New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-14
AMERNA AND EUROPEAN PEACE.

There can be no doubt that the decision Of
the United States Government 10 take pos
session of the entire Philippine group IS the
cause OF some dsQuiet and anxiety TO many
honest and intelligent citizens. They would
not have their country fail in any duty to it.
self or to Others, they would not have the Ma
ton play the baby act' any more than they
would have individuals do il. At the same
time they are conservative and dislike TO ua-
dcrtlk any new work which IS not one Of
obligation. or assume unknown responsibilities
unless they are persuaded that such assump-
ton makes for substantial general good.
With these careful and thoughtful persons
we have the greatest sympathy, which is not
at all lcssened by the fact that we have ia
vored the retention OF the Philippines as
whole rather than any attempt 10 acquire
limited holding in them. convinced that the
conditions which these people believe would
alone Justify our excursion into this new field
existed and made II impossible TO withdraw
without risklng not only the happiness and
peace Of these islands, but even Of the whole
world We reached that conclusion IN advance
Of many with whom we agree IN thinking that
acquisition Of distant territory merely for the
sake of acquiring it and planting colonies for
our own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT would be unwisc and
We believe that the more the condition Of the
Islands and the state Of the worlds politics is
studied the moro widely will that view be held
by conservative Americans. We must look AZ
our duty in the Philippines not merely with
an eye 10 our own convenience and the civil
iZation Of the FNpinOs and our obligations TO
protect them from Spanish resentment. but
also with an eye for the European tension
which might be- as much strained over Philip
pine ccaling station. II we left these islands
dereliciS flying the Spanish flag. as
FaSAoda or Chinese railway concession. We
in our proud isolation are inclined TO think we
can be- an element making for war in the fam
ily Of nations only by going among them, for
getting that we may become IN instrument OF
dscord leercly by withdrawing within our
selves ard refusing 10 do that which otherwise
they VIZ ID and which they cannot do without
fighting. That This is a real and not an imagi
nary danger * pointed out in The New-York
Evening Post" Of Friday Mr.. Stoddard
Dewey. ,he accomplished and trustworthy Paris
CORRESPONDENT Of The Evening Post" in his
cable dispatch Oh the progress Of the peace ne
eotlations SAYS that accredited opinion" in
the French ~,ptal i - the effect that the
"ccssion % The Ph ippinos % the United States
us the Only se;tlcHcnt able 10 prevent Eu-
"ropean Z. publications "A the ultimate DISPOSE
''tion of them.
If this is accredited opinion on the Cont
nent If Europe where. as everybody knows
the prevalent feeling is sympathy with Spain
and jealousy and even resentment at the ac-
oulsl,ion of the Philippines 10y The United
stat. there s. certainly COED reason for an
American to give 4 thought AT least 10 the queS-
ton Whether he wants h.s country 10 take the
RESPONSIBILITY If throwing match into the
powder magazine Of Europe and perhaps start
ing General war 10 avoid the responsibility
and troubl- os holding The Philippines. P"o-
nlo who oppose the Presidents policy as pro
fessed apostles Of peace should consider what
an opposite policy might do in the way OF war
and reflect how much worse for general civil
izat'on would he a struggle between European
nations seeking TO grab what we abandoned
~~an any petty difficulties which we might