer to Buckner's request for a parley at Ft. Donelson, said: "No terms except an unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted. I propose to move immediately upon your works." This process of obtain- ing peace was met by General Buckner in the same spirit as was General Otis' plan of securing peace by conquer- ing and not fooling with the enemy. General Buckner, in yielding, said to General Grant that he had decided, "notwithstanding the brilliant success of the Confeder- ate armies yesterday, to accept the ungenerous and un- chivalrous terms which you propose." As Grant was justified by the American people in demanding uncon- ditional surrender when he possessed the power to exact it, so will the conduct of General Otis be commended by all who admire American courage and believe in American justice. In the next place, the mere fact that Aguinaldo and his associates aided in putting down the Spanish war gives him and his chiefs no right as against the great body of Filipinos. Indians and Indian chiefs have aided us against the British, but that did not make allies of the Indians. It did put upon us the duty of doing justice toward the Indians, and perhaps of rendering special 174 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST f favors to the persons giving us aid, provided always that they do not forfeit their claims upon us by treachery or some other act of illegality which we could not look upon with favor. If the act of accepting aid gives the one ren- dering aid the right to dictate the terms of a settlement, then let no nation accept the aid of an individual or a nation unless it is ready to yield up its independence. Aguinaldo's position from the time the treaty was signed — if not, indeed, from the time Manila was cap- tured, was precisely that of any inhabitant of any other territory of the United States who puts himself in oppo- sition either by protest or by force of arms, or by vote, to the authority of the United States in that territory; and no amount of bluster or sentimentalism can wreathe for him a garland to cover up the scar of treason which his own stubbornness has fixed upon his rebellious head. AS TO FILIPINOS AS A WHOLE. Patriot: It is the belief of the Administration that the Filipinos, as a whole, desire the government which the United States has arranged to administer over that coun- try as our territory. If this be true, then the "consent of the governed" theory literally interpreted would make it incumbent upon the United States to do what it is doing. Assuming for the moment that this is true, but postponing proof to a later point in the discussion, we are right. Pessimist: But suppose you cannot prove it. Patriot: I can and shall by such evidence as would be acceptable to a reasonable man; but even if the proof should be considered imperfect, temperate judgment would be suspended until sufficient time shall have elapsed for the full and satisfactory proof to be adduced, PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST t 175 if it can be adduced. Moreover, since the acquisition of the territory and our control over it have the sanction of legal right, the burden rests upon those who oppose our control to show that the majority of the people oppose it, and not upon us to show that they favor it. But when we come to discuss a little later on the char- acter of the people themselves, we will, I think, find justi- fication for carrying out the policy which the law of our own land and of all nations approves, even if the majority of the Filipinos did not approve it. It is our duty to lift them up and put them on a higher plane of civilization. Pessimist: If they are happy and contented without our aid, what business have we to interfere with that happiness and contentment? Patriot: Contentment is not necessarily an accom- paniment of the highest life. Indeed, it is thought by many philosophers that it is detrimental to progress. The pleasure of achievement leaves no room for content- ment with the things already achieved. The moment one terrace is reached in climbing the mountain of civiliza- tion, the eye is cast upward to another, and still another, 'and the mind is not content so long as there are higher possibilities. This is true both of men and nations; and where the cosmic life comes in conflict with the individual life, the individual must give way in order that society may move on. The small society in turn must give way in order that the large may move on. When the Terri- torial government of Indiana was established in 1800 the people complained, saying that it imposed upon them taxes for officials which prior to that time they had been able to avoid; but the larger society, that of the nation itself, took the matter in hand, and as "good reasons 176 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? must perforce give way to better," this little society with its narrow view was forced to yield, and the result was a forward step in cosmic life. Law and order soon pre- vailed against irresponsible interference of one person against another, or one neighborhood against another; organized force was built up to oppose the savage upris- ings all around the neighborhood; schools were estab- lished and paid for out of the taxes, which, though also opposed by a large percentage of the people — perhaps the majority — who had not come to realize the value of education, nevertheless in the end proved a great bene- faction to the people of the territory, and finally the State and Nation. Had Mr. Bryan been in the forum at that time, his voice, undoubtedly, would have led the chorus against this practical, common-sense advance, on the sentimental ground that the people in the terri- tory had a claim upon the United States Government by right and duty which should allow them to govern themselves in their own imperfect way. Pessimist: But you forget that we had an alliance with the Filipinos. Mr. Bryan says: "Must we make subjects of the Filipinos now because we made allies of them in the war with Spain? France did not recognize any such obligation when she helped us throw off British supremacy." Patriot: I have already shown that there was no alliance. But addressing myself to Mr. Bryan's refer- ence to France, I would say that if, on the conclusion of our war with Great Britain, a band of Americans had turned upon Lafayette and his French compatriots, and with insinuations of cowardice and other insults had compelled them to fire upon those Americans, such con- duct would have been just cause of war against those PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 177 Americans by France; and this is the precise situation now. If, in the illustration given, the United States had supported the band of Americans in their insult against the French, the cause of war would have been against the United States. I believe it will be shown to the satisfaction of the people here that the Filipinos have not supported Aguinaldo and the insurgents, and that we are pursuing our original policy in the government of the Filipinos — not against their will, but in conformity therewith. All admit that we have the legal right to take the territory and that we have the legal right to govern it. But even those who on moral grounds oppose our governing the inhabitants admit our moral right to take the territory for the ultimate good of the Filipinos. How much time, I would ask, have we a right and duty to consume in working out their good? I answer that even on this ground, waiving for the moment our duty to our- selves and to the rest of the world, and even waiving the question of their consent, we have the right to keep them until, in our judgment, that good has been worked out, whether the time required be a year, a decade, or a century. And right here I would like to quote a word from Bishop Spalding. He says: "At the present moment America, if simple truth may be uttered without incurring a suspicion of conceit, repre- sents the general tendency and sentiment of the modern age more than any other country." Again he says: "Democracy itself is not an end, but a means. The end is a nobler, wiser, stronger, more beneficent kind of man and woman," Now in the first place the government we are giving the Filipinos is a representative government to the same 178 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST.' extent as that we are giving to other of our territories. And in the second place, if it is not a pure democracy of and by themselves, it bears the test applied by Bishop Spalding, because it works out a nobler purpose for the people themselves than could any means at their hands if left alone. The Philippine Commission in their report corrobo- rate the general opinion indulged in America when they say: "Should our power by any fatality be withdrawn the Commission believe that the government of the Philippines would speedily lapse into anarchy, which would excuse, if it did not necessitate, the intervention of other powers and the eventual division of the islands among them. I >nly through American occupation, therefore, is the idea of a free, self-governing and united Philippine com- monwealth at all conceivable. And the indispensable need from the Filipino point of view of maintaining American sovereignty over the archipelago is recognized by all intelligent Filipinos and even by those insurgents who desire an American protectorate. The latter, it is true, would take the revenues and leave us the responsi- bilities. Nevertheless they recognize the indubitable fact that the Filipinos cannot stand alone. Thus the welfare of the Filipinos coincides with the dictates of national honor in forbidding our abandonment of the archipelago. We cannot, from any point of view, escape the responsibilities of government which our sovereignty entails, and the Commission is strongly persuaded that the performance of our national duty will prove the great- est blessing to the people of the Philippine Islands." When we take into consideration the responsibility placed on the Commissioners — a knowledge on their part that their recommendations and their statement of fact would go into the archives of our nation and become a part of its history, to be pointed to in after generations to the end of time with pride or justifiable derision, ac- PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 179 cording as they shall have told the truth and reached wise conclusions or stated falsehoods and erroneous con- clusions, the value of this expert judgment and this care- ful statement of facts cannot be overestimated. We are forced to the conclusion, therefore, that they knew what they were talking about, that they told the truth and that their deductions are wise. In addition to all this, let us call to witness Aguinaldo himself as to what is probably best for the Philippine people; for while we must require the strictest corrobo- ration of his testimony when it is given in his own inter- est, yet, as I have intimated before in this discussion, evidence given by him or anyone else against interest, is admissible. In a letter addressed to Mr. Williams, United States Consul at Manila, Aguinaldo says: "These islands will be in effect one of the richest and pleasantest countries of the globe if the capital and industry of North Americans come to develop the soil. You say all this and yet more will result from annexing ourselves to your people, and I also believe the same, and have said it. But why should we say it? Will my people believe it?" . Here is an acknowledgment by Aguinaldo himself that the best interests of the Filipinos would be subserved by annexation to the United States if they could only be made to believe it; and yet after his vain effort to create disbelief it is found that the large body of the Filipinos have faith that our government of the Philippines is to their advantage. Pessimist: Aguinaldo never seriously thought what he said in this letter. He was advised by his American lawyers, that this attitude would prove good diplomacy and was persuaded to resort to these gentler methods to subserve his purpose. 