New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-09
TIE PHILIPPINE PROBLEN.
Az ENGLISH VIEW OF THE ONLY COURSE
OPEN TO AMERICA.
>o,v-Yor-k. Aug. s. 1898.
From The London Spectator.

,,ron, The London Spectator.
~ our opinion the Government at Washing
49,. viii not be doing their duty to the people Of
,be Union unless they insist upon two principles
IN rs, that Spanish rule shall cease absolutely
"a forever in Cuba. in the Philippines and in
I,o~to Rico and. secondly. that America. and
,nrricI alone shall decide what is to be the
,,,,in,ote fate Of the former possessions Of Spain
Iinl.qs these principles are insisted abso-
,,,clv America may find that the war. instead
- having been a blessing TO the inha btants of
.hn Snanish colonies. has turned out a curse
and instead Of a movement in the direction Of
humanity and civilization. an actual step back
ward In our belief. ii is alike the destiny and
rho duty OF the two branches OF the Anglo
caxon race TO govern and convert to civil uses
Tho inferior races Our race Is meant 10 do in
The world the work of foreman and ganger. and
in doing so not only helps the peoples controlled
and directed. but also gives us own nature llS
true development.
America has before her a great opportunity
for performing this special duty in the Philip
pnes and in Cuba. She is. however also con
frontcd with special temptation to shirk this
6utv 4 large party in America are still IN
cined TO say, Let us keep to our own continent
Let US not run unknown risks outside If We go
crusading about the world we shall get mo
endless difficulties and troubles and lose our
Independence" On the other hand. there is an
other party. and one which. If mistaken. acts
from high and honorable motives. Wnlch de-
cores that America must show her perfect
bona iidcs and her absolute disinterestedness by
taking nothing for herself. except perhaps the
the Philippines. The rest of the Philippine
group and the whole Of Cuba are to be left as
monuments 10 Americas disinterestedness ana
20 prove that she Is not land raobing POWER
considering the strength of these two schools
OF opinion, we believe that there is some danger
OF terms Of peace being arranged under when
Cuba will be declared independent. and the Phi-
ippines be allowed 10 remain part or the span
ish dominions, under some scheme OF autonomy
approved by America. These are terms when,
of course, Spain would favor, and they would
also be very agreeable to the Continental row
ers who are extremely jealous OF American eX-
pansion and would like TO be able 10 say that
America mad not been permitted by Europe to
plumber her enemy AS we have suggested, we
should ourselves view peace on these terms with
the utmost dismay. What would be the result?
We know by this time something OF the cuban
insurgents and IL cannot be doubted that cuban
independence would mean a Spanish south
American Republic, not Of the Chlian but o,
the Venezuelan or Nicaraguan type. anchored
off the coast Of Florida. In other words. 10
give Cuba independence would be TO hand the
island over 10 civil war. Can the Americans
find it consistent with their duty 10 do that?
They will be told. no doubt. that they are
pledged leave Cuba to her fate by the very
njudicous clause inserted into the joint rcso-
luton OF Congress. We inplore them not TO be
bound by words spoken rashly and in ignorance
The declaration was In no sense a promise or
contract. and. considering how different Is the
actual situation from what II appeared 10 be.
the Americans have, in our opinion. q com plete
right 10 withdraw from IT, Their position at the
end OF the will be really very much ike
that Of the English in Egypt. and for them. as
for us. the holdest and, most straightforward
course Will be to admit that they were rash and
ignorant and that since they cannot act up TO
their declaration without running the island Of
Cuba they intend to withdraw 1t.
We sincerely trust that similar policy will
be pursued in the Philippines. and that the
thousand and more tropical islands that form
the group will be retained by America. To al
low Spain to continue in the islands after what
has happened would be cruel In high degree.
pteh not
and would treat the men now In revolt-men
who, no doubt. have committed many atrocities
on the religious orders in the Philippines-with
terrible severity. However many paper guar
antees were arranged to protect the present
rebels we may be perfectly certain that In SIX
months there would again be civil war In the
Philippines. To leave Spain any chance OF tax
Ing her revenge upon the Tagals would be con-
trary 10 the interests OF humanity. But II Spain
is not to be reinstated in some form or other.
what is to happen to the Islands! me notion
Of granting such population real independence
Is utterly, nay, cruelty. absurd. 1t would not
be a case Of new Venezuela or Nicaragua, but
OF new Hayti.
The alternative Of handing over the islands
to Germany or France Is. OF course, nadmssi-
BILE. The Germans keep order no doubt: but
their government Of colonies Is by no means or
the kind that gives them a natural right Of re-
version in tropical plantations Besides the
Americans did not make war in order 10 create
colonial empire for Germany. The handing
over Of the Philippines TO England must also
be struck Of the list Of possible alternatives.
We do not want the islands. and II we did II
would not be wise TO take them. We mean the
world to realize that our sympathy for. and UNI
Outstanding with. America was not based upon
any expectation Of favors to come. The world
must be taught that the foundations Of the race
alliance have been laid upon something much
stronger that self-interest The only course
that remains Is for America to retain the ISL
ands under her own direct control That is the
only alternative fair to the natives and con-
sistent with the duty Of the United States.