The times., 1898-09-15


We are sorry to have to speak of a
philippine question" in referring to
our relations TO the unspeakably rich
archipelago won for the American peo-
pie by the sword of Dewey. There
never should have been the least ap-
proach to a question in the premises,
and nobody knows better than does
President Mckinley that the fact there
is one is matter Of evaporation 10
the country. intense enough to have
been reflected in political results even
in such Republican strongholds as Yer
mont and Maine.
1t is a great pity that, having ex-
posed the policy of his Administration
TO doubt and suspicion. through the ap-
parsntly anti-American text of the
peace protocol, the President should
not now be able to satisfy the public
as to what he really intends to do
The understanding that the Peace
Commission has been Instructed 10 in
sist only upon tie cession of Luzon,
leaving the fate Of the remaining ISL
ands open to discussion within more or
body. Mr. Mckinley may fancy that
the idea Of possessing the principal
city and the most civilized island of
the group would placate American ex-
pansionists. while the practical sur
render Of the remaining territory-un-
der whatever cover it might be ar
ranged-would meet the views of Mon
Cin-s1Rr Ireland
such like powerful opponents of annex
alton. II he thinks so, he is mistaken
Tie Philippine question, if we must
call it so. is the simplest one in the
world. Either we should keep the
splendid prize now within our grasp,
in its entirety, or give it up altogether
If we assume 10 retain Luzon only,
we must in some way, at the same
time, accept responsibilities regarding
the rest Of the archipelago. We could
not surely give that back to Spain, be-
cause the Tagal natives would not sub
init for an instant, and we should be
compelled To witness bloody war be-
tween them and their ancient oppress-
ors, resulting shortly and surely in
- AiAtAA- sAAAA ptAIidA1o blhtI European
Intervention and seizure Of territory.
Tie proposition to promote a Malay re-
public, under the protectorate of the
United States, is equally out of the
question. Under such an arrangement.
we should have all the responsibilities
Of sovereignty with a good many
others added, and neither internal con-
troll nor revenue to Justify the trouble
of shielding comic opera government
from the aggressions of rapacious
powers.
The consensus of the worlds intelIi-
gent political opinion is that the United
States should hold the whole Philippine
archipelago. Great Britain and Japan
strongly favor that solution as a guar
antee of peace. Rather than to see
the otherwise inevitable grab for the
islands. in which all Europe would at
once engage, the leading continental
powers would view our total absorp-
tion Of the territory with complacence.
Between the extremes there is no safe
or practicable mean. Mr. Mckinley
must make up his mind to keep the
Philippines and all of them. and so
meet the expectation and determined
demand Of the American people, or he
must resort to the alternative of alb
5ect surrender and evacuation.
Should he decide that the latter is the
proper policy, what becomes of the his
toric victory Of Manila Bay? We are
unable to believe that the President
would care to adopt that course in view
Of what he knows Of the temper of the
country. and so we must assume that,
finally. he win have to hitch his policy
definitely and finally on the other horn
OF the dilemma
AS we have remarked, the matter
Us simple one. The Peace Commits
sion is not confronted with any COM