180 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? Patriot: I am willing to accept this view set forth by Pessimist, for the reason that we are not confined to Aguinaldo for proof that it is better for the Filipinos that we should govern them, and for the additional reason that a knowledge of the source of Aguinaldo's state papers sheds important light upon very much of his conduct, and tends to confirm the claim made by Senator Bever- idge and others that the responsibility for the death of our soldiers and the continuance of the war rests upon the opponents of the Administration in the United States. I suggest that we divide the question of our right and duty toward the Filipinos into sub-topics, the first of which to be, Had they a Government? HAD THEY A GOVERNMENT? Patriot: I respectfully submit that where a people were so demoralized and broken up as they were, the intervention of some stronger power which can maintain order makes for the happiness and prosperity of the weaker people. Pessimist: But they had a government, under a con- stitution regularly adopted, which provided for a legis- lature, a judiciary and an executive government. The result of the work of the Americans is simply to create disorder and divide the Filipinos among themselves. Patriot: So little claim has been made to the existence of a government of law and order among the Filipinos for the past several years, when they have been subjected to the devastation of the Spanish and the Philippine army alike, that it may be worth while to pay attention in detail to the kind of government which really existed as a foundation for Pessimist's claim of an orderly govern- ment. PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 181 On June 19, 1898, Aguinaldo established by decree what he himself called a "dictatorial government." The arbitrary provisions of this "constitution" — if the Amer- ican mind can grasp as a definition of constitution a proclamation which leaves all the power in the hands of one man — were so soon laid aside that its provisions may be passed over in charity, and we may confine our investi- gation to his so-called later "constitution," which was intended to be enough milder to conciliate the Filipinos. June 23 he issued this other decree, or proclamation, establishing what he calls "The Revolutionary Govern- ment." If there is anything in mere name, perhaps this is an improvement, both in the "constitution" and the execution of it. In it he says: "The dictator will be entitled hereafter President of the Revolutionary Gov- ernment." Article 10 reads: "The President of the Government is the personifica- tion of the Philippine people, and in accordance with this idea it shall not be possible to hold him responsible while he holds the office. His term of office shall last until the revolution triumphs, unless under extraordinary circumstances he shall feel obliged to offer his resigna- tion in Congress, in which case Congress shall elect who- soever it considers most fit." Pessimist: Is not that a fair proposition? He can hold his office only so long as the revolution lasts, and if he resigns it sooner, Congress is in power to elect h;s successor? Patriot: An evidence of Aguinaldo's own confidence in the intelligence of the Filipinos may be found in his effort to deceive them just as he seems to have deceived you on this point. Article 24, separated from Article 10 by a recital of various rights and duties in the Congress, the judiciary 182 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? and the people, contains the real joker which Aguinaldo held in his own hand. This Article says : "The acts of Congress shall not take effect until the President of the government orders their fulfillment and execution." It is difficult to understand how the same person can regard this paper constitution or declaration as a govern- ment of the Filipinos and at the same time declaim with such an injured air on the bounteous blessings of free government of which we are alleged to be robbing the Filipinos. The actual condition of the government which the Filipinos had is better understood from the following passage in the report of the Philippine Commission : 'Tn general, such machinery of 'government' as existed served only for plundering the people under the pretext of levying "war contributions' while many of the insurgent officials were accumulating wealth. The administration of justice was paralyzed and crime of all sorts was ram- pant. Might was the only law. Xever in the worst days of Spanish misrule had the people been so overtaxed or so badly governed. Futhermore, there was no organiza- tion which international law would recognize as the beginning of a government." Hall says : "The commencement of a State dates, nevertheless, from its recognition by other powers; that is to say, from the time at which they accredit ministers to it, or con- clude treaties with it, or in some other way enter into such relations with it as exists between states alone." No power had dreamed of any such recognition. Thus disappears the last vestige of claim to independent gov- ernment. Pessimist: Even if they had not a satisfactory gov- PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 183 ernment at the time, it does not follow that they could not organize one if let alone, and I contend that the people of the Philippine Islands were opposed to our organiz- ing the government for them. Patriot : This brings us to the next topic I intended to suggest. WHAT IS THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY? Patriot : Much has already been said from time to time in the course of our discussions as to the will of the ma- jority of the Filipinos, and I think the audience would rather review in their own minds our preceding argu- ments than to hear them repeated in substance at this juncture. Pessimist: Time would be wasted anyway in specu- lating on this question which the government authori- ties seem bent upon concealing from us. They have instituted such censorship, in the name of military law, that the American press cannot learn the truth. If the truth could be known I venture to say that the large majority of the Filipinos are opposed to American annex- ation. Patriot: I shall make no further reference to the effect of censorship than merely to say that according to Pessimist's previous statements very many letters seem to have reached America criticising the Adminis- tration, all of which goes to indicate that they are free to write to their families and friends at home anything they please. If the government is open to criticism at all on account of censorship, it is because the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press have been extended further during this war than usual, even in the United States, and further than was ever heard of in any other country. It will be presumed by all reasonable men that 184 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? no information upon this subject has been concealed from us by the government. And again, in this case as in the others, where Pessimist relies upon hearsay testi- mony, as many and probably more letters have been published expressing the belief that the majority do favor our government than of those which believe the contrary. But in addition to this hearsay testimony we have also in this case the benefit of the expert opinion of the Philippine Commission. Speaking of the condi- tion of affairs at the time General McArthur became active in the Philippines, the Report says: "The natives, at the order of General Luna, fired their towns before his advancing column. Those who were unwilling to leave their homes were driven out by insur- gent soldiers, who burned their houses. The object of this inhuman procedure was to compel the inhabitants to flee before us, and thus prevent their learning from ex- perience that the fearful tales concerning our soldiers, with which they had been deceived, were myths." The report further says of the Filipinos: "They had been plundered by the insurgent troops, who had robbed them of their jewels, money, clothing and even food, so that they were literally starving. Peaceable citizens had been fired on. Women had been maltreated and there was general satisfaction that the Americans had. come at last." Again, after describing the local self-government estab- lished by the Commission, to which I shall allude in par- ticular a little later on, the report says : "In every instance enthusiasm ran high before we took our departure, and when we left, cheers were raised for General Lawton and for the country which he repre- sents. * * * Deputations came secretly from many important towns, begging us to advance our lines and do for them what we had done for Bacoor and Imus." PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 185 Pessimist: Well, since we cannot tell certainly whether the majority favor the United States Govern- ment there or not, let us move on to the next topic, whatever it is. Patriot: I am ready to rest this part of the case without further argument, although I do not concede the impossibility stated. By the code of political science proof positive has been adduced that we have their con- sent — i. e., we have proved it by the sort of evidence that would appeal to a reasonable man. Political science is not an exact science. Conclusions as to what is best in government are not arrived at by mathematical de- duction, nor with mathematical exactness. Those charged with the responsible duty of government exam- ine all the data at hand, converse with representative people of all the varied views, weigh all the testimony thus accumulated in the scale of political experience and wisdom, and then render a decision. He who persists in disputing the decision thus found falls in the same category with him who declines to accept axiomatic truths, and with whom philosophers and scientists refuse to reason further. But unless Pessimist has something more to say, let us take up the next topic. CLIMATE, RACE AND ADAPTABILITY TO SELF GOVERNMENT. Patriot: But little time need be spent on this topic, because the adversaries of the Administration, while dis- agreeing on some points, are, for the most part, of opinion that on account of race, climate and lack of ex- perience the inhabitants of the Philippine Islands are incapable of self-government; and this they allege as their reason for claiming they are not fit to become a part of the United States. They also claim the same thing-, some of them directly and all of them indirectly, 186 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? in advocating a United States protectorate over the Philippines, for a belief in their inability for self-govern- ment is a natural inference from the assertion that a protectorate is necessary. I, for one, believe that for the present they are incapable of self-government. I sub- scribe to the opinion of Senator Beveridge that they are "mere children," that '"they are a barbarous race modified by three centuries of contact with a decadent race." Senator Beveridge further says: "The Filipino is the South Sea Malay put through a process of three hundred years of superstition in re- ligion, dishonesty in dealing, disorder in habits of industry and cruelty, caprice and corruption in govern- ment." Pessimist: If that be true, how can you recommend that this lot of vagabonds be taken in as citizens of the United States? Patriot: I put it on the ground of our duty to the Filipinos themselves, and upon the further ground of our dutv toward the world, to which I shall advert a little later. But there can remain nothing more of the argu- ment that the Filipinos should be left to govern them- selves when it is once tested by the facts I have quoted from Senator Beveridge, and by the concession which all opponents have either directly or indirectly made. And this simplifies the question, because it now resolves itself to our duty toward a people whom some govern- ment must rule, or who in the alternative must be left with no government at all. I shall hazard the further opinion that there is nothing either in the climate, the race nor of the training which forbids the hope that in the reasonably near future these people may be capable of as much self-government as is to-day enjoyed by the inhabitants of om ether territories, and that they will PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 187 eventually be capable of entering into the high state of our commonwealth sisterhood. Pessimist: How long do you think this will take? Patriot: It will certainly take more than a few years. The republics of Central and South America have been several hundred years working toward the light, though it is true they have been handicapped by the lack of that friendly aid which the United States is prepared actively to give to the Filipinos. It will probably take these mixed races longer, much longer, probably centuries longer, to be weaned away from their childish and vicious notions — a condition best described by Kipling: "Half devil and half child 1 ' — than it would Anglo-Saxon peo- ples; and yet we lived under colonial rule for nearly 300 years before we assumed that we were capable of entire self-government; and if the uplifting of nations less fortu- nate than ourselves forms any part of our province, for the present and for the future, are we to select only those tasks which can be performed in the present genera- tion, or, is it not nobler to face the future with the de- termination to do missionary work as a leader among nations, regardless of the time of harvest, having in view only the duty of making all possible speed to righteous ends in keeping with the most certain accomplishment of those ends? Men do not build for themselves alone, nor for their own time or generation. We both con- tribute blessings to future generations and impose bur- dens upon them; we build bridges and roads and public buildings the completion of which is likely to be so far in the future that few of the projectors hope to reap any benefit from them. We pay for them out of our funds, if at hand, and if not, we borrow the money and impose the duty of paying it back upon those who come after us. 388 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? The great length of time probably necessary for the regeneration of the Filipinos will be no barrier to the people of the United States who take a broad and long view when they consider the accomplishment of great achievements. How selfish and ungrateful is the man who would withhold the beneficent offices of this govern- ment from the benighted Filipinos on the ground that he will not live to see them capable of self-government. Let such a man look around him and