National Duties 



pie. Exactly as it is the duty of a civilized power 

 scrupulously to respect the rights of all weaker civ 

 ilized powers and gladly to help those who are strug 

 gling toward civilization, so it is its duty to put 

 down savagery and barbarism. As in such a work 

 human instruments must be used, and as human in 

 struments are imperfect, this means that at times 

 there will be injustice; that at times merchant or 

 soldier, or even missionary, may do wrong. Let us 

 instantly condemn and rectify such wrong when it 

 occurs, and if possible punish the wrongdoer. But 

 shame, thrice shame to us, if we are so foolish as to 

 make such occasional wrongdoing an excuse for 

 failing to perform a great and righteous task. Not 

 only in our own land, but throughout the world, 

 throughout all history, the advance of civilization has 

 been of incalculable benefit to mankind, and those 

 through whom it has advanced deserve the highest 

 honor. All honor to the missionary, all honor to 

 the soldier, all honor to the merchant who now in 

 our own day have done so much to bring light into 

 the world's dark places. 



Let me insist again, for fear of possible miscon 

 struction, upon the fact that our duty is twofold, and 

 that we must raise others while we are benefiting our 

 selves. In bringing order to the Philippines, our 

 soldiers added a new page to the honor-roll of 

 American history, and they incalculably benefited the 



