The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-06
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

1t is sometimes well to consider what is
In the light of what might have been. At
present the opponents Of the administration
are unsparing in their condemnation Of the
situation in the Philippines. They see moth
ing to commend in the motives or acts of
the President or of any person who has con-
tributed to bringing about the present situ-
alton, except in those of Aguinaldo and his
followers. Their condemnation Of the pres
ent situation implies condemnation Of all
the acts that have led to it on the American
side. OF these the most important and de-
cisive were the battle of Manila bay and the
treaty Of peace. These were the two turn
ing points in the series of events that have
eliminated in the present situation. They
were the two points at which an entirely
different situation from the present one
might have been created by the adoption of
a different policy from that which was
adopted.
Let US suppose. thea, that Immediately
after the destruction Of the Spanish feet
In Manila harbor Admiral Dewey had put
to sea and sailed for an American port. He
had no orders to do so, and the act might
have been construed as violation of orders,
but 1t would have changed the course of his
tory. 1t would have left the Philippines
under Spanish control. with the hopeless
instruction of Aguinaldo in progress, and.
of course, without any ground whatever
for the United States to claim the islands
as a war indemnity. We should have es-
capped the present war, but the Filipinos
would. In all probability, still be fighting
the Spaniards. If that were the situation
the Democratic party would now be charg
Ing the administration with imbecility and
cowardice in having failed to take advan-
tage Of a golden opportunity to drive the
Spaniards out of the Philippines and to ac-
quire the islands. They would be saying it
was cowardly to desert the Filipinos and
leave them to the tender mercies of the
Spaniards, and that war begun for hu-
mainly should not have neglected so grand
an opportunity Of advancing the cause of
humanity. They would be pointing out the
strategic and commercial value Of the Phil
ippines and deploring their loss through the
stupidity and cowardice Of an administra-
ton which permitted our victorious ships
to run away from a sunken fleet.
There was another time when we could
have got out of the Philippine business
Assuming that while the war with Spain
continued 1t was good military tactics to
hold the city and bay of Manila and to dom
mate the islands as a means of forcing
Spain to terms, when the treaty of peace
came to be formed we could have got out
and washed our hands Of the whole busi-
ness. Suppose we had done So Suppose
that. instead of demanding the cession of
the islands, as We did of Porto Rico, the
United States had surrendered all the adj
vantages 1T had gained there and left the
islands in the possession of Spain. They
would Immediately have been snapped up
by Germany or some other European power
and In addition to imbecility and cowardice
the Democratic party would be charging
the administration with having played into
the hands of a foreign power.
The only alternative to the present situa-
ton In which the United States Is enforcing
its rights in the Philippines is one of the
two situations above described which might
have been had by abandoning its rights.
Either of them would give the Democratic
party far better ground for attacking the
administration than ii now has The situ-
alton that exists is far preferable to what
might have been.