The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-04-11

clusion of the first decision2 Less or
different we might have done and
plunged into mistake and disaster.
More we might have done and violated
fsith and produced divisions. But re-
view the events of the year in the
light of after wisdom and tell me,
who can, what movement of war or
negotiation was not just what right
reason, duty and safety dictated
Gould we have done more or less in
Cuba" who criticizes the disposition
of Porto Rico? Where could we have
halted in the Philippines?
--O--
AS We have gone CN conclusions
come, doubts have disappeared, re-
suits have vindicated, and discussion
has advanced new questions. y. year
ago we were discussing war, ana
events brought an undivided front.
Nine months ago, so swift and unerr-
inS were the blows, we were discuss
ing the cessation of hostilities. and
the protocol as 1t came from the hands
OF the president was recognized as
skillfully settling the provisional terms
ard preserving the safeguards and
possibilities. Six months ago we were
discussing the final conditions OF
peace. and the negotiations of Paris,
strenuous, resolute and mastertul
ended in the only agreement which
meant real peace. Three months ago
we were discussing the treaty, and
not only did its ratification remove IL
from the arena of contention but 1t is
now accepted as wise, statesmanlike
and altogether flawless. Then we We're
! debating whether we should take the
| Philippines. and ii came TO be clear
| that there was no other course-no
| joint or divided sovereignty, no turn
| ing back to Spain. no leaving as a
| derclCt on the ocean currents, no III
! dependence which means anarchy. no
| handing over to any other power. If
! there were doubts, they have vanished.
and today the question is not whether
| we should have taken the Philippines.
| for no man now ventures to dispute
! it, but what shall we Go with them?
%
| That question the American people
will answer. and 1t may well be that
as the discussion goes on and events
move forward the doubts and uncer-
tainties will clear up, as they have
! cleared up in every preceding chapter
| cf the advancing story. The people
| will make answer, and they will an
swer with full regard for the rights
and welfare Of the Filipnos. They
will answer also with full sense of
| their own duty and obligations. And
they will answer without branding
I themselves as incapable of playing
! thcir appropriate part in the worlds
| broad arena and as unequal to the
/ demands Of progress and civilization
| They do not share the unworthy sentl-
mcnt that an individual or q nation
! has the right to run away from a
ncrplaxing or d burdensome duty by
proclaiming that It hasn't character
or ability enough to perform 1t.
o.
Nor are they deceived by any hollow
fiction or any irrelevant maxim. They
are not foolish enough to suppose thai
q single day has either lifted the VIC
Tins of four hundred years of oppres'
sion and barbarsm into Washington;
end Polivars or degraded the descend
ants of the real Washington and his
compeers into reproductions of George
the Third and Lord North. They un
derstand that the principles or tn
Declaration of Independence are db
stract truths, and that they are als'
practical fruits to be reached by prac
ticel means. They did not ask tn
consent of the Cubans to save then
from starvation, but they will pu
tho Cuhans in the way of having {
government based on their consent
They do not ask the consent of th'
Filipinos to save them from chaos
but they will teach and guide AM
raise the Filipinos to a point wher'
they will consent to their own best IN
terests. and where they will have tn
largest measure of self government
for which they shall show themselvc
qualified.
IT is not strange that "A people shu
up for centuries in the darkness of ty
rqrny and ignorance should faltel
dazed and uncertain, when they sud
! denly step out into the fullness o
light and liberty. 1t is not strang
that they should be misled and mis-
erlded for the hour and seek to smit