New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-02
Great and wonderful Is the economy oi va"
M NE FLTNk!

There is neither honesty nor common-sehse III
saving that Americans are guilty OF an inexc"sa-
lilo aggression I'm taking the Philippine lsiands.
War hogan by the act Of Spain, after the utmost
efforts of thc President to avert IT, TO protect
American commerce in the Pacific ana the Ia
cfc norris his first duty was to destroy the
SnonIsb feet in that ocean, which Admlrai
Dewey did Finding 1t sheltered behind forum
cations in Manila Bay his destruction OF the
fleet necessarily involved conquest OF that port
and in CONSEQUENCE the insurgents quickly De-
came too pOwerful for the Spaniards to hoid III
check without the aid of feet. Then the ques-
t,on come whether the islands should be left 10
anarchy and barbarism or taken under Amerl-
can control. For months every opponent oI
,hojr occu,sition has been challenged to say
what conld be done with them. Not one mas
been able to propose any solution except that
Europcan Powers should be invited 10 "ia"s'
and inevitably to fight about them
,rboro is not n Christian man in the two hen-
,snhcres who will soberly contend that this was
or Is the duty of the United States. without
dos,ro or expectation this big responsibility was
thrust upon this country. Admiral Dewey hau
no idea of 1t and the President had none men
vino represent the thing otherwise are not IN
water,oaced wreck of the Philippine Islands
was picked up by Admiral Dewey there was
nothing for n Christian nation to do nut 10 TAKE
care of 1t and the millions Of lives on poaru "S
we'll as It could.
Now the case has changed. Men WHO ny "
talk sense must start with actual lac'S' lnc
control of the Philippine Islands mas pecn "o'i',
doncd by Spain The United States can 90 one Vi
three characterization them to anarchy ana DIT
barism sell them 10 some European ROVER Vi
rule them. Abandonment would De lhihIh9
Sale would be shame. unless we Deiie'e hrS'
that some European Power ready TO pa! Woui"
be able TO manage the islands better Tor huihah-
itv than we could or second. that we must IN
eyitably fail where Spain century ago sue
ccctled Be It not forgotten that spanish rui'
for these savage islands was century ago
wonderfully cnlighenng and uphitlhg' lhey
were robbed. but they were taught lhey were
subject to arbitrary rule but 1t was liini'ely
better than the rule Of rival savage chlels.
Spain introduced 4 state Of things immcasura-
blv better than the islands had ever known.
And here there are Americans who doubt
whether century later this Nation can do as
we'll as Spain did then.
We have to do better Spain has been cen
fury behind the age. and this Nation could not
get twenty years behind 1t If it tried. Mistakes
will be made: that goes without saying when
falble human beings undertake great ana
new task. + there any American who soDer'y
believes that the worst possible mistake OF
Americans will not result better than Spanish
government last year, Here we stand with
this strange and undesred responsibility upon
us 1t is stupid now to ask whether II could
have been avoided for it is here 1t Is simply
idiotic to imagine that an anarchic rule by say
AGE chiefs would be better for the islands than
such rule as an American soldier can give
What is left for the opponents of the treaty
Nothing hut a claim that the United States III
1893 has not The right Ia acquire territory WHEN
jefferson exercised in 1894 and Seward in lSi1
This is our chorc in the worlds progress, COM
ing to us without choice. but not 10 depart from
us without fulilment Does America funk