The Globe-republican., 1899-11-02

responsible. not only u the inhabit-
ants and to oar own people, but in
international law, to the commerce,
the travel, the civilization of tho
world for che preservation of order
and the protection of life aud prop
erty in Cuba, in Porto REQ. in Guam
and in the Philippine islands, inc!ud-
ing the recent haunt of piracy. the
Sulu'A Shall we acquit ourselves like
men in the discharge of this duty,
or shall we fall to quarreling
like children over the question
as to whether or not this duty
was a good thing to be forced
upon us? 1t has been we'll said by an
eloquent orator that there may have
been time for dispute about the wis
dom of resisting the stamp tax, but
that time had passed after the battle
of Bunker Hill; there may have been
time for hot Debate about some Of
the mistakes in the anti-slavery con-
test, but all time for debate had
passed after the battles Of Fort Sump-
ter and Bull Run. You can never
grind with the water that has passed
the mill Nothing in human power
can ever restore the United States to
the position it occupied the day before
Congress plunged us into the war with
Spain, nor enable us to escape what
the war entailed Whether we wish
it or not, the old continental isolation
is gone forever. Whithersoever we
turn, we must do it with the burden
of our late acts to carry and the re-
sponsibility of our new position to as
sumo. 1t is idle to talk of turning
over the Philippines We could not
do so if we wished. There is no gem
eral representative form of govern
ment to whom we might turn
over the fruits Of our victory
and the results of our treaty.
We could only abandon these islands
to the greed of foreign nations; or
what would be worse, turn them back
to the tyranny and oppression Of
Spain. The treaty of peace which
gave US the Philippines and Porto
Rico and Guam met with some oppo-
sitiOn in tho senate, but was finally
ratified by that body by more than q
two-thirds vote, while in the house
the appropriation of SEQ 600, 900 was
made with little or no opposition AZ
in the case of the Louisiana purchase
and the buying of Alaska, the oppo-
nents of the treaty were in the mi
nOrity.
The future of these islands is now in
the keeping Of Congress, and Congress
is the servant Of the people. That
these islands will be retained under
the benign sovereignty of the United
States there is little reason to doubt.
1t is, however, question which the
people themselves will be given an OPP
portunity to decide. It is believed
that Congress will provide for the
Philippines = government which will
bring them blessings, which will pro-
mote their material interests and de-
velopc their wonderful mineral and
possibilities. and advance
their peop.e IN the pathway Of intel
ligeuce aud civilization. 1t is strange
that any people in the United States
should talk of our flag III the Philip
pines as being a symbol Of oppression.
1t means for the people of those is
lands what it mas meant for the pco-
pie of every land over which it has
waved since the beginning. 1t means
for them what it meant for the peO-
pie of Louisiana and Texas and Cali
flag does not mean one thing in the
United States and another in the
Il means civilization
and human liberty wherever it goes.
These new possessions are about
thirteen states Tie archipelago
square miles 1t is larger than the
% IL
ware, Maryland. Virginia. North
trict of Columbia 1t exceeds in area
all of the New England states 1t is
almost as large rs Washington and
Oregon combined, and greater than
Ohio. Indiana and Illinois united. 1t
is three times larger than New York,
and three and half times greater
than the state Of Ohio. 1t IS richer
in mineral resources than Pennsyl.
vania. 1t grows better tobacco than
Virginia or Mississippi. 1t is better
sugar country than Louisiana or
Alabama Its forests arc moro val
liable than those of the far north or
The far south. There are valuable de-
posits of coal, petroleum, iron, lead.
sulphur, copper and gold in the
islands, and little or MOTH
ing has been done to develop then.
1t is said that it's agricultural posi-.
bilities are capable of supporting a
population equal to that of Japan
u. 600, 900 people. Its valleys are fer
Tile for the growth of sugar, tobacco.
rice. hemp, fruit and all che valuable
products of an Oriental climate. For
800 years it has been Spain's most VAL
llble possession. 1t has brought
wealth untold to the private Golfers
Of her corrupt officials By her sys-
.em of government. Spain ground the
of this rich realm to the
asst degree Of endurance. She charged
hem S35 head for poll tax. She
robbed them in every season. Surely,
10 one with a drop of patriotism in
his blood will say that the govern
nent which the flag OF tn. free brings
20 these people is not a blessing to
hem after the 800 years of tyranny
md robbery they have suffered at tho
lands of Spain.