The evening times., 1899-09-05
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1899.
secrctar, Roofs Philippine Policy.

The general features OF Secretary Roots
Philippine policy and programme announc-
ed in The Times today, will be accepted by
the American public as the beginning Of a
new era in the conduct of our affairs in
the far East. The plan is so obviously the
only feasible one, if ultimate and early
success is TO crown our efforts 10 put down
the Tagal insurrection, and establish peace,
good order, and the sovereignty ol the
United States in the archipelago, that the
wonder is it was not formulated and ap-
piled at the beginning. In short ii is
just about what We have expected at the
hands of a cool, calculating penetrating
man of affairs like Mr.. Root, and it is
extremely satisfactory to see that we have
not besn disappointed.
With a scheme which, in principle, ap-
pears 10 be above criticism, ii would be
unjust to find fault. We can only express
regret that che OF its details seems TO
souint at keeping Otis at Manila in tAe ca
pacity Of civil governor. He is so thor
oughly discredited and disliked. and his ad
ministra;icn has been so plainly under the
influence OF the obnoxious Denby, that we
tElLk II NGulu uSNe Dttn D6lltl " NA4A44A
nate his personality entirely. But perhaps
the Secretary of War has been compelled
10 make the concession of providing
place for Otis, as the price of getting his
way in the establishment of the new Phil
ippine policy and organization generally.
On this theory Mr.. Root has minimized
the danger involved in allowing Otis to re-
main as civil governor, by making that
functionary secondary and responsible to
the general-in-chief of our forces in the
Philippines. The proposition that an army
of sufficient size to accomplish the subju-
CATION of the natives which. representing
as ii Will, the bulk OF the entire military
establishment, shall have at its head the
highest officer OF the American army" is
Unassailable. 1t can only mean that, at
last. General Miles, in whose ability as
strategist, grand tactician, and fighting
field commander. the American people have
absolute confidence is to be accorded the
influence and command to which his high
abilities. distinguished service, and posi-
tion entitle him.
Finally. the thanks of the country are
due to Secretary Root for giving the coup
&c grace to that screaming bedlam farce.
the Philippine Peace Commission. the idi-
otic antics Of which have excited against
us the contempt and ridicule of all Europe.
Among all the unfortunate errors into
which Mr.. Mckinley was LED by the malign
and corrupt influences that logged his
heels during the Algerian regime, few
have been worse than his allowing the man
DENLY, under cover Of the pedagogic re-
spectability of Professors Schurman and
Worcester, to meddle with our military af-
fairs in Luzon and, through his nonsens:cal
actions TO defeat the spring campaign of
1899 against the mutineers.
The tardy determination of the Admins
tration, on the advice of its strong new
member, to wipe out the insurrection as
a condition precedent TO any talk about ex-
tending privileges of local self government
to the natives, will be hailed by all patri-
otic Americans as an evidence that the
President and his advisers are really in
earnest in their desire to bring the insur-
rection to a speedy close. II will dispose
of any suspicion of an intention to let mill
tary operations palter along until the time
should come to terminate them brilliantly,
as coup de theatre, to affect the Presi-
Dental election of 1900.