New Iberia enterprise. (New Iberia, La.) 1885-1902, 1898-08-13
AMERICAN HONOR AND INTEREST
THE PHILIPPINES.

| lie Wise anu JuulclOuS are u
the front again, advising that W,
relinquish the Philippines to Spain
They see that to hold them as Ou1
own or to extend our protection
over native government mus
give us the trouble and anxiety in
separable from new problems, new
duties. That is all they do see
Therefore they would have tht
Government abandon the islands
The wise and judicious do not
choose to permit their "safe and
conservative" minds to face this
vital, this portentous question:
five do not retain the mastery over
the Philippines, if we re-establisf
Spain's sovereignty, what will be
the consequences!
1t means a long and horrible war
with the natives, who were in re-
bellion before our arrival, and after
their recent successes and Spain S
defeat in all quarters at our hands
they would be less disposed than
ever to submit to Spanish rule, with
it's systematized robbery and in
tolerable tyranny.
1t means anarchy for the Philip
pines if the cOmbatants should be
left alone.
1t means European war other
wise, for, the United States having
withdrawn, there would be inter
ventiOn under various preteXts for
the purpose of land grabbing.
Our retention of a naval base
would make it impossible for us to
view with indifference either this
anarchy or these land grabbing en-
terprises.
The surest way to bring about
those" foreign complications which
the wise and judicious are solicitous
to avoid would be to follow the
policy favored by the wise and
judiciOus. They aim at the crea
ton of conditions in the Philip
pines which would be charged with
dynamite and certain to produce an
explosion that would wreck the
worlds peace.
Prudence demands that we shall
expel Spain altogether from the
Philippines. Our present security,
future quiet and commercial inter
ests argue for this course.
Our national honor forbids the
re-establishment of the sovereignty
humbled by Dewey's guns.
Humanity commands us to stand
between the natives and their now
powerless oppressor.
This Republic owes it to the cause
of liberty to have no share in re-
erecting royal authority where once
it has been overthrown. Cleveland
tried that in Hawaii, and the dis
credit Of his act will live as long.as
his name. In the Philippines we
have assisted in the overthrow, and
therefore are the more obligated
not to undo the work Of our own
hands.
The people Of the islands have
rights. Justice, generosity and
manliness recognize that fact if the
wise and judicious, the safe and
do not.
The Filipinos have fought for
liberty and fought as our allies.
They are with ourselves foes Of
Spain, and to surrender them to
the enemy now would be as imbe-
cile and as criminal as would be the
conduct of Dewey were he to invite
Montojo to come out from be-
and helpless Manila and
take possession of the American
fleet.
What to do with the Philippines
is problem, but to give them back
to Spain is preposterOus solution.
Either we should hold the islands
as we shall hold Porto Rico, or
throw our protection over such q
government as the natives choose
to organize.
But no recognition of our beaten
and bloody-minded enemy in the
premises. No partnership with
Spain in governing the people whom
she has plundered and misused
through centuries.
Honor, prudence, interest and the
Idea cry out against so
base and short-sighted a policy,
however attractive it may be to the
"wise and judicious, the safe and
cOnservative'-the same order of
minds that opposed the war for the
of Cuba on grounds
which they deemed respectable,
but which in reality were narrow
and foolish, sordid, disgraceful and
revoltingly un-American.-N Y.
Journal.