Page:Speeches, correspondence and political papers of Carl Schurz, Volume 6.djvu/380

356 only one that will really strengthen us by making freemen and friends out of discontented and, at heart, hostile subjects. But this they will not promise.

With a sense of relief we may turn to the Democratic party which, with a leader at its head deserving and possessing the confidence and respect of the people, meets us with the frank and ringing declaration that “we ought to do for the Filipinos what we have already done for the Cubans, and that it is our duty to make that promise now and to set the Filipinos upon their feet, free and in dependent, to work out their own destiny.” This is the voice of right, of justice, of genuine Americanism and of true statesmanship. The sooner and the more triumphantly it prevails the prouder every patriotic American will be of his country. 



&emsp; Permit me to congratulate you upon your very wise decision not to make a dinner speech at Chicago and to abstain from stump speaking during the campaign. I am sure your attitude in this respect meets with general commendation.

I hope you will not consider it presumptuous on my part if I venture to submit a suggestion to you. I do it at the instance of my civil service reform friends. They are anxious that you should, in your speech and letter of acceptance, give as strong an endorsement to the civil service plank of the Democratic platform as your judgment may allow. I think myself that such an endorsement would make a very good impression upon the independent voters, especially if coupled with some reference to your former utterances upon that subject which some time ago I saw quoted in the New York Times. 