The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-11-05
The PHILIPPINE Problem.

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Federal Government has instructed the
American Peace Commissioners to demand
from Spain the entire Philippine group of
1900 islands, and that the United States
will compensate Spain for the loss of the
possession by the payment of $40, 900, 900.
This sum about represents the amount of
the Philippine debt, for which the reve-
nues of the group are now pledged, and
which is further secured by the guarantee
of Spain. The Federal proposition, as
thus foreshadowed, is tantamount to a
proposal to assume the Philippine debt.
1t is of the slightest Importance to Spain
whether the consideration for the transfer
of the Philippines to the United States is
the assumption by the latter of the Philip
pine debt or direct payment of money
by the United States equal to the Philip
pine debt. 1t is diplomatic distinction
without a difference. From the point OF
view of cautious, conservative opinion in
the United States, it is the merest casuis-
try and diplomatic hair-splitting whether
the proposed payment to be made by the
United States to Spain be called the as
sumption of the Philippine debt or not.
Very many thoughtful Americans anxious
for the country's welfare deprecate the
possession of the group by the United
States as public calamity even as a gift:
and the payment of any price for it as
waste of the national treasure. Is it idle
to concoct Philippine balance sheet to
show the probable value. of the group to
the United States as a revenue producer
Who can forecast the enormous sums that
must be expended in the future by the
United States if the burden is cast upon
her to give the semblance of civilization to
tribesmen and races on hundreds OF islands
thousands of miles from our shores, NOM
ads, pirates and savages, whose territory
the Spaniards have not invaded, and who
could not be reduced to subsection by the
United States without the constant pres
ence of a great army?
The tribesmen of hundreds of the Phil
ippine Islands are scarcely known to Spain.
The interior of many of the inhabited is
lands has not been explored far from the
coasts. If the United States is to exer-
else actual, not nominal sovereignty, over
these unknown regions, the magnitude of
the responsibility we shall assume, if wiser
counsels and safer policies do not prevent,
is appalling. Among other things, if the
Philippines become ours in their baleful
and formidable entirety, or if we are con-
tent with Luzon alone, we shall need an
experienced and highly trained colonial
service establishment. England, after
years of failure to rule India by the patron
age or ''spoils' system, which often re-
suited in the selection of the "unfttest
for the colonial offices, rejected it, and
achieved success in the management OF
subject peoples in her Indian empire Ii
the multitude of new offices to be created
under our projected ''policy Of adventure
here and there over the world are to be
filed by mere place hunters, the favorites,
followers and creatures Of political bosses,
we shall soon produce in the ''colonies
the fairest flower of ring rule Better
leave the Malays to their native savagery
and barbarism. The successful govern
ment of any Of our subject provinces is
out of the question, unless the officials and
representatives, who are to install govern
ment in them, are under rigid civil ser
vice code, which leaves no ingress for the
political freebooters and footpads, who are
doubtless, with thrifty forethought, laying
plans for the seizure of the spoil of Porto
Rico and the Philippines.
Notwithstanding the perfection of her
colonial rule, Great Britain has not been
successful in forestalling discomfort in the
British West Indies. In some of these
possessions the people are restive, and our
appropriation of Porto Rico and the exclu-
sive trade relations which the annexation
of the island with the United States es-
tablishes make the British West Indies
more restive than ever. The possession
of distant colonies, the policy of expan-
sion, brings with it brood of troubles.
The acquisition of Hawaii was an early in
cident of the late war. Under normal
conditions this acquisition would probably
have been long delayed. Loyal Ameri
cans, of course, acquiesce in the accom-
plished facts of Legislation; but the annex
alton of Hawaii was accomplished against
the earnest protest of conservative citizen
ship, that viewed Hawaiian annexation as
stepping stone to wider departures from
the wise policy under which the country
has thriven marvelously. Thirty years
ago American conservatism was more sue
cessful in the rejection of the project for
the annexation of San Domingo, project
which was as seductive to many Ameri-
cans as is the Elusive fgment of the Jingo
imagination, a we'll ordered Philippine
group of Territories and States. The San
Domingo annexation treaty was properly
set aside by the Senate, though it was
fortified by the prestige and active sup
port of General Grant, who, in submitting
the treaty, earnestly urged that F'the in
terests of our country and of San Domingo
alike demand the annexation of that re-
public" So likewise failed the various
attempts to annex Cuba in time past.
The annexation of these neighboring
islands presents perplexities which seem
trivial when measured by the delicate and
formidable problems involved in the gov
ernment of 1900 islands inhabited by
savage, serni-savage, intractable peoples,
who, in their best estate, must pass through
long schooling and discipline before they
can be entrusted with self rule under our
flag. Is there not solemn verify in DIR.
Theodore L. Cuyler's remarks in the New
York Evangelist
1.-THE races now in those tropical islands
must always be held under our military
control as conquered provinces; they never
can become intelligent American citizens,
and our American people will not migrate
to those hot regions in any considerable
number. The Philippines will be per-
petual hornets nest-just as Spain has
found them for three centuries.