Senate Bill Would Vest Absolute Power in Philippines
A BILL was introduced in the United States Senate last Thursday, to become a law of the United States by act of Congress, providing that “when all insurrection against the authority and sovereignty of the United States in the Philippine Islands shall have been completely suppressed by the military and naval forces of the United States,” then “all military, civil, and judicial powers necessary to govern the said islands shall, until otherwise provided by Congress, be vested in such persons, and shall be exercised in such manner, as the president of the United States shall direct, for maintaining and protecting the inhabitants of said islands in the full enjoyment of their liberty, property, and religion.” That is a proposition that the principle of absolute authority—one-man power—shall be definitely recognized by Congress and established by its act. An administration correspondent says of this, “It is a new and novel question in American politics;” and “the exceedingly lively interest” taken in it “is one of the signs of the times.” Indeed, it is. It is one of the most remarkable of the signs of the times. Do you see what it is a sign of? As the approach of the Roman armies was a sign to the disciples of the impending destruction of Jerusalem, so may “the repudiation of Protestant and republican principle be a sign to us.” It would be impossible to repudiate republican principle more certainly than is steadily being done by this nation.