Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-06-08
AS TO THE PHILIPPINES


AS TO THE PHILIPPINES.
What shall We do with the Philip
pines? is a question that is bound TO
grow in Importance and to press for
disposed Of In all probability the
end of the war will find us in full pos
session of the islands. How shall we
govern them? Returning them to
Spain will probably be out of the
question, while to sell them to any
power would probably result in danger
Gus complications, which our govern
ment would prefer to avoid. Self-gov
ernmen. on an independent basis for
the islands seems to be equally out of
the question Their inhabitants are
not capable of self government. We
as State of the American union, and
our system of territorial government
would hardly apply successfully to the
conditions existing in these Asiatlc
islands What are we to do with
them?
A possibility is suggested by Consul
Skinner at Marseilles, in his report to
the State Department. He recently met
a Dutch official who had Just returned
from a long stay in Java, which has
been under the rule of Holland for
nearly three centuries with the eXcep-
ton Of an interval of English rule at
the beginning of the present century. 1t
has been source of great profit to Hol-
land the net annual revenue being
about $14,00O.000 after paying all ex-
penses, including the keeping up of an
army of 10000 men to repress brigand-
age and piracy.
The climate, products, people and
conditions in Java and the Philippines
are very similar. The Dutch masters
Of Java govern through the native
rulers. The sultans and chiefs are
kept in their positions. supplied with
a gorgeous retinue, and in the eyes of
the native population appear clothed
with full powers. But the real power
is with the Dutch governor, who uses
| these native chiefs as his puppets. If
| they serve the purposes of their mas
ter they are maintained in their posi-
/ tons against all rivals and against
! any insurrectionary movements. IT
! they are refractory they are summar-
! lily deposed Hence it is to their in
/ terest to be tractable. The government
! sees to it that they do not abuse their
! authority and gradually, through their
agency, introduces measures for the
/ education and elevation Of the people.
/ Said the official, as reported by Consul
Skinner:
I I'VE Dutchmen in Java move like a
! drop of oil-slowly. very slowly, but all
( the time-and by and by. whom some
! thing is ACCOMPLISHED it has come about
happened. We pay the native priests, we
support a large native police force. and
! we rule by the hands and mouths OF the
natives: but all the time we have our
! own people on guard and no move is made
W: hout our consent. Thus the people and
| their chiefs are contented and happy. and
we keep them so by maintaining a condi-
| ton more Favorable than they could hope
! to maintain themselves. We encourage a
| healthy morale by permitting native and
| European soldiers to marry and live to-
| gether in families, and we never send a
/ Dutch official to the colonies unless he
| is endowed with qualities likely to i'm
| prove the condition of things. All our Of
| ficials must work. and work hard. The
profitable side of the account is traceable
to the operations Of the Netherlands
name for the Dutch government. This
! company plants crops. manufactures, and
sells on lands hald,,hy the, government.
/ and merchant. and its immense net in
! come is the product of legitimate toll and
! enterprise, and not of burdensome taxa
! ton.
All this is radically different from
the Spanish method, which is tc
squeeze everything possible out of the
natives, keep them in brutalized ignor-
ance and helpless poverty, and finally
to eXterminate them. 1t is also very
| different from the American method OF
independent instead of paternal gov
eminent. Furthermore, it is doubt
! full if the American system CT govern
ment would dovetail with the Dutch
| system, for to apply the latter sue
cessfully would require in the Ameri-
can officials strict integrity, executive
ability, untiring industry, and above
all infinite tact. But no sooner would
| the American officials appointed by po-
litical pull to govern the Islands
become thoroughly acquainted witt
their duties than change o.
administration at Washington would
depose them in favor of othel
spoils hunters who might know {
| great deal about running party eau
Gus or convention. but very little abou
governing the mixed and half savage
Asiatics of the Philippines.