Washington sentinel., 1898-08-06
The Practical Questions of Peace


The Americans are pre-emi-
nently practical people, Though
moved upon occasions by high
sAntiment-as in the preservation
OF the Union and IN undertaking to
free Cuba from oppression-there
is always a sound practical idea at
the bottom OF every national move
ment
tbs this rule OF practical COM
mon sense which has dictated
the terms Of peace Tor Spain. That
nation must abandon her posses
sions in this hemisphere, because
her misrule, oppression and failure
here have constituted a nuisance
and a menace to us TOR the last
eighty years. AS matter of pure
and unselhsh sentiment we felt
bound to prevent the e2ltermina-
ton OF the people OF Cuba, so near
to our shores, and to secure for
them the freedom and independ-
ence which are their inalienable
right.
The treacherous destruction of
the Maine afforded the opportunity
and justification for giving Spain
notice to quit. With Cuba freed,
Spanish rule in Porto Rico would
be both illogical and dangerous to
the perpetual peace which we are
determined upon for the future.
Sentiment and practicality there
tore unite in requiring the condi-
tions adopted by our Government
as to the Spanish possessions in
this half OF the world.
The same rule Of common sense
should solve our perplexity over
the Philippines. We have right,
and it is our duty, to decide this
question manly with reference to
its effect upon the present interest
and future welfare OF the United
States.
The Philippines are hard mate
rial with which to make our first
colonial experh~ ent, and seem to
demand a different sort of treat
ment from that which our national
policy taV prs or has hadexperience
in giving. Besides the peaceable
natives occupying the accessible
towns, the interiors OF many OF the
islands are filled with aboriginal
savages who have never even rec
ognized the rule Of Spain, and who
still think they are possessors of
the soil. Even on the coast itself
are tribes of savages who are al
most as ignorant as their breth-
rem in the interior, and only thirty
miles from Manila are races Of
dwarfs that go without clothes,
wear knee bracelets of horsehair,
and respect nothing save the jun
giles in which they live.
To the north are the Igorrotes,
to the south the Moros, and in be-
tween scores Of wild tribes that are
ready to dispute possession. And
is the United States prepared to
maintain the forces and carry on
the military operations in the fever
stricken jungles necessary in the
march oil progress to exterminate
or civilize such races2 Have we,
like England tor instance, the class
of troops who could undertake that
sort Of work, and do we feel called
upon to do it, when the same ex.
penditure at home would go so
much iarther9
II we can have peace, with all
that we demand in this hemisphere,
and with coaling and naval stations
in the Ladrones and at Manila, but
must continue the war il we insist
upon retaining the whole Of the
Philippines, would it be RATIONAL
would it be right-to prolong the
war for this end2
We do not want these islands in
any event. Can we afford, for our
own sakes at home. TO engratt the
despotic military principle Of gov
ernment upon our republican sys-
tem7 Is there any reason or any
possible gain in setting up shoul-
der strap satrapy over 7,ooo. .ooc
barbarous people ro, 900 miles from