witness how little he himself is responsible for the blessings he enjoys. With such a mind as his, Copernicus would not have worked out the system of astronomy by which scientists after him have been able to determine the movements of the heavenly bodies and to dethrone the superstition of astrology to the everlasting benefit of mankind. Watt could have had but little encouragement, reasoning from this narrow view, in his development of the discovery of steam-power; and Gutenberg might well have re- strained his enthusiasm in contemplating the possibilities of the printing press and its marvelous revolution of gov- ernments and religions if he had stopped to inquire whether he would live to see the end, which is not yet. Cyrus W. Field, if left merely to the contemplation of his own span of life, would not have persisted in laying the Atlantic cable after four failures, facing the scoffs and derision of his fellowmen, who, from their stand- point, "knew" he was crazy. Pessimist: Oh, well, you might go on reciting ex- amples of this kind for the rest of the week without convincing me that this government is called upon to civilize such a degenerate nation as the Filipinos. In all the cases you cite the promoters expected pecuniary gain from discoveries and inventions. Patriot; That is precisely what yon accused us of PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST/ 189 expecting, and you have inadvertently revealed another analogy in the two cases. The benefactors of whom L spoke did expect pecuniary gain, but they were also inspired by the prospect of contributing to the world's prosperity and happiness. This is precisely the case of the United States in reference to the Philippines. It is the belief of far-sighted and unselfish statesmen that while we are thus lifting up a down-trodden nation and leading them to the light, we are at the same time adding to the wealth and resources of the United States; and the enterprise is so creative that while the Filipinos are pay- ing the expenses incident to their own improvement through the instrumentality of the United States and contributing something toward the wealth of the United States besides, they are at the same time experiencing and will continue to experience a genuine economy. And all this for the reason that a just government, such as the United States administers" in its territories, can cost nothing like so much as the extravagant despotism of the Tagal leaders, or which some foreign nation less benevo- lent than the United States would force upon them in our absence. Pessimist: But why not let them work out their own salvation? Is it not all the more to their credit when they have accomplished it? Patriot: To withhold our aid from the Philippines and throw them on their own responsibility in the face of impending anarchy, or despotic rule, would be like the prosperous man refusing to aid a degenerate neighbor, assigning as a reason that anything in the nature of charity would tend still further to prevent his regenera- tion and reflect discredit upon him when redeemed; or it would be like the father withholding aid from his 190 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? son who desires education or a start in business, dilating to him upon the great advantage the struggle would be, and the glory of self-made men. To make the case parallel, the father would have to drive the son penniless from home while a mere child; to be sure, the boy, like the Philippine children, would get on some way or other, and might possibly win success and renown, because many waifs do achieve success. The objection to this method, and the reason why it should not be deliberately resorted to, but confined to the exceptional cases made necessary by force of circumstances, is that while a few succeed, the large majority thus thrown adrift fail and bring discredit to themselves and the community. The process is so severe that it does produce high types of success, but too many boys and too many nations are likely to be spoiled in the operation. It is like the tem- pering of steel for rare qualities in cutlery, where one blade comes out perfect and nine come out worthless. The humane father prefers to help his son in a reason- able way to the extent of his ability. The charitable man will contribute of his wordly goods to the alleviation of suffering in his more unfortunate fellowmen, and the nation of high ideals will not withhold its beneficent of- fices to the nations of lower degree. We have assumed the responsibility of caring for the Filipinos, and could not leave the cold, starving child thus found upon our doorsteps and skulk away, even if its care should be a tax upon us ; happily, however, the care of the child proves the adage that "virtue is its own reward," and fulfills the Scriptural promise of return with increment of "bread cast upon the waters." Strange philosophy which is taught by those who profess such solicitude for the character of our race lest contact with the Filipinos should contaminate it, who at the same PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 191 time tell us that "charity begins at home," and that if the Filipinos are unable to govern themselves we should be disdainful enough to leave them to their own evil fate. Wonderful humanity, this. Here they are on our hands, and your immaculate reformer says : "If they do not need our help, we should give it; but if they do need it we should withhold it — i. e., if they are fit for self- government we should release them or take them in as States; if they are not fit for self-government we should abandon them, regardless of the consequences. This certainly is the acme of cold aristocracy, and blind is the man to our big-hearted American human nature who can believe that such a course would be at all tolerable. As well say that we should build a prison wall around the poor unfortunate Indians in America and authorize the sentinels stationed thereon to keep them in until they would devour one another or starve. Some say that the keeping of the Philippines is mon- strous because of the degraded character of the inhab- itants, who are not fit for self-government, others say it will be monstrous to keep them because they are fit and therefore entitled to self-government. What further proof need we produce of the utter inconsistency of their argument? The better reasoning is that if they are fit for self-government, then the kind of self-government they get as Territories of the United States, and in the course of times if properly developed, as commonwealths of this nation, is, according to American belief, the best in the world for them ; but if, on the other hand, they are so degraded, so superstitious, so senile that they can not govern themselves and must be controlled by others, then the kind of government they would get as Territories of the United States is still the best for them which human genius has yet devised for such people, because 192 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? so long as they must continue to be ruled, they will be ruled by justice, tempered with mercy, and so soon as they graduate into a condition of self-governing qualities, the opportunity for exercising that developed ability will be afforded them. In other words, we are faced with the theory on the one hand that they are able to govern themselves, in which case their association with us can do us no harm, or on the other hand we are faced with the theory that they can not be trusted alone, in which case it is no more harmful that we should govern them than that some other nation should, but is less harmful in so much as our government would be more humane, more economical and more conducive to their self-devel- opment. If in the latter event we should be compelled to part from the traditions of our ancestors who wrote and spoke for a new, untried and weak government, which had all it could do to take care of itself, then we have the consolation that in so departing we are acting like men worthy of our ancestors in that we are brave enough and original enough to apply new methods to new conditions. The idea that we must not give the Filipinos any gov- ernment because we can not give them in undiluted form all that we enjoy ourselves, is coldly selfish, and rather than to deny to them our benign supervision we had better, if need be, modify the Constitution to meet the exigency, as we did for the manumission of the slaves, and not, like the selfish rich man, take refuge behind the selfish argu- ment that if we can not invite the pauper into our own home as a member of our family, we think it better for him that he should be left to the kind of life which he himself can work out unaided by us. Our adversaries are divided as to whether the Filipinos are equal to self-government or not, but by reason of the PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 193 foregoing conclusions, we move forward in our duty regardless of this fact, though not indifferent to it, know- ing that time alone can solve this problem; and that whichever way the scale may turn, the United States government is equal to the emergency, and the future of these peoples is safe in our hands. Whosoever doubts it confesses to little faith in the vitality and constancy of American patriotism, and whosoever entertains such lack of faith should be and will be an object of close scrutiny, if not of suspicion by the people who select our public servants. To doubt that these people will progress more rapidly under the direction of the United States than otherwise is to render an unjustifiable apology for our present government of other territories, because if they would progress more rapidly, left to themselves, our obli- gation to humanity would compel us to declare them all independent. If we owe this duty, therefore, to the Phil- ippines, we owe it likewise to the inhabitants of New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska, Hawaii and Porto Rico. And conversely if we do not owe it as a duty to release these latter Territories, neither do we owe it to the Filipinos. But the claim that such people would advance bettcr without our aid than with it is against the traditions and belief of our people, and against the judgment of reason- ing men. Madison says in the Federalist: "The reason of man, like man himself, is timid and cautious when left alone, and acquires firmness and con- fidence in proportion to the number with which it is asso- ciated." The fact that we can not now solve the problem and determine precisely the kind of government suited to the Filipinos, does not relieve us of duty, but instead puts the additional duty upon us of ascertaining the pre- liminary facts as well as of applying the remedy. We 19-1 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? have the Philippines, and whatever may be their future our duty is clear — to learn the conditions as rapidly as possible and to apply the remedy faithfully when we learn. "Let us then be up and doing, With a heart for any fate ; Still achieving;, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait." Uncle Sam: Does anyone wish to reply to Patriot's argument on this topic? Hearing no one, let us pass on. LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT. Pessimist: I can tell you very briefly what kind of local self-government we are giving the Filipinos. It is a chance to govern themselves at the command of Gen. Otis and his subordinate officers at the point of a rifle, In short, there is no such thing as local self-government in that slave Territory of ours. That is all I have to say. Patriot: While it is true that at this time a military government is in existence in the Philippines, just as it must always be in a state of war, and during the organ- ization of civil government, which takes a longer or shorter period owing to the extent of acquiescence to lawful conditions, yet at the same time we are now giving them a measure of local self-government which people accustomed to the military rule of European powers would regard as dangerously liberal. The courts have been opened up wherever the rebel- lion is not active. The Supreme Court has been estab- lished in the language of the Philippine Commission, "with five Filipinos and three American justices," and "courts of first instance and justice courts were estab- lished later when the difficult problem of. securing suitable Filipino officials had been satisfactorily solved." After describing the preparation of a scheme of municipal gov- PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? .195 ernment under the counsel of Filipino lawyers, the report goes on to say: "In each town the people were called together and an election was held. The officials chosen were fully in- structed as to their duties, and were advised that they must expend every cent raised by taxation in defraying local- expenses." I have under a previous topic referred to the enthusi- asm with which these experimental efforts of the com- missioners were met. Patriotic Americans rest easy in the complaisant belief that the Filipinos will be given all the self-government they are capable of appreciating and administering. Pessimist : This work of the commission was ,do ne for political effect. I admit that they have been given self-government, but it is because they wanted to make a showing to the American people to catch votes for McKinley. Later