The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-07

CENSORSHIP AND IMPERIALISM.

The more the press OF the country dis
cusses or reflects upon the strict censorship
maintained at Manila the more indignant
il appears to become except in the kitchen
rgaus of the administration. Even the
Boston Herald. which some time since
switched" from an anti expansion to a
loyal administration policy organ, can not
swallow the imperlalistic press censorship
In an editorial of late date it had this
to say:
II the high authorities who have assumed
that the people who elected them to office
such uuintelligent and uupatriotc fools
that thew must not be allowed 10 learn any
thing that reflects on the supreme wisdom OF
their official servants. II these lords of our
knowledge and Judgment would kindly iudorse
upon each DISPATCH Edited by an official
censor or Passed by the censor without
alteration" then we might know what to
have confidence In aud what to discradit.
But they have such conceit OF their rev
Imperialism that they will not treat the people
Hyen with that measure Of fairness. One
hing is certain. the officially approved dis
patches are not TO be trusted Everybody who
comes from Manila ia astonished at the mia-
information prevalent here about the state OF
thines there For this misiuiormation the
OF It's own II has allowed its agents to con
zeal the truth when they ought to have let
II be known
One by one the former friends of the adj
mnistration are becoming sick OF this
whole miserable Philippine business, and
the revelations of the tyranny and decep-
ton practiced in handling the news from
the East bids fair to became the straw to
break the camels back.
If censorship can be maintained at
Manila and at Washington when no state
CT war exists--only the "insurrection" OF
a few "savages' In Manila. like the upris-
Ing OF our Indian tribes ?--can not 1t he
permanently applied to the departments
at Washington and the masters of the
office holders be denied any knowledge of
the conduct of affairs by their public SER
wants? May these powerful and effective
presidents not lead TO a system OF govern
ment censorship by which the entire OPP
erations OF the government will be kept
in the dark. as In imperial countries?
When the president ignores protest and
laughs at serious charges from a number
of reputable men and declares that moth
ing will be done in the NATTER have we
not already reached that "copceit of Inn
perialism" OF which the Boston Herald
speaks?
One OF the worst effects of the present
censorship at Manila is to lead the public
to imagine that conditions are really worse
than they are and in consequence become
suspicious and alarmed to an extent, pos
sibly. not warranted by the facts. Under
this view of the censorship. the policy of
the government looks like the worst policy
1t could adopt. In q word, 1t is beginning
TO appear as II we had the weakest and yet
the most autocratic administration we
have had for decades, and leading repub-
licans are naturally becoming anxious and
solicitous about the party's success in the
next elections. And II our people are
capable OF self-government republican
leaders can well become solicitous in the
premisesl