The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1898-06-23

European powers. Portugal
England. however, possesses . large
corps Of trained administrators, whose
experience Of ruling Asiatics is not only
Of many generations Of equally able
members Of the Anglo-Asiatic service,
who have contributed 50 much to build
up Great Britain's mighty empire In the
Orient. 1t Il an experience that cannot
b gained In q day. nor yet in q month.
nor even in q year. There are certain
native usages Inconsistent with Western
Others. again, to which Il Is necessary
to close ones eyes. and yet others which
must be suppressed with relentless sever
ity. Tho forms Of punishment that are in
vogue In America would be Of no avail
In many parts Of the Orient. where death,
especially at the hands of the white inf
del. II regarded as q sure passport to
eternal salvation. In order to make cap
ital punishment serve as a preventive of
crime 1t is necessary to surround 1t not
with physical torture. but with a certain
degree Of ignominy entailing the loss of
caste and the belief in eternal DOOM In
some parts Of the Orient the English
have been obliged to smear the blood Of
q low class native. or of some unclean
animal. such as pig or a dog. upon
condemned criminal. in order to inspire
his fellow-countrymen with a respect for
capital punishment. 1t is an absolute i'm
possibility for white races to administer
an Asiatic dependency on Western lines,
or according to Western ethics and preju-
dices. There is, however. a mean line to
be drawn-a precise point up to which
it is necessary to take into consideration
native beliefs. superstitions and customs.
Just where this point lies, where the
dividing line between Oriental and Occi-
dental methods of government is to be
found. Is known to none SO we'll as to the
trained members Of the Anglo-Indian and
colonial service Of Great Britain. The
latter. therefore. might do we'll. and
would certainly be rendering an invalu-
able service to her American friends and
kinsmen, II she were to place at their
disposal temporarily some of her most
capable and experienced colonial and In
dian civil servants. who might serve as
advisers and instructors Of the United
states omcials fntruSted with the duty of
governing the Philippine islands. showing
them exactly what to do and what to
avoid. and acting as their mentors.
One special point to be borne in mind
Is the fact that the phenomenal fall from
power of Spain and Portugal as the
greatest colonizing nations of the world
Is due in the main to the dishonesty of
their colonial officials. whereas England's
success has been due to the universally
recognized integrity Of her public servants
IN the Orient. Just because AsiaticS are
corrupt. incorruptibiliry in
spires them with fear and respect, and.
above all, with a sense of the superiority
OF their rulers. The prestige thus OBJ
tanned vanisheS. of course. from the very
moment that the Asiatic discovers the
white man to be as prone to corruption
as himself.
England has a sort Of priority Of right
to assist the American government in
holding and administering these islands.
a right which she could invoke in the
event OF objections being raised by any
other foreign powers. In 1862 an English
like Dewey. took possession Of
Manila, after a fortnight's siege. and
held the city, and incidentally the islands,
Tor period of two years. After that
England restored the Philippines to Spain
on the promise of a payment by the
Spanish government Of $5OOO.OOO. This
indemnity remains unpaid to this day.
Besides this. Englands trade in the Phil
Ippinc islands and her interest there are
superior to those of all other foreign ma
tons.
Were the United States to take the ad-
vice of Great Britain in the matter they
would probably inaugurate the same sort
of government as that by means of which
the English administer the Straits Set
Hongkong, Ceylon. and other So
called crown colonies in Asia. That is to
say. there would be a governor exercising
supreme control, assisted by an executive
of five members. comprising the
eading American officials of the colony.
such as, for instance, the commander of
he troops. the commodore of the station,
the chief justice. and so on. Besides
his there would be legislative council
If about eighteen members, ten of whom
would be American officials or merchants,
while the remaining eight would be lead
ng natives, care being taken that thew
should be selected with the view of rep
the ideas, aspirations and pre-
udices Of the various principal races of
he group. No vote or resolution could
De passed by this legislative council nor
my question admitted to debate without
,avtng been previously sanctioned by the
governor. In fact, the legislative councils
If the crown colonies are in the main
and can in no wise control
,r override the acts or the wishes of the
governor.
Justice would be administered in the
Philippines as in Ceylon. by supreme
court which would have an original GRIM
nal jurisdiction ard decide appeals from
he inferior courts. both in civil and GRIM
nal cases. The United States could rot
10 better than apply here the same kind
II code. civil as we'll az criminal, that
Exists at Singapore, where the popula-
ion mas n.ucn analogy WITH tnat or Inc
the code being sort of IL
Han adaptation of the English code for
Oriental use. taking into consideration
he customs. the traditions ana the pref
Idices OF the natives, since * is obviously
,ut of tho question to apply full-hcdged
European law in an Oriental country,
md for instance, to punish an Asiatic
or polygamy because he has more than
me wife. This question OF judicial adj
ton is one on which English adj I
ice will be invaluable.
There are two points to be mentioned |
n conclusion. The one is the question Of !
he clergy, and the other is the question /
# the climate. At the present moment .
probably onc-third Ct the islanGs-at any |
ate of the most fertile and productive /
,arts of them-are owed by various mo-
lastic orders, who have hitherto been |
Lble to retain possession through the in !
luencc which they exercised at Madrid /
" renting immense sums of money to /
he clergy in Spain. Until now they have !
,een exempt from any kid of taxation, ,
which has of course made necessary the {
imposition Of heavier imposts. especially
n the shape of agricultural and land
axes. upon the remainder Of the ropula-
ion. The support of these :-lonastic
riders and their good viii. could be &C.
uired by relieving them OF the r:ces-