on this liberty will be denied them. Patriot: In the first place, the charge just made by Pessimist carries with it its own condemnation, because the fact that a true report of the situation existing there will influence votes in America will always be as potent as now, and when the American government in the Phil- ippines shall cease to be just, and in accordance with the notions of our voters all the party opposing such conduct needs to do is to appeal to the voters for redress. This character of our government with the limited tenure of office, and the constantly-recurring opportunity for an appeal to the people themselves, makes it reasonably cer- tain that no great amount of wrong will take place. In the second place it ill becomes a man pretending to have faith in our institutions to accuse a commission of such reputable men of becoming hirelings to work out a political scheme. Language fails me to describe the 196 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? infamy of such a charge, which by implication involves the President in the contemptible work of employing such servants If the object of life is happiness, then it requires but a moderate quality of third rate reasoning to know that men who have achieved such greatness, except in mor- bidly rare cases, cannot depart from honest principles in government. The working out of true ideals is their life pride. The accommodation of expedient and justi- fiable means to desirable economic ends is the food of their life existence, and to violate one of these principles would be as painful and as blighting to their consciences and convictions as for a true mathematician who lives in his profession and loves it, to so stultify himself as de- liberately to write a false formula in calculus or to state an untruthful proposition in geometry. Laying aside the question of honesty for the sake of honesty, an all- wise Creator has so constituted man that, for the most part, a man who has devoted his life to a set of fixed principles along the line of truth and accuracy finds so infinitely more pleasure in the conservation of those prin- ciples than in their destruction that even though he be inherently dishonest he will, out of sheer selfishness, in his natural desire to avoid pain, keep close to the path of public virtue. How much more must be the motive of the man who, equally susceptible to this deterrent of pain and this inducement to happiness, has bred and trained within him the high ideals of lofty purpose and right for the sake of right toward all his fellow men. I submit that every healthy mind acquainted with the facts does unhesitatingly admit the truth of this philosophy, and at the same time ascribe these nobler principles to President McKinley, in Admiral Dewey and to each and every member of the Philippine Commission; and that PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 197 every mind incapable of taking this view, or which stub- bornly refuses to take this view, is unhealthy and must be .classed among the unfortunates or the evil-doers. But as a third argument in evidence of our good faith in the matter of local self-government, let me quote from the Secretary of War in his report for 1899, in which he says : "The rule of administration of the civil government of the island (Cuba) has been to employ the people of Cuba themselves to the fullest extent possible, and to furnish to the Cubans, during our occupation, an oppor- tunity for training in the honest, official performance of official duties which has never been afforded to them before." And speaking of the enormous task of taking the cen- sus of Cuba, the Secretary goes on to say: "The entire force through the census now being taken is composed of Cubans, with one well-known citizen of each of the six provinces as the supervisor of that pro- vince and with enumerators nominated by him from resi- dents of the province." The Secretary further states that the process of extend- ing civil government in the Philippines has gone on since the return of the Philippine Commission, and while there is yet doubt as to the precise form of government suited to the different islands and provinces, owing to the varied degrees of intelligence, because time is needed to learn and apply the facts to the respective conditions, yet this noble work is going on and there is no faint-heartedness in Washington as to the ultimate beneficent result. An additional evidence of the devotion of President McKinley and those about him to the great task and duty in hand, and an evidence of their likeness to the con- structive statesmen of our early history, is the fact that 198 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? regardless of doubts and criticism and charges made by thoughtless, ignorant or vicious men, they are not swerved from their purpose of working out the magnificent and the majestic growth of American power and influence recently made possible by the brilliant achievements of our arms and of our diplomacy. Uncle Sam : As I understand it, Pessimist does not deny that local self-government has been instituted in the Phil- ippines, but he simply expressed doubt as to whether it will be continued. Since the same kind of doubt may be expressed as to the continuance of our free institutions in America, and indeed, is expressed by those whom but for the presence of Pessimist I would call pessimists, I see no advantage in extending the discussion on this point, as it can be nothing more than academic, with no practical result. If all are satisfied with the present efforts at local self-government, let us proceed to the next topic. AS TO THE WORLD. Pessimist : I do not understand why Patriot proposed the consideration of our right and duty as to the world in this discussion ; I do not see how that can have any- thing to do with the question. We should take care of our- selves and let the rest of the world do the same. As Bishop Spalding says : "Patriotism, like charity, begins at home." We should consider this question wholly from our own -standpoint no matter what the consequences to the rest of the world. Patriot : I can not think that Bishop Spalding meant to be understood as Pessimist has understood him. Has anyone here a copy of his sermon? Citizen : Yes, here is a copy. Patriot : I notice in another part of the sermon the Bishop says : "The end of all worthy struggle is to establish morality PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 199 as the basis of individual and national life. * * ' ■ * to make justice reign, to spread beauty, gentleness, wis- dom and peace ; to widen opportunity, to increase good will." I scarcely think that any quotation is necessary to prove that Bishop Spalding would not withhold from the world the advantages of American civilization. If required to answer whether any given man would make such de- nial, I would first ask, Is that man a Christian? — No, I would not even feel, it necessary to ask that. I would only ask, "Is that man like Abou ben Adham, one who loves his fellow men ?" And if the answer be in the affirm- ative, I should forthwith declare him to be in favor of letting the light of our liberty shine in all the dark places of the earth. It is a common fault of narrow souls who, while desir- ing the laurels of virtue, have not the virtue to merit them, to hide behind quotations which ennoble if properly ap- plied, but which otherwise degrade, and "charity begins at home" is one of those adages with which stinginess clothes itself when it stalks abroad as benevolence. Patriotism and charity begin at home to be sure, but it is neither patriotism nor charity, if when able, it does not extend beyond home. Stripped of its disguise and hypocrisy it is just selfishness. Will- this great, strong nation shrink from a world duty on the pretext that we are sufficient unto ourselves, and that if others are not they should be ? It is like the heartless man who happens to be possessed of plenty and who thanks God for the shelter over his own head and shows unfeeling contempt and brutal indifference to his unfortunate neighbor whom fate has left without shelter. His prayer would be "Bless me and my wife, my son John and his wife, us four and no more. Amen." 200 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? Of course there is a limit to the possibilities of charity. The object of this discussion is to show that it is both the duty and within the power of the United States Govern- ment, not only without sacrifice, but at an actual gain, to bestow its blessings upon the world by elevating civili- zation in the East and bringing the salutary example so much nearer to those benighted countries — a quantity and quality of missionary work which the combined churches of Christendom, however creditable their efforts have been, could not, but for this political intervention, accomplish in the century to come. By accident and incident of war we came into the heritage of that golden archipelago, and at the same time fell heir to a tremendous responsibility. These advan- tages to ourselves an honest administration can not throw away, and this responsibility to the world a virile, brave and Christian nation can not shirk. We owe a duty to the world because we are capable of giving sanction to International law and because of our moral responsibility as a member of the world govern- ment, and I should like to consider a little further the question of our right and duty to the world under these two heads. SANCTION FOR INTERNATIONAL LAW. Pessimist : I have nothing to say on this subject. Patriot: The sanction for International law is two- fold. First, the moral influence of the world, and second, the political power of a nation contending for a given principle in International law. The moral influence of that nation which has the greatest physical power will naturally be the more likely to prevail, but it is well understood that physical power is the first and greatest Jr'AlKlUl UK rhSZlMlSl r 3U1 necessity in the enforcement of an international principle. Hall says : "Grave doubt is felt whether even old and established dictates will be obeyed when the highest interests of nations are in play." Again Hall says: "A state is only bound by rules to which it feels itself obligated in conscience, after a reasonable examination, to submit." It is well known that there is no judicial or adminis- trative machinery by which to obtain enforcement of a principle desired by one nation which affects the interests of another. It is therefore important that the United States should put itself in a position before the world to be powerful and effective in choosing and maintain- ing international tenets. Pessimist: That is just what I complained of. The United States has enough to do to attend to its own affairs, and going to the Philippines forces it into quar- rels with the rest of the world; so instead of performing an obligation of right and duty toward other nations of the world, we are merely annoying and disturbing them. Patriot : It has been clearly demonstrated, I flatter myself, that these international disturbances will come anyway, and while they would bring greater distress to us in our isolated and undeveloped condition, at the same time we would be able to do less good to the world by elevating their standard of international morality and law. Monroe warned the United States of the necessity of strengthening itself so that foreign belligerents might not be able to prey upon our commerce and insult our flag, as was done in the wars of the French Revolution to an 202 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? extent described by him as "almost incalculable." Such-in- juries can be greatly minimized by the improvement of international precepts, provided there is back of those pre- cepts the potential threat of punishment for their violation. Pessimist: Rev. Van Dyke says that: "The great nations of Europe are encamped around the China sea in arms." Rather than plunge into that promiscuous quarrel I should wait until we are injured, and then exact repar- ation from the nation injuring us and go to war with it alone if necessary. Patriot: The objection to such a position is, in the first place, that our going into the Philippines has not brought us the trouble anticipated ; it has not precipitated the clash of arms predicted by Rev. Van Dyke or your- self ; but it has, as a natural consequence of our enhanced advantage, made diplomacy and international understand- ing easier. This is shown by Secretary Hay's superb diplomatic achievement recently in the Chinese matter, and in the profound respect which nations are vieing with one another to show the United States since she was brave enough to take her proper place at the head of the nations of the world. An additional objection to the plan suggested by Pessi- mist is that it permits unnecessary war. It is the part of the bully to say nothing of his rights and claims until they are attacked and then jump in and whip tlje man who disturbs him. The lover of honorable peace is always ready to come to an understanding with his neighbors, and if he feels justified in claiming rights which they do not recognize, he will take pains to warn them of his view before the opportunity comes for them to cross his path ; and before a nation has laid down an international law principle, conduct on the part of some other nation con- trary to such principle is