The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-09
MANAGEMENT OF
THE PHILIPPINES

From the Denver News.
The treaty with Spain conveying to the
United States, among others, the Philippine
group of islands, will soon be executed by
the light contracting parties, and within a
reasonable time will be ratified by the
American senate. This is right. Manila
and its bay were captured, and are being
held as the legitimate spoils of war. The
United States has the right to demand that
they be transferred, Spain surrcndering
sovereignty and this country taking it.
When the senate Tatifes the treaty the
Philippines will be Spanish soil no longer,
but the property of the United States to be
dealt with 1t will determine.
1t is how to deal with them that puzzles
statesmen. Just what their relations to the
United State will be is the political conun-
drum. They cannot be received as a stale,
nor can they be moulded into a territory.
Either one or the other carries with it TO
its inhabitants the right to go and come at
will, no restrictions upon commerce. the
same tariff duties, and absolute free trade
between them and the rest of the United
States. The labor of the islands is servile
or semi-servile. Without restrictions that
are impossible under our fundamental law,
their would soon be inundation of the
United States of Malays, Kanakas ana
creoes that populate the islands. The bet
ter wages here and better living would
prove a odestone they could not resist.
Its effect upon American wages would be a
national disaster, to say nothing of the
tainting of the blood and compiled tons OF
the present race problems caused by the
in Of wi nd in, tbs,
southern states
1t follows as a corollary that If the Phil
ippines are retained by the United States
it must be as captured provinces, in which
state of war exists which justifies an ex-
clus.on of their people from the protection
afforded to American citizens by the fed
eral constitution. The constitution extends
to the inhabitants of territories as we'll as
of states The preamble to the constitution
declares that I'VE, the people of the United
States for the purposes set forth, do or
dan and establish this constitution for the
United States of America" The United
States of America embraces all its terrific
ry. Alaska though not within a state. Is
part of the United States of America: so
are Arizona an0 the other organized terri
tories. The constitution is, therefore. es
tablished for all the territory of the United
States. Some fiction must be devised that
will, while the sovereignty of the United
states Is extended over the islands, exclude
their inhabitants from the enjoyment of
the rights and privileges of American citi-
zens 1t must be military or semi-milita-
ry government The law must be either
that of the camp, or of congress, with ref
erence to constitutional limitations and re-
strictfons. This anomaly will exist:
great republic and despotism side by side;
countries subject to the same sovereignty
the despotism organized, controlled and
manipulated by and for the benefit of the
republic.
1he first startling proposition that con-
fronts Americans is that the law of con-
gress fixing custom duties cannot apply or
be applied to the Philippines 1t is operas
tive over every other foot of American soill
But the very treaty ceding US the islands,
which, il ratified by the senate, becomes
the supreme law of the land, establishes
the open door," That is, while the Ding
ley tariff is operative over every other
square inch of American soil, it cannot ex.
list for the Philippines. There must be for
them either absolute free trade or q tariff
law as applicable to the United States as
to England or any other foreign country.
In the Philippines the American manufac-
lurer VIII nave no advantage over the
British or French. All must pay duties on
their goods alike entering their ports.
Americans cannot fence eff the Philippines
and say products of the United States shall
enter free of duty, while those of other
countries must pay the duties.
These are but a few of the perpieXing
questions connected with the possession Of
our new accessions. What to do with
them or how to manage them is, therefore,
a problem worthy of the best thought of
the best Americans. There are those who
suggest that what should be done is having
ratified the treaty, we proceed rapidly as
possible to give freedom to the Philippines.
Establish an American protectorate, make
person and property secure, require politi-
cal and religious freedom, see that the re-
public is maintained obtain reasonable
commercial and other advantages to tho
United States that shall be perpetual, re-
tain ample facilities for coaling stations
and cable terminals there and in the
Ladrones and Carloines. Startle the civ
iized world with the most suoimely grand
and magnanimous national deed that his
tory has ever recorded wrest a nation from
it's oppressors and say to it, now you are
free.