The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-19
RESULTS OF THE WAR WITH SPAIN

RESULTS OF THE WAR WITH SPAIN.
K is clear from the speech he delivered
at the banquet of the Hioernian Society
on Friday night, that Senator Bacon does
not think the Republican leaders are wait
ing for Congress to outline a policy for
! the government to pursue in respect 20
the Philippine Islands. The inference from
what ne said was that the administration
has a policy, which, apparently, is in har-
mony with the views held by the majority
of the leaders of the Republican party.
This policy, from the senator's point of
view. Is a menace to our institutions. 1t
threatens to bring about a revolution in
the habits and thoughts of the American
people.
The senator made it clear what ne
meant. Our government. he said, is based
upon the consent of the governed. and yet
our army and navy are engaged in a
war with the FniDinos whose only offense
is that they want the same right which
we enjoy. the right Of government If
the war should continue for a long time,
and our authority should be fully estab-
lished in the PhiIppines-thas is if those
islands should become our colonies-the
imperialistic IDEA might. and probably
would take firm hold of the people of
this country. and greatly weaken the
foundation on which our government rests.
Senator Bacon assumes that we are al
ready practically committed to a colonial
policy, ard that it depends upon the PEG.
pie whether or not that policy shall be-
come permanent. 1t will become perma-
nent unless the people express their dis
approval of it very soon. The forces
which are working in the direction of il
are powerful, and will be successful I'M
less met and overcome by opposing forces.
with a colonial policy firmly established
1t would become necessary to rewrte the
constitution
The cost of a colonial policy would be
large. Senator Bacon estimates it at $780,
10000 a year, and it is safe to say that
his estimate Is not too high Are the
American people willing to pay that sum
annually for the satisfaction of owning
colonies from which they would derive
which would tend to revolutionize their
own government?
Il is impossible to arrive az a satsfac-
tory estimate of the cost of the war in
the Philippines in which we are now en-
gagged or the dangers of other wars grow
ing out of the permanent possession of
these islands. In our dispa tches yesterday
THAI the F:lipinos may succeed in holding
out against us for years, and Senator Pa
con expresses the opinion that England IS
encouraging us TO make colonies of the
Philippines because she hopes TO get US in
a position from which we cannot with
be made to contribute greatly to her well
fare in the East.
We do not, and neither does Senator Ba-
con, favor abandoning the Philippines
without asserting our authority there, now
that we have undertaken to do that. What
should be done is to .et the Filipnos un-
derstand that they are to have control of
their oWr affairs at the earliest practical
moment 9nd make It known to cur own
people that there is no purpose on the
part of the government to go into the
business of governing colonies. The idea
Of imperialism is attractive, and the slg-
gestion that colonies otter opportunities 90
or young men for careers is received by
many with enthusiasm, but our own form
of government is too precious TO allow it
70 be wrecked by imperialisic policies
and our own country VIII continue to offer
to our young men for century or more
better opportunities for careers than can
be found in any other part of the world.