The San Francisco call., 1898-12-30

 cause we need them in our business or we do not want them because they would be injurious to us.
 The American people can assume al! obligation only as ordained by law anu the constitution. The army and the navy, the executive and the judiciary, all acting, cannot annex any country or people or obligate us to annex them. It is only by treaty, ratified by two. thirds of the Senate or majority or both houses of Congress, that such can be done or such real obligation m cured. Even if the treaty were ratl- fled we would then only be substituted to Spain'S rights, which is the rlSht 10 forcibly rule a people without thelr consent and which is foreign to our theories of government. To-day what ever form of government exists in the Philippines, other than SpanlSh or American military rule, is 1nsurgent, aVoWedly seeking to establish some form of independent government, II the treaty be ratified it can only De prevented from working incalculable injury to this people by allowing them to do what they obviously want to- do set up a government of their own We are told that it will not be stable and cannot defend itself-a most excellent argument against mixing 1t with our own. Suppose it is not stable, the Central American republics So-caled here in our own hemisphere have revolution about every ninety days ana seem to enjoy it. In any event if the treaty shall be ratified we can then CO., operate as eXpeditiouSly and honestly as possible in assisting these people to set up as respectable and stable form of government as they are capable Of and then wash our hands of the whole uncongenial and unAmerican business oI n riS6iCtiOn.
 The person who advocates that these people are incapable of self-goVern- ment, present or future, and therefore we cannot humanely leave them to their own resources and follies and at the same time advocates bringing them Ill as prospective American citizens, has certainly an impossible position to de- fend. In the first place the whole pres ent and past argument as to moral, legal or other responsibility is strained and false, but if the responsibility be admitted, for the sake of the argument, or shall be in a greater or less degree assumed in the future, nevertheless this irresistible conclusion results: If we cannot invite them into the family of States as citizens, and there is certainly no representative or general sentiment of the American mind that we can or should; if we cannot with respect to our principles of government or with re- gard to our Well-being colonize them and rule them as subjects (and they must be one or the other, citizens, present or prospective, or subjectS) and in our former article we discussed the | matter at sufficient length, then there is and can be but one conclusion: Sentiment cannot govern, not such a | sentiment at least; it could not govern | if it were well founded and much less when it is unfounded and false and | hypocritical. The islands must be dis | posed of, must be got rid of, freely and voluntarily, and for self govern ment would best suit the American mind, but in any event get rid of them. 1 The protection, the Well-being, the lib- l critics of this people, the progress, the l advancement of this one grand and representative government of democ- racy must not, and in Gods providence We hope will not, be sacrificed in be- half of the pretended interests of a non- consenting, unhomogeneous and alien race.
 We entered this war discIaiming all | greed, all desire for gain, acquisition or annexation. We may yet quit with honor and credit, glory even and re- nown. but equally we may stand con- | Vlcted as an AnanlaS in the beginning and an Uriah Heep among nations at the end. It Is easy to tell what to do with the Philippines before we actually have them in comparison to being able to tell what to do with them when 1 once i've have the elephant on our | hands,"
 I have no great hope that the sug- gestions here made or any suggestions will satisfy those who have set their hearts on annexing the Philippines. "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still" and some of our fellow citizens have strongly set their r 1o;,, 1 cratic apparel with goodly quantity | of Oriental jewelry. Therefore the true policy of those opposed to annexa- tion on principle is to show the disad- vantages and injurious effects to this country and those now favoring annex ation if once convinced it is wrong and | injurious to us will answer the QueS- tion how not to do it themselves. Hav- ing destroyed the power that governed or misgoverned the Philippines, we may assume if we choose to give them self-government and assist them in that direction, or in providing some other kind of government less objectionable than that we have taken from them. | But that we must hold them as colo
 nies or territories and prospective
 states is only suggested by the wish fathering the thought. If in necessary self-defense an American citizen had
 killed the brutal husband of one of those Malay lduleS ana taken away her support, such as it was, he might feel I if unusually high minded, obligated to make some recompense or provide some sustenance for her for a reasonable time; but unless in need of servants or
 in the habit of keeping them, would
 hardly feel morally obligated to make her his handmaden for the rest of heI
 natural life, and much less to marry
 the widow and make her one of his
 family. It is rather a nice and deli cate question this mixing of races. As a lf-governed and self governing race
 we have no right to colonies or to sub-
 ject this people to our domination; as
 a f-governing, self-respecting race
 we have no right to brin~ into our fam.
 fly and the sfsterhood of States any
 people not possessed of the qualities ol
 characteristics of self government en.
 titling them to such a position, presen
 or prospective.
 Remove your eyes from the Orient
 my countrvmen, and by the light of ex
 perience study these United States an(
 this people, and then I firmly believe
 we can all agree that the answer to tht
 question, What shall we do with tn
 Philippines? can never be, Annex then
 as colonies, much less as prospectiv, states FRANK Fl SHORT