not a legitimate cause of war. PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST f 203 England once claimed the right to impress American seamen and to forcibly visit American vessels on the seas. This right was denied by the United States, but it was a grave question for a time what would be written in the minds of nations as the final International law on this subject. If the United States had then held such vantage ground as she does now, the mere enunciation of such a manifestly fair rule between nations would have been ac- cepted without a test of arms. It is this ability on the part of the United States to preserve peace while at the same -time she is elevating the world-standard of law, which constrains me to the belief that our duty to the world justifies our course in the Philippines. America had force enough to take a long step in ad- vance in the matter of the Cuban war, and by so doing to transform a mere tenet of international morals to the principle of international law. No more reconcentrados, no more heartless butchery of innocent people, no more cruel treatment of prisoners without the violation of this new American-made international statute. Hitherto such violation of international morality gave no ground for formal complaint, no matter how odious it was. Hence- forward the rights of nations, as the rights of individuals, are circumscribed within the limitations thus newly set down. To make this good for the future in the Eastern Hemisphere as well as in the Western, and to make good our advanced views as to contraband of war, prohibition of poisoned bullets, limitations on the use of smokeless powder, etc., etc., we must proportionately extend the sphere of power to correspond with the sphere of moral influence. With the permission of the audience I should like to elaborate slightly under the next topic suggested by me awhile ago. Has Pessimist anything more to say? Pessimist : Nothing more now. 204 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST. 9 UNITED STATES AS A MEMBER OF THE WORLD GOVERNMENT. Patriot : Even if it were true, which it is not, that a necessary converse of the Monroe Doctrine would keep us out of the East, our greater duty as a nation citizen of the world of nations would justify, and indeed compel us, in the larger duty of acting the part of that citizen- ship. For this secure and strong nation to stay out of world politics because we are safe and comfortable is like a certain type of wealthy and refined American gentlemen remaining away from primaries and elections, giving as an excuse the plea that they are secure, that their plans will not be interfered with, no matter what may happen to others, that the work is too dirty, that they will leave it to those who are willing to get down and "dabble in politics" as they call it. They therefore sanction the evil which they see around them in municipal, State and national affairs, and let those less favorably situated "go hang." Shame on such citizenship ! It is the duty of a man who enjoys the blessings of a govern- ment to have views on public affairs and to work and vote in the interest of the kind of politics which he be- lieves will best subserve the interests and conduce to the happiness of the greatest number of his fellow men. The vote is as sacred as testimony under oath, and more potent, for upon the testimony depends the fate of an individual, whereas the vote decides the fate of a nation and of a race. A man who refuses to vote is unworthy of citizenship ; a m any contortion of language, be- cause it is legal, and it is as impossible for an act to be both legal and criminal at the same time as it is for a body to be in two places at the same time, or for two bodies to occupy the same place at one time. The ab- surdity of the charges made against the President must herein appear plain to all. This declaration of the Presi- dent related solely and only to Cuba, and it meant that under all the circumstances a forcible annexation of Cuba would amount to criminal aggression, and that criminal aggression could not be thought of. In view of the long years of intercourse between the United States and Cuba, 244 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST/ her appeals for sympathy and our oft-repeated expres- sion of hope in her behalf had, in a sense, bound us to her territory differently from that of Louisiana, Alaska and others, but we had no such intercourse with the Philippines, and we were bound by none of those ties. But even if the President had meant in the face of our past practice that hereafter we should neither conquer, nor purchase territory on the ground that we had enough, or in the belief that it could no longer prove advantageous to outside territory for us to conquer or acquire it, or for any other reason, even then the President would have been justified in altering his opinion, by reason of the exigencies of war which no human foresight could fore- see at the time of his declaration. President Lincoln in his first inaugural address quotes from one of his own speeches, and reaffirms it as follows : "I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so." But the war came, the Union must be saved. Lincoln expressed it as his determination to save the Lnion with slavery if he could, but without slavery if he must. Final- ly in the exercise of his war power Lincoln felt justified in saying: "As commander-in-chief of the army and navy in time of war, I suppose I have a right to take any measures which may best subdue the enemy." And with- out the .shadow of constitutional sanction, he decreed the end of slavery; and, so far from getting the consent of the governed, he even drafted free men to fight for a cause which they opposed. What he did by reason of the exigencies of that war proves conclusively that it is not reprehensible nor hateful in the eyes of the people, nor yet contrary to the advance of civilization, for even PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST.' 215 the Chief Executive to change his opinion upon a matter of grave national importance. President McKinley like- wise believed he had the right when the war was on to do whatever was necessary most effectually to "subdue the enemy. " He sent a brief message to Commodore Dewey, instructing him either to capture or destroy Spain's Asiatic fleet. The result of the victory which followed, placed the Philippines in our hands, brought to Commo- dore Dewey the plaudits of an undivided nation, brought tc this country marvelous advantages and put us in a position where we were morally bound to protect and care for the Filipinos in just precisely the same manner that Lincoln's great war measure of freeing the slaves — done for no other purpose — put us in position where we were morally bo\md to protect and care for the negroes. As Lincoln deserves no less the plaudits of man for his humane act of emancipation because of its being a war measure, neither should McKinley be praised any the less because the uplifting of the Filipinos was eventuated like- wise by a war measure. Each act took patriotic devotion to country and manly courage of conviction. As Lincoln was equal to the occasion as he found it, so was McKinley equal to his great work. Pessimist: Unless you are willing to say that evil should be done that good may come, how can you excuse the President for his secret course in dealing with matters pertaining to the Philippines, his censorship of news and his treaty with the Sultan of Sulu, by which he gave countenance to slavery and polygamy? Patriot: In the exercise of Executive discretion in time of war, the President must of necessity resort to some measures which in time of peace would be intolera- ble to a free people, and here again I would refer you to our previous history. Censorship need not be dwelt 210 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? upon, because it is a matter of common observation that no foreign war has ever been conducted by any foreign country which exercised so little espionage over the free thought and expression and brought to bear so little re- straint upon the action either of the soldiers and peace- able inhabitants or the enemy themselves, as our war against the Philippine insurgents. State secrets are neces- sary, to be sure. This has always been recognized. The Monroe Doctrine, as I have already shown, was born and reared almost to its full stature before it saw the light of public opinion. It was the result of secret conference, and necessarily so in order that the best good for the public weal might be accomplished. Pessimist has referred to the compact with the Sultan of Sulu. This treaty, made for the purpose of restoring peace, was justifiable as a war expedient, precisely in the same manner as Lincoln was justified in denying the writ of habeas corpus, and in the same manner that spies are allowed to go under false pretenses and in disguise for the purpose of ascertaining the condition of the enemy, and for the purpose of carrying "a message to Garcia," if need be, in all of which cases success is crowned with the victor's wreath. Lincoln was ready to tolerate slav- ery in all of the slave States in order to end the war and save the Union. If that had been done, no future opportunity would have afforded itself to rid our govern- ment of slavery. Lincoln was willing to purchase the slaves, and wrote a long message urging that course. In short he, like McKinley, kept sight of the main purpose — that of restoring peace with honor and of preventing the loss of any of our territory. The compact entered into by President McKinley looks to no such permanent ex- istence of slavery as would either of Lincoln's plans, but on the contrary it looks to the establishment of our gov^ PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? Wi ernment there, which is the surest guarantee possible that slavery will not long continue. What do the President's critics offer on this high moral point in the place of the President's work which they would undo? They want us to let the Filipinos govern themselves, not for a short time only, but forever, and according to their own polygamous and slavery notions. And our course is not the doing of evil that good may come — we simply postpone the doing of good a little while because it is practical sense to do so, whereas the Democrats recommend the eternal postponement of doing good. If we had not made the treaty, slavery and poly- gamy would have gone on until complete peace and order could be restored in the Philippines. With the treaty, the extirpation of slavery and polygamy is made certain. Thus we bring them to account on this criticism, as we have on all others. As I have repeatedly said, there could be no progress in government without compromise. Adversaries of the Administration, will, I believe, accept Jefferson as an authority on the question of Government Expediency. Jefferson was extremely anxious to have the capital located in the District of Columbia. Hamilton and the Northern members of Congress preferred a more norther- ly site, but Hamilton, on the other hand, in working out his great financial system, was eager for the passage of a lull by which the Federal Government would assume the State debts. In that important crisis Jefferson and Ham- ilton simply made a swap, the one agreeing to use his influence to secure the District of Columbia as the site of the capital, and the other to secure the national assump- tion of State debts. And nobody regards this bit of "log rolling" as criminal, because the ends justified the means, and if Jefferson were alive to-day and were opposed to 248 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? slavery and polygamy he would approve the method by which these crimes against morals and civilization are as speedily as practicable to be exterminated. But it is not the first time the United States has sanctioned poly- gamy in its territories. It did not attempt to prevent it' in Utah until Utah desired Statehood, and then made its discontinuance one of the conditions of admission to Statehood. 