The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1899-02-23
IN THE EAST INDIES

against the so-called ''imperialistic
policy which is said to go with the
ecquis,tion of the Philippines. The
opponents of retention have set up a
imam of straw and are beating it
with every cudgel at their command.
They are assuming that in some way
the United States is going to convert
itself suddenly into another Roman
empire, extend its sway to the great
er part of the earth, become charged |
with the splendid barbarism" of
ancient Rome, and eventually go to |
smash as Rome went. In brief, they
have become so deluded in their own
vivid imagination that they no
longer pause to listen to the calm
voice of reason.
There is no greater probability
of the people CT the United States
drifting into Roman methods of colo
nizstIon than there is of their going
back to the use of sandals and tunics.
We have a different people, with
different lines of thought, different
traditions, different customs, different
laws and ethics, different ways of
transacting commerce, carrying on
industry and making laws.
These are times of almost univers-
al knowledge. Illiteracy in this
country has been almost extin-
guished. The searchlight is always
turned against the capitol at Wash
ington; the people know always what
their servants are doing, and have
quick and sufficient means of apply
ing a corrective, if it be needed.
The day has gone by when the
United States might have been
great colonial power, even if it so
willed. The powers of Europe have
partitioned the wild places among
themselves. They have chalked off
all of Africa; the American CONT
nent is appropriated, and little is
left of Asia.
Even If the American people were
dead-set for colonial policy, the
most they could expect would be the
acquisition here and there of minor
points of vantage from which to di-
rect our growing foreign commerce.
At the utmost, we shall never possess
foreign holdings equal even to those
held by the little kingdom of HoI-
land. Holland, with an army of. a
few thousand soldiers, has an East
Indian empire of $4,000 square
miles, and rules over 100000
East Indians. Its subjects there are
closely akin to the Fllipinos. For the
most part they are Malays, and un-
der the wise and beniicent rule of
the Netherlands, they are contented
and happy, just as the Fil1pinos would
be contented and progressive under
the benifcent protection of the Unit
ed States government, if certain
United States senators would cease
conspiring with Aguinaldo and his
agents and help to uphold the hands
of our forces in the islands.
j. Theodore Van Gestel, who has
studied the Dutch East Indian pos
sessions for years, and who is con-
versant with the native character,
says in this connectlon:
ut is not by the rifle and the law
book that the Dutch seek to ciVilize
savage races, but rather by gradual
and gentle persuasion away from evil.
showing all the while consistent re
spect for the native religion and pre-
judices, and, above all, governing en-
tirely through the native chiefs"
Some such methods the United
States would employ if the Philip
pine islands were retained under the
flag of the Union. But we cannot
govern through the native chiefs
until certain United States senators
and representatives. stop their sedt-
tious work of ''egging" on these ma