Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-08-10
THE PHILIPPINES.

ed to the commissioners either TO re-
turn the Philippines to Spain, or TO an
mex them and that returning them to
Spain would not only have d prived
the United States of war indemnity
but have consigned the islands TO anar.
CIV and civil war. The return OF q
Il lag implies lis posse ion; the United
States has never had posse ssion os the
archipelago. The American army
holds the ground it camps on at Ma
uils; all the rest Is in armed occupation
OF the natives. How our paying S20,-
| 600, 600 TO Spain for what she did not
possess aud couldn't deliver is compen-
sation to US for expens es of the war is as
| hard for NE to find out as for the Ma
lay to see the beauty of the American
flag. Nor can see how the privilege
OF governing Malsys is indemnity TO US.
The Filipinos seem to be as uoited
against Americans as they we're against
Spaniards. AS larger proportion Of
the population of the Philippines pro-
fesseS Christianity than oil any other
county, iu Asia, if they are poi as cap
| hUlt VI SCll-SCfCI oOo Io
vanced in civilization as the Coreans,
Chinese and Samese with whom our
government has long had diplomatic
relations, the fact will be regarded rs
reproach on their religious faith. 1t is
no presumpi0 against Aguinaldo and
| his followers that they are not dt
govern themselves because they are
Catholics. On the contrary they
ought to be presumed to be es civilized
IS the Buddhis;s and Makom-nedans
Win whom We negotiate treaties
There is 81 great deal OF idle talk about
people not having capacity to govern
themselves. By universal law of ma.
iure not only all men but all animals
can govern themselves; there is horn
ed moDatch in every herd of elks, or
buffalos; every bes-hive has king bee.
r R-voluEl0ns are far more characteristic
OF European than Asiatic races; anarchy
is generally the first ifuit Of
revt ltion. Aslatic peple are gen
orally in state of stagDation.
In his essay On Milton Macaulay says:
Many politicians of our time are in
the babit of laying it down as a self
evident proposition, that no people
ought to be free till they are fit to use
their freedom. The maxim is worthy
of the fool the old story who resolved
not TO 90 into the water till he bad
lear, cd to swim. If men are to wait for
liberty till they become wise and good
10 slavery, they may indeed wait for
YER" THE fact, therefore, that the
F!!ipinos have been in rebellion prove s
trat they have some aspirations fer
freedom; the resistance they make to q
foreign yoke shows that they have con-
| siderable capacity to enjoy it. The
humsnitarians profess great sympathy
for Filipinos, although the Filipnos
don't want their sympathy, as
they know it is only mask
i, f hypocrisy. Why should they not in
clude all oppressed nstionaities in Asia
the Persian fire worshippers and the
I subjects of the Sultan. | recently asked
one who was arguing from professed al
/ truistic motives that it was our duty TO
iucnish good government TO the Phil
ippines if it was not equally our duty
to do the same for the subjects of the
Grand Lama of Thit 1t. "Oh no" he
said, "thar country is desert" ;" Then, "
| SAID, ''your sympathy is confaed to
people who live iu rich tropical islands;
| think people who live in desert de.
serve more sympathy" But it is said
rhst to abandon the Philippines to the
natives is contrary to the treaty; II so II
is a good reason for repealiug the treaty.
This is bpgging the question. As for
anarchy there that ought TO be better
than Spanish rule if it was half as bad
as imperialists say it was. Anarchy Is
a spectre created TO frighten people-a
bogy. There is no more reason to pre-,
sume anarchy from any other revolu
ton than Aguinaldo's but if that should
be the result, rs We did not cause the
revolution we would not be response
ole for it's consequences. am opposed
to going on 3 QuiXotic enter prise into
Asia. In one breath the expausionists
say that the Filipino owes us debt OF
gratitude for overthrowinga g despotism;
iu the next they say we are under obi-
pstions to the Filipino for letting us dc
It and that we must govern them until
thew can govern themselves. They are
poycrniug themselves now. Let them
alone. But if the Filipino was uDft, a;
they say, to govern himself then it was
right for Spain to give him the only
government he wss fit for. Infants and
Iuustics must be governed despotically
or not governed at all. Il deny that we a-e
under obligations to the Filipinos; the
Filipino admits that he is under oblga
tiors to us. All he asks OF us Is tc
withdraw our army. We have taker
, from him no government that be want
ed to keep, and he asks no compensa
ton from U.s. Foraker has said, i dS
+ not know anybody who wants to taks
possession of the Philippine Islands
: and govern the people of those island
indefinitely against their will, by forc'
. of arms" Why govern them then one
n day against their will? If We do no
intend to hold the islands why shou!t
we have bought them; just to give
q them away2 As he said that we woult
/. not govern them indefinitely, why die