4. TERRITORIAL AND COLONIAL GOVERNMENT DISTINGUISHED. Pessimist : I do not know what Patriot means to say under this topic, but I suppose he will undertake to de- fend colonial government. Patriot : Xo ; it is my purpose merely to allude to the fact, which I have already shown, that our govern- ment in the Philippines is territorial in the same sense as is our government in Alaska. It must be distinguished from colonial government so far as colonial government has been exercised by other nations, by the one fact at least that in territorial gov- ernment practically all of the revenue is turned to the building up and education of the people, and the devel- opment of their natural resources, whereas for the most part in a colonial government the mother country, if a monarclvy, taxes the colony as heavily as possible in keep- ing with any sort of peace for the purpose of keeping up the tinsel glitter and in some cases the unrestrained lust of thrones. The territorial government is the application of economic principles to the simple requirements of a republic, and the constant changes of our Executive in- sure an honest dispensation of justice, while the governor- general or the local prince in control of a monarch's col- ony is in no danger of being removed so long as he con- tributes to the monarch. No change of administration PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 249 will come to imperil his position, and no cry from his subjects for justice or pity can reach the throne. Our idea of territorial government permits and invites inde- pendent self-control to a marked degree, as witness our control of Cuba. The Secretary of War, Mr. Root, tells us that General Wood has invariably consulted the Cubans before making any appointments. He goes among them unarmed, he leaves the books of the administration open to their inspection, and his private secretary is a Cuban who at one time was a member' of Gomez' staff. Cubans are employed in all departments of the Cuban govern- ment ; they know just how much money is collected and expended, and for what it is expended. Has any monar- chy, or any other republic, for that matter, ever tried this sort of government? Even if it were called a colonial government, it has a larger degree of representation, lib- erty and freedom than the Cubans ever knew, and the same thing is true, or will be made true, in the Philippines. If we are to teach civilization and the proper territorial control by example, then we have chosen a most admirable method, i. e., by object lesson right in the midst of Euro- pean colonial government. What better method could we pursue to compel foreign countries to deal fairly with their subject territory? When fairness and liberty and justice is shown to be possible in the Philippines, Eng- land, Germany, France, Holland and all the rest will be forced by example to adopt more and more just measures, until government, though by name colonial, will become practically free, as is the case in the Dominion of Canada to-day, and no better example of the effect of our benign rule upon the conduct of our neighbors can be suggested than that of our control of the great territories which we have governed from time to time, and its influence upon England in her control of Canada. 250 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? Those who express fear that our jurisdiction over ter- ritory in the far East will cause us to adopt cruel meth- ods of governing, confess to but little faith in the creative and vitalizing force of our institutions. I would pay a higher tribute to American manhood and ideals. I would say that we will by example compel England and all the other territory holding governments to deal fairly and honestly and humanely with their subjects in the Eastern Hemisphere, as we have by example compelled them to deal with their subjects in the Western Hemisphere. It is by this example that we can elevate the plane of civiliza- tion, not alone in our own territory, but wherever organ- ized society exists. Pessimist : All experience has shown that nations which govern colonies do so selfishly and without refer- ence to the good of the people whom they govern. The East India Company, as related by Mr. Bryan, had "An eye single to gain." They trampled upon the rights of the rulers. It is even said that the English governor- general and an English consul changed the financial sys- tem of India arbitrarily in a single day. And Senator Bacon tells a most frightful story which he read in "Around the World with General Grant," by Mr. John Russell Young, about a lot of Sepoys that were blown to pieces from the mouths of cannon. I should think the American Government would want better business than treating people in this sort of way. Patriot : What Pessimist has related proves first of all the necessity for missionary work on the part of the United States in the manner of governing territory. He might as well cite English history to prove that a republi- can form of government is impossible, because they have not adopted it, as to cite the English treatment of their colonies to prove that just treatment is impossible be- cause they have not administered it. As a matter of fact PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 251 they have for more than a hundred years been fair and generous with their English speaking subjects. I have already referred to Canada in this connection; but even if this were not so, it does not follow that our course would be unjust. Our political conditions are different here. Any injustice or cruelty on the part of the United States officials in our territories would be the signal for party opposition. If the story related by Mr. John Russell Young depicts unnecessary cruelty by the English, then all the more reason the United States should take a hand in governing those Eastern peoples and reduce such cruelty to a minimum by her just example ; for the worse you picture English rule of colonies, the louder you appeal for an American example to teach the world what fair play is. But as I have read Mr. Young's story, it was simply a case of the mutiny of an entire regiment, a court- martial and military execution, and that in the judgment of the English officers the kind of execution resorted to was needed for an example, just as in some of our States it is still regarded as a salutary warning to the people to execute criminals by hanging in public. Pessimist : You say that we would be more kind and just to our subjects. Mr. Bryan, referring to colonial rule, pertinently asks : "If we make subjects of them against their will and for our own benefit, are we likely to govern them with any more benevolence?" Patriot : I answer first that we do not hold them as subjects, nor have we brought them under our jurisdic- tion against their will. The kind of treatment we have already administered in urging education and participa- tion in public affairs is proof that our treatment will be such an improvement as to reflect itself in the conduct of all the nations of Europe which are governing colonies. 252 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? Pessimist : There is right where you get yourself into trouble. As Mr. Carnegie says: "If you teach sup- pressed people at all you make them rebels." And Mr. Carnegie calls our attention to the fact that in India, Eng- land "does not trust one gun in the hands of the native troops." How can we hope to civilize people of this kind ? Patriot: The trouble with these quotations, as with most of yours, is that they are based upon a false premise, and you seem unwilling to detect the fallacy in them. Certainly if you teach a suppressed people they rebel, but this presumes that we have suppressed the Filipino^ which is not true, except as to the comparatively few who have rebelled ; and the fact that England does not train the Indians in the use and responsibility of guns and does not try to cultivate their confidence by trusting them, may be the explanation of the terrible mutiny and its fatal consequences related by Mr. Young. Ours is a dif- ferent course, as witness the fact that we are employing the native troops and training them rapidly to take the place of those from home as sentinels over the rights and property of our territorial inhabitants. Pessimist : But Mr. Bryan says, "English rule in India is not bad because it is English, but because no race has yet appeared sufficiently strong in character to resist the temptations which come with irresponsible power." Patriot : This is another example of the false premise and therefore the erroneous conclusion of which I com- plained a moment ago. Mr. Bryan proceeds upon the theory that our power in the Philippines is irresponsible. As repeatedly stated and shown in this argument, our responsibility in the Philippines is the same as in our other territories, so we must reconstruct both the argu- ment and the conclusion found in your quotation from Mr. Bryan. Our race is .sufficiently strong, first to make PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 253 itself a responsible power in the governing of territories, and second, to resist the temptations which come with that responsible power. The conduct of our officials is guarded by a double responsibility. First, they are amenable to our just and even-handed laws, and second, to the party restraint in- herent in our system of government, which compels the representatives of one political party to pursue a wise and just course, or to stand aside for the representatives of another political party. But there is an additional re- sponsibility which has affected even the conduct of Eng- land toward her colonies, and that is the standard of world morality, which by the grace and the power of the United States has been elevated somewhat everywhere and very much in the immediate neighborhood of its example; so that even if we may call England an irre- sponsible power in the government of her colonies, her leniency and justice toward the Canadians justifies the hope that even irresponsible powers may eventually adopt the rule of justice toward their subject colonies. How much more likely, how almost certain, indeed, is a re- sponsible power like ours to deal justly in the governing of all her territories in the future just as she has done in the past. To this kind of conduct we are committed by the highest and strongest obligation. It is written in our Declaration of Independence, and in our Constitution ; it is woven into the framework of our republican institu- tions ; it is the motif in all our national songs, the in- spiration in all our political platforms and the central thought in all the wise historic utterances of all our Presi- dents. Nothing has happened to change the meaning of the declaration of President McKinley in his letter to the Secretary of War, December 21, 1898, in speaking of the Philippines, where he says : £54 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? "The mission of the United States is one of benevolent assimilation, substituting the mild sway of justice and right for arbitrary rule." Pessimist : But why can we not, as Mr. Schurz recom- mends, "be content with the moral influence we can bring to bear upon the world?" Patriot: This is precisely the doctrine I have been preaching. I have pointed out the benefit of our example on Canada, and I have shown that in order to make our example more effective we must bring the object lesson to the attention of those we would teach. Thus if we would have influence in the far East by reason of our noble example, the best place to hold the school is where the Eastern people can attend. Those who are disposed to deal unfairly with nations will not go far to seek us out for the purpose of learning fair methods. We must bring it near them, and then the effect of example must be indirect; it must act through the subject people them- selves. The people of India and China must themselves first hear of our fair treatment toward the inhabitants of our territory, they must come in contact with them ; their subjects and our citizens must exchange experience in the markets of the world in the ordinary walks of life. Then the downtrodden nations will lift their heads and ask and demand more consideration. The governing nations will find it in the interest of peace and their own prosperity to grant concessions little by little. This must be the effect of our example if it is to have any salutary effect at all and such result can only be obtained by our ownership of territorv in the midst of those countries which we would uplift. Pessimist : But Rev. Van Dyke tells us that : "We cannot compete with monarchies and empires in PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 255 th,e game of land grabbing and vassal ruling. * * ' * Republics have not been successful as rulers of colonies." Why should we venture upon this road which has led other republics astray? Patriot: Must I once more remind Pessimist that we are not attempting to rule a colony ; neither is our effort a land grabbing or vassal ruling enterprise ? If our object had been to get land instead of to benefit people, we could have taken from Spain the last foot of ground she had, even the peninsula itself ; so Rev. Van Dyke has proved nothing, nor, indeed, has he really stated anything which pertains to our case. If it were relevant to our discussion Ave might easily show by numerous examples that this republic has accomplished many things which other re- publics have failed in, but since we do not propose a col- ony it is needless to dwell upon it. The whole sum and substance of what we propose is to govern our own territories in our own way for the benefit of the people who inhabit them, and for whatever incidental benefit may come to this government thereby, and for the additional benefit of the rest of the world so far as our example may go. This we can do for the love of country and for the love of humanity. Pessimist : But I do not believe it is our duty to seek out wild people and expend our energy in trying to civilize them. "Why," as asked by Bishop Spalding, "should we go to the end of the earth to take forcible possession of islands lying in remote oceans under tropical skies, in- habited by barbarous and savage tribes, where both race and climate preclude the hope of ever attaining to any higher degree of culture?" Patriot : If we accept the suggestion of Bishop Spalding that nothing can improve the condition of these barbar- ous and savage tribes, then certainly we have taken the 256 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST.' curse off of any plan which might look to the forcible governing of such people, because if they cannot be brought out of a savage state, some power