The record-union., 1898-08-15
KEEP THE ISLANDS.
THAT Is THE ADVICE OF COL.
ROBERT G. INGERSOLL.
Not for Our Own Sake, but for
the Sake Of Their
Peoples.

"A. understand it, the United States
went into this war against Spain in
the cause of freedom For three years
SDain has been endeavoring to conquer
these people. The means employed
were savage. Hundreds of thousands
were starved. Yet the Cubans, with
great heroism, were continuing the
struggle. In spite OF their burned
homes, their wasted fields, their dead
comrades, the Cubans were not con-
Quered. and still waged war. Under
those circumstances we said TO Spain:
You must withdraw from the western
world The Cubans have the right 10
be free
1t was understood and declared at
for the sake of territory, that we wer
for the sake of territory, that we were
not trying to annex Cuba, but that we
We're moved to compassion-a compass
sion that became as stern as justice.
l did not think at the time there would
be war. l supposed that the Spanish
people had some sense, that they knew
their own condition and the condition of
this republic. But the improbable hap
pened, and now, after the successes we
have had, the end of the war appears
What shall we do with the Spanish
islands that we have taken already, or
that we may take before peace comes?'
CAN'T GIVE THE PHILIPPINES TO
SPAIN.
"Of course we could not, without Stult-
flying ourselves and committing the
greatest of crimes, hand back Cuba to
Spain. But to do that would be no
info hon
to hand back the Philippines. In those
islands there are from S,00O0OO to 1O,-
100000 of people, and they have been
robbed and enslaved by Spanish officers
and soldiers. Undoubtedly they were
savages when first found, and un
doubtedly they are worse now than
when diScovered-more barbarOuS. They
wouldn't make very good citizens of
the United States; they are probably
incapable of self government, but no
people can be ignorant enough to be
justly robbed or savage enough to be
rightly enslaved. L think that We
should keep the Islands, not for our
own sake, but for the sake of these
people.
LAS far as the Philippines are con-
cerned, think that we should endeavor
to civiliZe them, and to do this we
should send teachers, not preachers.
We should not endeavor to give them
our superstition in place of Spanish
superstition. They have had supersti-
tion enough. They don't need churches,
they need schools. We should teach
them our arts; how to cultivate the
soil, how TO manufacture the things
they need. In other words, we should
deal honestly with them and try our
best to make them a self-supporting
and self-governing people. The eagle
should spread its wings over those ISL
ands for that and for no other pur-
pose. We cannot afford to give them to
ether nations or to throw fragments of
them 10 the wild beasts of Europe. We
cannot say 10 Russia: You may have
part and to Germany: You may
have a share, and to France: You
take something and so divide out these
people as thieves divide plunder. That
we will never do.
WON BY AMERICAN BRAVERY.
There is, moreover, a little sentiment
mixed with this matter in my mind.
Manila Bay has been filled with Ameri-
can glory. There was won one of our
greatest triumphs, one of the greatest
naval victories of the world-won by
American courage and genius We
cannot allow any other nation TO be-
come the owner of the stage on which
this American drama was played.
know that we can be of great assist
ance 10 the inhabitants of the Philip
pines. l know that we can be an un-
mixed blessing to them, and that is the
only ambition 1 have in regard to those
islands. | would no more think Of
handing them back to Spain than l
would of butchering the entire popula-
ton in cold blood. Spain is unfit 10
govern. Spain has always been a rob-
Der. She has never made an effort to
civilize human being. The history
of Spain, / think, is the darkest page
in the history of the world.
At the same time / have a kind OF
pity for the Spanish people. / feel that
they have been victims-victims of su-
perstition. Their blood has been sucked,
their energies have been wasted and
misdirected, and they excite my sympa-
thies. OF course there are many good