The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-11

crushed out the last ember Of rebellion
and stifed every faintest hope of pro-
test The old revolutionary idea survives,
the old passion for freedom wakes anew,
and SO the new possession must be rigor-
ously governed, there must be hosts OF
troops, and scores of governors, and the
organization of armies and staffs and mil
1tary courts for nobody knows just how
many islands,
How are these governments to be
constituted? How is the chief ruler Of
the distant republic, in whom as 1t hap
pens, there is vested, at any rate, for
the time being, really despotic power to
attend to all these matters? He happens
usually, with u.s. to have a task on hand
that Of securing his own reelection, which
naturally absorbed large share of his
time how can he be expected to neglect
it for the case of some wretched Islands
mainly peopled, as he is told though un-
fortunately for him Incorrectly, with a
lot of ignorant little 'niggers'? Or rather,
if he must give them scme sort of at
tention, how can he make their conquest
and government means of strengthen
ing himself with his party, and binding
new adherents to great and Spontan-
eOus movement for his Reelection? There
fidelity to the party is purely COM
mercial question. There is the sugar in
terest, and the tobacco interest, and the
kite-fying interest, by which 1 mean
every conceivable adventurer who stands
ready with his particular scheme in the
Philippines-Only waiting for the oppor-
tunity to exploit them. And he and such
as he. for that is the most serious aspect
of our whole situation, promulgates the
policies of the nation. Every now and
then in our political history there occurs
a curious Incident. which, at the first
blush. is most perplexing for weeks and
months. There has been deepening In
the public mind some strong conviction
which finds its expression in so many
ways and by so many voices that it seems
to be in its grave significance, unmis-
taxable. Just at this point, however
there occurs in some leading state a
political convention, in which, not unnat-
urally, we should expect this profound
and widespread sentiment to find ex-
preston. But somehow or other, it does
not, and what is still more curious the
officer, the policy, the utterance, what
ever 1t is, has provoked sources from
which platforms, candidates and policies
emanate are liable to become more and
more controlled by those with whom per-
sonal interests are the supreme motives,
is of course conceivable that in the per-
sons of those to whom these distant gov
ernments shall be committed we shall
find only the highest ideals and only
the most incorruptible integrity But
what are the probabilities in the case?
What is the likelihood that there's any
more than anywhere else, the stream will
rise higher than the source?"
Bishop Potter referred to an article by
Prof. G. E. Howard to show that it took
England 25O years after the beginning of
her history as an imperial power to get
O decent civil service. Comparing the
Philippines to India, he said:
There are the same diversions of race
condition, religion, tribal religion and the
like, and in the case of these insular
communities, there is no binding inter-
est whatever. To undertake to superiIn-
pose upon them our free institutions
would seem to be an utterly hopeless
task, and, in such a situation, what is
the alternative but form Of government
which, while not nominally, yet practical
ly, in it's essential absolutism is imperiaI? :?
Already we have seen how easy it is 10
simply the methods of paternalism in
this very connection. cardinal princi-
pie of government of the people, bv tEe
people, for the people is that the people
shall not be treated like children kent
in the dark. A sound public opinion. we
say is the great bulwark of a republic
the foundation stone on which its popu-
laritY and prosperity must needs resi-
In this connection the searching of the
mails, the prescription of certain publica-
tions, and the sitting of correspondence
Is one of the most intolerable outrages
which a free people has ever suffered
and it is significant most of all of the
DEVELOPMENT of a tendency which fore
shadows that, whether we are likely 10
have imperialism in our distant possess
sions In form. we already have 1t at
home in fact.
ut is time that, confronted with such
possibilities in connection with our 1ew
possessions, we ask, is it worth while?
For, at this point, it needs no gift of
prophecy. but only very moderate
knowledge of history to reveal to ls' us the the
dangers that threaten us. There lies De-
hind US in its pages the story of great
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