Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1899-02-15
False Witness Against Americans.

Apparently there are a consider
able number of miscellaneous anC
varicgatcd slandcrers of thcil
country abroad in the land these
days. docs it not seem strange.
indeed" says the Richmond Times,
'that the United States of Amcri
ca should publicly proclaim that il
intends to deny to an alien people
that right to rule themselves which
those same United States have been
proclaiming for a hundred years is
the sine qua non to all intclligen,
and free government, and that il
proposes to invade those people
with its armed forces and compel
them to live under Il government
provided by the United States in
stead of under one selected by
thcmseIycs:' In the same strain q
resident Of St. Louis says to the
Globe-Democrat that the twenty
seven Senators who voted against
the treaty ''took Il noble stand in
defense of liberty against oppres-
sion of freedom, against slavery"
These expressions betray iynor-
ancc Or malevolence, or both. The
United States has neither publicly
nor privately proclaimed that it in
tends to deny to an alien people
the right to govern themselves. The
government Of the United States
has made no disclosure of its ulti-
mate purposes in regard to the
Philippines. The treaty cedes the
islands to the United States. 1t
will be the business of Congress.
when the question Of the ultimate
disposition of the islands comes uE
for settlement, to determine, in
the light of the conditions which
exist at that time, the future rela-
ton which they shall bear to the
United States. Just what action
the country will take on that ques-
ton at that time no one can tell to-
day. The government may estab-
lish territorial regime in the is
lands, which would start them on
the road to statehood. 1t may, on
the other hand, make them de-
pcndcncy, to be ruled from Wash
ington, with such measure of home
rule; increased from time to time,
as the natives can stand with safe
tv to themselves and to the interest
of the United States. Then, again.
it may cut its connection with them
entirely, and grant them com
plete and immediate independence.
This question will be attended to
in due time. The present duty of
the American Government is to re-
store order in the islands, and to
protect the lives and property Of
their inhabitants, foreign and na-
tive.
The prctense that twenty-scven
opponents of the treaty took a
stand in defense of liberty against
oppression, of freedom against sla-
very," is silly. The oppression of
the Filipinos is that from which
the United States has just rescued
them. The slavery is that from
which Dewey, Merritt and Otis
have emancipated them. Until the
United States conferred it on them
the Filipinos never new liberty. In
all the centuries in which the Phil
ippincs have been on the worlds
map their inhabitants never exper-
fenced an hours actual freedom
until the United States gave it tc
them. The liberty which the FIJI.
ipinos want is to torture priests.
to destroy the property of white
men, and to sink the islands into
the barbarism from which Spain.
after almost four centuries of rule,
had only recently lifted them. Tho
leaders of their armed bands arc
corrupt and vicious, who have
more than once been bought
up by the Spaniards and who
could be purchased for smal
price by the United States if this
country wanted to invest none,
that way. Many of the rank anG
file are water or land pirates, whose
desire of freedom is chiefly for the
chance to loot and murder which i,
gives them. These are the people
for whom the little gang of Ameri.
can reneeadcs in and out of Con.
gress defame their country and
whom they incite to attack their
countrymen. Globe Democrat.