The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-06-16

enlightened but firm despotism. Peace
and the protection of person and prop
erty must be maintained by the power
of the United States, and justice ad
ministered by our agents. The man
ners, customs, laws and prejudices Of
the people will be respected so far a:
they are not in conflict with the plain
mandates of humanity and justice
This will not be . difficult task. After
all, Great Britain has had astonishingly
little trouble in governing Hindustan.
When we reflect that there are $780,
100000 people in that country, and
that they are divided by innumerable
racial, political, social and religious
lines, we are amazed at the ease and
success with which she has maintained
her sway. She has had more trouble
with the 100000 Irish than with 60
times that many Hindus. The rea-
son is that England went into Hin
dustan as we go into the Philip
pines. The Hindus were oppressed
by intolerable despotisms which con-
stantly plundered them of everything
but the barest necessaries of life, justice
was wretched mockery, and openly
bought and sold, and they were inces-
sanity harassed by wars between differ
ent bands of robbers who sought to
seize the positions to rule and plumber
them. England changed all that.
She enforced peace all over the great
peninsula; she put down the marsuding
Rajahs, Begums, ETC., and organized the
people into armies for their own protec-
ton; she put her own men into the coun-
try to administer justice, which they have
done without single stain of bribery
upon their reputation; she introduced
a general, eeuable system Of light taxa
ton, which supplied sufficient revenue to
maintain the Government she instituted,
and gave the people full opportunity and
encouragement to accumulate wealth.
All that she asked in return was mar
ket for her products The arrangement
is eminently advantageous for both
sides. England has a magnificent
market for her manufactured goods
among the 300,000,000 people, who
make nearly one-ffth Of the whole popu-
lation of the world. The Hindus have
peace and prosperity that were utterly
impossible under the old regime. The
is increasing rapidly, civili-
cation is spreading, life and property are
secure, and the people are very peaceful
and contented. This is shown by the
fact that order is preserved by an allow
ance of but one native Constable to
every 1900 people and seven square
miles of territory. The higher Offices of
the constabulary and Judiciary are all
English, but every encouragement is
given to the natives to enter these serv-
ices, as well as the military, and they
are promoted to more responsible posi-
tons as they show qualifications. There
are now 100000 natives serving as
village Constables, and they are very
efficient.
The "wars" that we hear SO much of
of late years are affairs of the size and |
character of our scraps with the
Apaches, Sioux, Nez Perces, Conan
ches, Mohaves, etc. The wild tribes of
the mountains on the north and north
west have for centuries raided the low
lands. They are like our Indians used
to be. We would thrash tribe and
reduce it to peacefulness as long as the
memory of the thrashing lasted But
with the next generation would rise up
some young buck who wanted to make
a name as warrior, and the thrashing
would have to be repeated.
The great mass Of the people of the
Philippines are like those of Hindustan
docile, and very obedient to
any Government that ia set up over
them. Their highest object is to live,
and get all the pleasure there is out of
life. They care more for one lively
cock-fght than they do for all the Re-