The record-union., 1898-12-05

growing ilt population to the population
| of the State, but it has not yet been
shown whether San Francisco is alone
in this respect or whether other Pa
| cific Coast towns also are behind what
may be considered a normal rate OF
growth
PROBLEMS OF GOVERNMENT.
San Jose Herald: Professor Bernardsl
Moses of the University of California
recently finished course of lectures
before the University Extension Club Of
| this city on the subject of Spain and
her colonies. At the conclusion of his
last lecture one Of the audience asked
what our Government should do with
| the Philippines. Professor Moses came
out strongly in favor of holding the ISL
and, but under different form of gov
ernment from that which prevails IN
the United States In his opinion the
Americans are a great, strong and wise
people, competent to assume new opil-
cations and to discharge them in
creditable manner and consequently
capable of governing the Philippines TO
their interest and our own.
/ But in his reference to the different
kind of government needed for the Phil
| ippines, Professor Moses alluded not
only to government forms but to the
principle and practice OF appointments
and administration. The Filipinos are
a comparatively ignorant, undeveloped'
uncivilzed race. They cannot yet be
trusted to govern themselves, ana we
must govern them. 1t must be done IN
Wisdom, firmness and justice. 1t must
be committed to men who have the
brains and heart to govern for the good
10 vl,n linn ina w
be no place to send political spoilsmen
unless we would have the last case OF
THAT country worse than its first.
SOME REASONS WHY.
| Riverside Press: But when hostili-
ties began there was quite a strong
| Spanish fleet at Manila, which could
easily have crossed over to this coast
and inflicted enormous damage upon
our merchant marine in the Pacific and
on our practically defenseless cities,
from San Diego to Seattle. All ordi-
nary dictates of prudence demanded
| that this menace should be removed;
and it was done by Admiral Dewey on
that memorable morning in May.
Dewey found the Filipinos in open re-
| volt against oppression more calling
even than that of Cuba. He took with
leader Of the insurgents, and he gave
their cause a certain moral support as
was natural and proper while war e.s
listed between us and Spain. To MAIN
tain our foothold in Manila, to COM
plete the work of the naval victory and
to protect the vast commercial interests
of Manila against the lawlessneSs of hte
| insurgents and the rapacity and in
efficiency of the Spaniards, the con-
quest of the city was completed; and
/ by that act the control Of the islands
practically passed to the United States.
The conquest of the remainder of the
islands was a matter of detail that
could be attended to at any time.
That was the situation when the
peace protocol was signed. And then
the question was, what should be done
with the Philippines. We could have
agreed to withdraw and turn the ISL
ands over TO Spain again. That would
have meant that the insurgents, who
have had our moral support and tacit
encouragement, should be left to the
tender mercies Of the barbarous, hu-
inflated and bitterly revengeful foe.
And woe betide any man who dared
lift his hand against Spain. The hand
would have been turned back on the
dial plate of time in the Philippines two
centuries or more; and Spain would
have wreaked all the wrath she feels
at the loss of Cuba and Porto Rico on
the inhabitants of these islands. Years
Of cruel bloodshed, oppression and plum
der would have followed. Would it
have been right for Christian nation,
a free people to do so cowardly and in
human a thing as that, and to become
responsible for horrors worse than those
in Armenia? If we had done this, we
should have put a stain on our flag that
would have covered the glory of the
victories of Manila and Santiago.
Another course was open to us. We
might have taken the islands as a war
indemnity, and then, because they are
far away and their government in
wolves some new problems, might sell
them to England or Germany or par
eel them out among half a dozen great
Powers that would like. slice of their
richness. As business proposition, If
their possession is of such great COM
mercial advantage to other Powers,
why should we not retain this advan-
tage ourselves? And shall we say to
the world that We are Indifferent to the
fate Of these seven millions of people
|
der our control and that we are ready
to barter them off to Japan or Ger
many or England simply because we
do not want to be bothered with the
responsibility of their government?
PROBABLY UNTRUE.
San Jose Mercury: There is prob
ably no truth In the dispatch that the
American shipbuilding firms have en-
tered into combination for the pur-
pose of cinching the Government. The
firms cannot complain concerning the
profits they are now making, and if
they attempt to rob the Government
by extortionate prices for warships
they will find that the Government is
not dependent on them and that it can
easily provide building plants Of its
own. Besides the expansion Of our
territory and the increase of our navy
! will offer inducements for further COM
petition in the shipbuilding line.
CONCERNING CHIVALRY.
Alameda Argus: The man who raises
his voice in condemnation of woman
to excuse or justify himself is bound
not only TO fail in his purpose, but to
gain public obloquy as well. The un-
written law is that whatever may be