Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-25
4 LIBFRIL pOLicY or ArroyOMr.

! 4 LIBERAL POLiCF or ACTONOMT.
/ Admiral Dewey. before the beginning
! Of hostilities In the Philippines, eX-
4 pressed the opinion that the policy Of
! the United states should be to give the
natives liberal measure Of autonomy.
lie gave 1t as his judgment that the
lilipinos are as well fitted for self
government as the CubanS. Mr..
Charles Francis Adams, who has con
/ tributed ably TO anti.imperialst afgu-
I mcnt and who yet believes that a most
! grave mistake was made in dealing
with the Philippine problem-in aban-
/ d0ning the traditional American policy
and adopting that Of Great Britain-has
nevertheless reached the conclusion
that the mistake is irretrievable and
that the best that can now be done is to
work for the largest practicable applica-
ton of the policy of home rule.
Under the circumstances, says Mr.
Adams, "the true course for the anti
imperialists would seem TO be to de-
velop to the utmost extent possible,
though under the English system, the
policy and principle of autonomy-the
fact of native home rule. We should
endeavor to limit the interference of
the United States to an absolute mini
num-" He suggests that here wide
field for the exercise of useful influence
is open to anti-imperialists, pointing out
that they must endeavor to counteract
n probable tendency in congress to
hpaal- bn ho rio mud lnt.ipg no
Asiatic archipelago within the area of
domestic poltics-to treat it, so far as
possible, as domain to be exploited
the refuge of "our statesmen out of a
job" In the opinion of Mr.. Adams it is
the civil service struggle over again and
the administration will need all the
outside support it can possibly hope to
receive not to find itself crowded to the
wall.
This view of the situation Is certainly
worthy of serious consideration,
Doubtless there are anti-imperialists
who will regard it as a complete sur
render and decline to accept 1t, but is
Mr.. Adams not correct in the opinion
that the policy of holding the Philip
pines will be adhered to? That this is
the fixed purpose of the administration
there is not the least room for doubt.
Is there any reason to believe it will
not receive the support of congress?
Our judgment is that whatever recon-
mendations President Mckinley shall
submit to congress in regard to the
future of the Philippines will be ap-
proved We have observed no indica-
tions that there is likely to be serious
dissension among the republicans of
the Fifty-sXth congress in respect to a
Philippine policy. Opposition to retain
ing the islands will be insignificant, so
far as the republicans are concerned,
and it Is not improbable that events will
have determined that question, if it be
not already determined, before the
meeting of congress. ,t.....
In this view of the situation, there
fore, what better effort can the anti
imperialsts make than to promote pub
lie sentiment in favor of giving the
Filipinos liberal measure of autonomy
of enabling them to the fullest extent
practicable to show what capacity they
have for self-goyernment? Endeavor
in this direction, there is every reason
to think, would have good results We
have confidence in the good intentions
of President Mckinley toward the
Philippine people. We believe he sin
cerely desires to give them a fair op-
portunity to show their fitness for self
government. He will be strengthened
in this by the support of intelligent
public opinion and anti-imperialists can
find no more profitable use of their in
fiuence.