has got to govern them, and if so, do we not owe it to humanity to step in when expedient, and especially when the duty is already on our shoulders, and give good government rather than leave it to monarchies to give bad? If there is a certain amount of governing to do in the world with- out the consent of the particular individuals governed, ought not we to do our share, and especially when ours would be a government of mercy and uplifting, whereas that by monarchies is a government of suppression and destruction of hope ? This duty is accentuated in the face of the fact that there may be a possibility of reform which our sort of government would encourage, and which their sort would make impossible. If, in other words, this world, like every nation and every state, has a number of inhabitants, or has communities of inhabitants whose un- fortunate mental condition makes it necessary that they should be restrained, or incarcerated, is it the part of humanity that we should permit those of brutal and un- feeling disposition to be the wardens over such unfor- tunates, or should we not rather say that their keepers and their nurses should be from among the most kind- hearted, the most benevolent, the most hopeful of those who are willing to devote themselves to the betterment of humanity, to the uplifting of the unfortunate, and to the restoration of hope in those from whom hope has fled ? As the latter course has approved itself to citizens of the United States in the care of the insane and the unfor- tunate from any cause, so, must that course approve itself to this nation as a citizen of the world of nations in its dealings with unfortunate peoples and tribes over whom it has become the guardian, whether by choice or by force PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 257 of circumstances. I submit that we are not to lose any- thing by such a course, and the world is to be greatly the rainer. Pessimist : I do not see how we can avoid contamina- tion by contact with such people. Patriot : Let us discuss for a moment, then, the effect of our governmental missionary work abroad on our peo- ple at home. EFFECT ON AMERICAN CIVILIZATION. Pessimist: If we do not stop short on our Philippine policy we will become a vassal nation ourselves. Sen- ator Money is undoubtedly a true prophet when he says : "In my humble opinion there will not be many decades before the policy that is now applied to the Philippines will be brought upon the American citizen himself." His only hope of escape is the fact, as he says, "That the American people will pass such judgment upon this action as will deter anything similar in the future." Patriot: The fact that the Philippines are in a dif- ferent section, peopled by a different race and influenced by a different climate, is, in this age of rapid communica- tion and close international relations, positively to the mutual advantage of the races thus commingling, and can have no deleterious effect upon us. Even in the days of our colonial ancestors the advantage from such rela- tions was foreshadowed. President Monroe, in his eighth annual message, after describing the advantages of diver- sified peoples in different climates living under the one republican form of government, says: "What one portion wants the other may supply ; and this will be most sensibly felt by the parts most distant from each other, forming thereby a domestic market and an active intercourse between the extremes and through- out every portion of our Union." 258 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? It seems strange that our adversaries should in one breath express such unbounded faith in the good sense of the American people and in the next breath tell them they are so stupid that the least contact with inferior peo- ple will contaminate these same sensible Americans and reduce them to the level of their unfortunate European friends. It would be easier to understand our oppo- nents if they would accept and stick to one or the other of these arguments. Have they faith in the American people, or have they not ? The two quotations from Sen- ator Money cannot be written in the same creed. If he means what he says in the first, he cannot hope for that curative judgment and action of which he speaks in the second, and if in reality he has that hope in the self- governing power of American citizens as expressed in the second quotation, then it is impossible for him to fear the calamitous results so dolefully depicted in the first. Those who claim that the American contact with these native Orientals will lower the standard of American civilization simply show their little faith in the virtue of American manhood. It has never suffered by contact with poorer civilization, but has always lifted up the men of poorer station who have touched the hem of its garment. This lack of hope, if sufficiently widespread, would play sad havoc with any government, no matter if it be confined to narrow compass or extended beyond the seas. My observation has been that if you scratch an anti- expansionist you discover under the surface a discontented fault-finder who is dissatisfied with conditions in the United States aside from the Philippine Question. The same microbes which breed the disease of irresponsible complaint against the patriotic work of the Administration in the Philippines also breed the disease of promiscuous and indiscriminate scolding against the successful opera- PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 259 tion of the Government as well as all private enterprise at home. As an example, ex-Representative Towne, who has been quoted in this discussion, devotes a part of his speech to the Philippine question and then shows his gen- eral doubt of American sense and manhood by reciting an imaginary list of imaginary dangers in our local con- cern, and speaking of these "burdens," he says : "The people of this country are already staggering, doubtful of solving them to the credit and glory of domestic insti- tutions." Then he goes on with a picture which did exist under Democratic rule, but which McKinley's Ad- ministration has happily removed. He declaims to us about men freezing at the mouth of coal mines and starv- ing in front of bakeshops, and about millions of our citi- zens lacking food and raiment. And so I could show you in practically every speech made against expansion this sort of quarreling with everything else the Government is doing. Rev. Van Dyke warns us against undertaking to rule "eight millons more of black and yellow people in the islands of the Pacific Ocean," and asks if, "the rifle shots that ring from Illinois and the Carolinas announcing the bloody skirmish of races in the very heart of our re- public" are to be "the joyous salutes that herald our advance ?" And so I repeat, the average anti-expansionist would be finding fault anyhow, so that he is no more active and is doing no more harm talking about the Philippines than he would do for some other reason if we had not ex- panded. With some people reform seems to be a mania. They agitate not for the benefit of the object, but for the delec- tation of the subject. This zeal leads them to mistake mere change for progress ; having observed that progress 2&0 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? involves change, they jump to" the converse conclusion that all change involves progress. They read a tirade written by a Carlyle under a dyspeptic impulse or a mournful prophecy of impossible evils' by a Malthus or a social dirge by a Schopenhauer, and your professional reformer at once conceives a passionate longing to make the real conditions appear as bad as the conditions imagined by the gloomy, pessimistic sophist of the past. We have thus cornered the anti-expansionists and are forced to conclude that they are the same people who make up that ever present element in our society whose members con- stantly inveigh against orderly progress because it is not all that could be pictured as ideal, whose members if con- sistent would quarrel with the sun and refuse to let its beneficent rays shine on them because it has spots on it — who, in short, would produce nothing rather than an im- perfect something. There are those among us — and they are of this same class — who would denounce the com- mercial world because ninety per cent fail in business. The same temperament impels many of them to rail at the sacred institution of matrimony because of the sadness and the disappointment it affords to see the hopes shat- tered, the ideals destroyed by failure and inconstancy of affection, and the intervention of untimely death even where love is mutual and divine. Well balanced men, while feeling no less sympathy for the distressed, never- theless press on in the race of life, cultivating hope in- stead of, despair. They make the best of human condi- tions while recognizing their imperfections. Witness the widow's weeds, the orphan's tears and the long, weary years filled with nothing but sad memory and unrequited hope. Very much of life is like the sentiment of Thomas Moore's sad but beautiful lines in Lallah Rookh — PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 261 "Oh, ever thus, from childhood's hour, I've seen my fondest hopes decay ; I never loved a tree or flower But 'twas the first to fade away. I never nurs'd a dear gazelle, To glad me with its soft, hlack eye, But when it came to know me well And love me it was sure to die." The melancholiac sees nothing better in existence than this doleful condition. But sensible people realize that these disappointments and griefs train our souls and sym- pathies and make us better men and women. Besides, better things come unexpectedly, and we are so consti- tuted that "Hope springs eternal in the human breast." The chronic fault finder who is usually himself the incar- nation of self-imposed disappointment becomes a bear on the market of hope and tries to induce the world to part with this treasure for a trifling or no consideration. Our great poets have not failed to appreciate the bit- terness of disappointment, but on the whole they have tried to teach us that it is more human to hope on not- withstanding disappointment, than to turn bitter toward human institutions. Is it not better to reason with Long- fellow that although — "Into each life some rain must fall, Some days be dark and dreary — we should nevertheless admonish our souls according to his further lines — "Be still, sad heart, and cease repining, For behind the cloud is the sun still shining." The world has always been, and always will be, filled with joy and sadness side by side. In Lincoln's favorite poem, "Mortality," by William Knox, we read— 262 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? "Yea! hope and despondency, pleasure and pain, Are mingled together in sunshine and rain ; And the smile and the tear, the song and the dirge, Still follow each other like surge upon surge." I have dwelt at some length upon the disposition of those who would take a morbid view of life, because I am convinced that the criticisms against the Administration practically all emanate from these people, and that is par- ticularly true of the. criticisms which entertain, or which claim to entertain, a fear that our orderly course in the Philippines, after the fashion of our course in other terri- tories now and hereafter, will produce an evil effect upon American civilization. In the language of Hamilton: "Were the pictures which have been drawn by the polit- ical jealousy of some among us faithful likenesses of the human character, the inference would be that there is not sufficient virtue among men for self-government, and that nothing less than a change to despotism can restrain them from destroying and devouring one another." If anyone in all this audience still refuses to take the hopeful view, to him no further address will avail. And to those who, on the other hand, recognize the progress made by our Government as the greatest in the civilized world, and who believe in the fitness of our republic to work out the greatest blessings possible for man, and who have faith in living men, as well as men who have gone before, and who believe that in our magnificent system of self-government there is no need and no room for mere morbid criticism, fault-finding and scolding — to all such any further address in vindication of our policy in the Philippines is, I submit, unnecessary ; and if I mistake not, nearly all, if not, indeed, all of this audience, will take their places in the latter class. Uncle Sam : Has Pessimist anything more to say ? PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 263 Citizen: Pessimist left the audience just as Patriot was reciting the lines from "Lallah Rookh," muttering as he went out : "I am afraid my trees and flowers are fad- ing away." (Cheers, laughter and applause.) Uncle Sam: Is there anyone in the audience who is not yet convinced of the wisdom, honesty, patriotism and humanity of the President in his Philippine Policy? If so, let him hold up his hand — Seeing none, I assume they are all convinced. Before taking my departure from among you I desire to express my gratitude for your kind attention and eager- ness for truth. I am prouder than ever of the good sense of my people. I commend you all for the respectful atti- tude you have shown toward Pessimist, even though you found it impossible to agree