WOULD WE TREAD IN THE PATHS OF TYRANNY,
NOR RECKON THE TYRANT’S COST?
WHO TAKETH ANOTHER’S LIBERTY,
HIS FREEDOM IS ALSO LOST.
WOULD WE WIN AS THE STRONG HAS EVER WON,
MAKE READY TO PAY THE DEBT,
FOR THE GOD WHO REIGNED OVER BABYLON
IS THE GOD WHO IS REIGNING YET.
Some argue that American rule in the Philippine Island will result in the
better education of the Filipinos. Be not deceived. If we expect to maintain
a colonial policy, we shall not find it to our advantage to educate the people.
The educated Filipinos are now in revolt against us, and the most ignorant
ones have made the least resistance to our domination. If we are to govern
them without their consent and give them no voice in determining the taxes
which they must pay we dare not educate them,lest they learn to read the Dec-
laration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, and mock
us for our inconsistency.
REPUBLICAN ARGUMENT ANSWERED.
THE PRINCIPAL ARGUMENTS, HOWEVER, ADVANCED BY THOSE WHO
ENTER UPON A DEFENSE OF IMPERIALISM ARE:
FIRST—THAT WE MUST IMPROVE THE PRESENT OPPORTUNITY TO BE-
COME A WORLD POWER AND ENTER INTO INTERNATIONAL POLITICS.
SECOND—-THAT OUR COMMERCIAL INTERESTS IN THE PHILIPPINE IS-
LANDS AND IN THE ORIENT MAKE IT NECESSARY FOR US TO HOLD THE IS-
LANDS PERMANENTLY.
THIRD—THAT THE SPREAD OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION WILL BE FA-
CILITATED BY A COLONIAL POLICY.
FOURTH-THAT THERE IS NO HONORABLE RETREAT FROM THE POSI-
TION WHICH THE NATION HAS TAKEN.
THE FIRST ARGUMENT IS ADDRESSED TO THE NATION'S PRIDE AND THE
SECOND TO THE NATION'S POCKETBOOK. THE THIRD IS INTENDED FOR THE
CHURCH MEMBER AND THE FOURTH FOR THE PARTISAN.
It is a sufficient answer to the first argument to say that for more than a
century this nation has been a world power. For ten decades it has been the
most potent influence in the world. Not only has it been a world power, but it
has done more to affect the politics of the human race than all the other na-
tions of the world combined. Because our Declaration of Independence was
promulgated others have been promulgated; because the patriots of 1776
fought for liberty others have fought for it; because our Constitution was
adopted other constitutions have been adopted.
THE GROWTH OF THE PRINCIPLE OF SELF-GOVERNMENT, PLANTED ON
AMERICAN SOIL, HAS BEEN THE OVERSHADOWING POLITICAL FACT OF THE
NINETEENTH CENTURY. IT HAS MADE THIS NATION CONSPICUOUS AMONG
THE NATIONS AND GIVEN IT A PLACE IN HISTORY SUCH AS NO OTHER NA-
TION HAS EVER ENJOYED. NOTHING HAS BEEN ABLE TO CHECK THE ON-
WARD MARCH OF THIS IDEA. I AM NOT WILLING THAT THIS NATION SHALL
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