with him. You have shown remarkable endurance and patience in listening so long. The session has reminded me of some of the continuous all-night and all-day sessions we have at the close of Con- gressional terms. I assume that the same good sense which you have all exhibited in reaching a sound con- clusion will characterize the entire American people when the facts are brought home to them as they have been to you. And now I bid you a fond and affectionate good-bye. (Long and stormy applause.) Scene: Compartment in Palace Car en route to Washington. Present, Uncle Sam and Orphan Don. Uncle Sam : Having decided to return to Washington before continuing my investigations in the West, I shall now have time to give you the brief story for which you 2M PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST f have been waiting. I am sure you must have enjoyed the meeting we have attended; and before I begin, will you not tell me what were your impressions ? Orphan Don : My mind was agitated by mingled sur- prise, joy and pity. I was surprised at the prepondering sentiment in that great audience for the righteous cause of the Administration ; because Pessimist assured you that night at your Retreat that the great majority of the people gemerally favored his views, and of course if any did favor him they were present to hear him speak and were con- vinced by Patriot. I rejoiced in the patient, respectful and manly attitude of Patriot while he laid bare the fallacy and hypocrisy of Pessimist. But, on the other hand, I could find in my heart nothing but pity for the sad spec- tacle Pessimist made of himself as Patriot drove him from one illogical position to another, until, in utter rout, Pes- simist finally left the field, after fully demonstrating that the name by which he goes precisely describes his char- acter. Uncle Sam : My son, you have spoken nobly. Little would it have been thought twenty years ago that you would, by this time, have come to such right understand- ing. Your father was almost, if not quite, a degenerate. He had brought up other sons, most of whom are long since dead, but some of whom in their lifetime gave him cause, as he thought, for intemperate boastings. He claimed to be the superior of all other fathers, and "as pride goeth before a fall," his course was soon run ; his substance was "spent in riotous living." You were abused and mis- treated almost to the limit of your childish endurance. When you were but six months' old your father's inebriety and brutality sent your mother to an untimely grave. You were cuffed and kicked for another month, until sore and PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 265 bleeding you were brought and laid upon the doorsteps of my Retreat. Nobody else wanted you ; I did not especially want you, although I foresaw some possibilities which others did not see. I saw the opportunity to set an example in kind treatment of unfortunates and I believed that in some way, though I was not quite clear how, I would be repaid for my trouble, aside from the satisfaction it always gives to do a kindly act. Though others did not want you, they found fault with me for taking you. They said that when your father relinquished you, you should be left to follow out your own sweet will. Orphan Don : Why, Uncle, you do not mean to say that anybody believed I was capable of taking care of my- self at the age of seven months ? Why I was a mere in- fant. I would have died of starvation. Uncle Sam : My boy, you have seen enough of the world in your twenty-one years, indeed, I venture to say you have seen enough within the last twenty-four hours to convince you that some people contend for things equally as absurd as that. Of course, you would have starved. But they said, while he may not attain to an ideal life if left to himself, he will be free in such life as he is able to live, and he had better die than be subjugated to the will of another. Well, let it pass, only a few in- dulged in such philosophy, albeit those few claimed that the rest of the world were on their side. Some of them were honest but merely deluded. Others felt that there were certain rewards to which they would fall heir if they succeeded in demonstrating their new theory. But the great rank and file of people have taken pains to indicate to me, in one way or another, from time to time, that the practical course which I pursued had their approval ; and I have been commiserated on the one hand on account of the long-suffering care necessarily bestowed upon you, 2GG PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? and felicitated on the other hand on account of the credit your conduct has proved to me. You are now to go out into the world for yourself. I did not know at first whether you would be able to assume such responsibilities at the ordinary age of manhood. I confess I had some misgivings about it for a time, and I congratulate myself to the extent of saying that your rapid progress has been due in no small degree to the kindness which I have ever studied to mingle with my firmness in governing you. You have responded to these new conditions in a manner which reflects great credit upon you and your Latin blood. Your progress has aston- ished your friends and confounded your enemies. Those who meddled in the beginning insisted, after I had re- solved to take care of you, that I should at that time prom- ise you your freedom at your majority. I saw no advan- tage in promising something which you might never de- serve, and all who knew me were well aware of the fact, though for selfish reasons they denied it, that if you should ever deserve your freedom I would be only too glad to grant it. You have richly deserved it, and I now pro- nounce you your own man, free to go forth in the world and act whatever part you see fit. And now that you have with such credit to yourself reached the time and the con- dition of accountability, I feel that it is scarcely necessary that I should admonish you to do good rather than ill. Orphan Don : Uncle, I can scarcely express my grati- tude for what you have said, and I know I shall never be able to put into words the gratefulness which is in my heart for what you have done for me. Then I must leave you when we get back to Washington? Uncle Sam: Not exactly leave me, Don. You will still be a member of my great family as all these other peo- ple are whom you see around us; but you will now take PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 267 your place among them on an equality, whereas, I have, in a sense, been governing you more than I have the others, which I am happy to say you now recognize was for your good. Orphan Don : I never doubted it, Uncle. I know some people said I resented your authority over me, but they simply did not know the facts. In many cases, they did not take the pains to ascertain the facts. Alas ! in some cases I fear they did not want to know the facts. Uncle Sam : Well, never mind, they all know now, for the fullness of time has proved the purity of my pur- pose. Orphan Don : Yes, it is better to let it pass. I am glad, however, that I am "Still to be a member of your larger family, where I may continue to have your advice and, indeed, your restraining hand should I go too far astray. And now before our journey is ended, the better to shield myself against the danger of error, will you not bestow upon me your blessing, and give me, I pray you, dear Uncle, any advice which the richness of your ex- perience and the justice in your heart may suggest to you as fitting? Uncle Sam : Well, Don, my boy, I would set up for you a model, though it may not be perfect in my poor de- scription, which nevertheless if copied faithfully will make your life a beautiful picture to behold. If I had but one parting admonition to give you, I should say to you, "Be a patriot." You have seen what an unhappy condition pervades the mind of a pessimist. You have observed how he will shift from one position to another to escape the punishment of logic, like some miserable dumb animal, driven hither and thither by a force of which he knows not. You have seen that once started on such a course almost every avenue of deceit and baseness immediately 268 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? opens itself up, and that the pessimist must ever and anon retreat into these to keep up the appearance of con- sistency. You have seen that a pessimist is opinion-proud ; having made a statement he seems to feel that he must stick to it, no matter how far it may carry him away from the path of truth and duty. You have seen how this leads to ill temper, to impatience and finally to self-disgust. Avoid this unhappy course, my boy, avoid it. Such a man carries the same disposition into every day life. He is sour and crabbed to members of his own family, to his friends and all around him. He is contentious and can- tankerous about little things, and for fear his authority will be questioned he works himself into an unhappy frame of mind when anyone in the ordinary walks of life, and in his home circle, dares to differ from him in mat- ters of the smallest importance. The net result of such a life is that he is unkind, ungenerous and unhelpful to any and all. On the contrary, he is a positive hindrance and a stumbling-block in the way of those who would make progress, were it not for the fact that they are cowered by his stubborn and unreasoning will. He is simply what is ordinarily known as a common scold. With your ideas of justice I am sure this course would not suit you. Look upon the other picture. I said I would advise you to be a patriot, if that were my only words. If you ask why I would not say, Be an honest man, or be truthful, or industrious, or sympathetic and respectful and obliging, or vigilant for opportunity to do good to individuals, to society, to the world, or patient, just and conciliatory towards members of your own family and your neighbors, or generous and magnanimous toward those whom you must in the struggle of life meet and vanquish, or char- itable toward those who are unfortunate and toward the "stranger within your door." If asked, I say, why I have PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? 269 not commended any or all of these rather than patriotism, I answer forthwith that patriotism includes all of these, and still more. The patriot would exercise all this kindliness, this gen- erosity, this justice, patience and benevolence toward all his fellow men. He loves his family and cultivates that love by applying to it the life-giving cordial of reason. It is not stayed or hindered by accident of fortune or phys- ical condition. He will nurse it more closely in the face of worldly adversity. He will cling to it the more fondly if misfortune should befall and there should come the truss instead of the corsage, the crutch instead of the dainty, tripping dance. The patriot — because he must have all these manly qualities to be a patriot — having fixed his devotion upon an object, keeps it there though the winds of adversity blow, though the waves of calamity lash, though the storm of misfortune envelop him. Honest man? Yea, the patriot is all- of that. Though laden down with obliga- tions forced upon him by others — burdens which would crush the midget soul of a pessimist — and though released from them, both by law and voluntary renunciation of creditors, the patriot will have none of this. He will throw into the scale of justice as he, the big-hearted, hon- est man sees it, the last dollar even to his homestead, in order that none shall suffer, even indirectly, by his fault. And when good fortune overtakes him, as it frequently does such devotion to right, the balance of the bond is met. The patriot is all of this. The patriot is everything that anybody else can be for the good of himself, his fam- ily, his friends, his neighborhood, his country and his fel- low-man, and in addition to this he is ready to die for these convictions. As a young man he will shoulder the musket in defense of his country. He will take his place 270 PATRIOT OR PESSIMIST? in the thick of the fight. He will dare shot and shell to minister unto the wants of his wounded and famished comrades. He will brave dangers which threaten almost certain death to himself to carry a message which will pre- vent the death of others. He will take his place in civil life when the struggle of war is over. He will devote him- self to the industry and upbuilding of his country, not alone for personal aggrandizement, not alone that he may gather wealth, but having in view as his main object the distribution of opportunities to those who labor and to those who employ labor throughout the length and breadth of his country. He will, when called upon, serve his State and his nation with that signal devotion and that evenhanded justice which emanate only from a true and tried patriot. And when the larger opportunities come to stretch out his hand to other nations and beckon them on to higher life, having the courage of his convictions, and knowing that his unsullied purpose of human helpfulness will meet with the approbation of his fellow-citizens, whose wish he is bound to respect, he lifts that pure strong hand and bids the peoples of down-trodden nations take new hope. This, Don, is a patriot. Imitate him. *\ =*. v* - ,0o ff I A f *L v^ \ ^. •f> % -^

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