Washington sentinel., 1899-06-10
The Philippine Disgrace.

Maine, who was one Of the peace
commissioners at Paris, said some
time ago that he and fellow com.
missioners when they negotiated
the peace treaty with Spain were
OF the opinion that a military force
Of FIVE thousand would be sufficient
to conquer and hold the Philip
pines. The supposed inability ol
the natives to defend their liberties
was undoubtedly the chief reason
why the McKinley Administration
determined to trample under foot
American traditions and enter
upon career Of conquest.
A decent regard for the moral
questions involved in the stealing
ofthese islands ought to have made
the Administration keep its hands
of the Philippines. 1t mattered
not how many or how lew soldiers
were needed to hold our late allies
in subjection. If a corporal'sguard
were sufficient for the task that
tact should not have tempted
America to turn her back upon her
glorious past and enter upon a
career Of imperialism. Every prin-
ciple of honor should have made
us keep faith with our late allies
who occupied toward us a position
similar to that in which we were
in regard to the French when the
victory OF Yorktown brought the
revolutionary war to an end.
II France, after aiding Washing
ton and his compatriots to drive
the English out OF America, had
proceeded to make the United
States French territory she would
have simply anticipated the base
betrayal we have been guilty OF in
trying to annex the Philippines.
In the case Of France, which at the
time was a monarchy, the betrayal
would not have been OF so base a
character as ours. She at least in
attempting to subjugate the Amer
leans would not have gwen the lie
to professions about the inalien-
able right of men to self govern
ment. The founders Of the repub-
lie would not have been in posi-
ton to point the finger of scorn at
their treacherous French allies in
he way OF Gracio Gonzaga, the
President Of the Philippine peace
commission, did when in address
ing our peace commissioners he
said:
We greatly appreciate the courtesy
shown us. We have spent some time
with your com mmissonerS, incidentally
considering the American Constitution.
Its principles impress us profoundly.
The plan OF government offered to the
Philippines seems, in theory. a good
colonial system. But why should a
nation with your constitution seek to
make a colony Of distant people who
have been so long fighting against Spain
TO secure the same rights that your
Constitution gives? You fought the
same battle in America when you fought
against England"
This bitter retort should have
brought the blush to the cheeks Of
Mr.. McKinley's commissioner.
They presumably are familiar with
that part OF the Declaration OF In
dependence in which the American
doctrine in regard to Government
is thus set forth: 1--WE hold these
truths to be self-evident, that all
men are created equal; that they
are endowed by their Creator with
certain inalienable rights; that
among these are lie, liberty and
the purs lit Of happiness. hat, to
secure these rights governments
are instituted among men, deriv-
ing ther just powers from the con-
sent Of the governed" Our COM
missioners have travelled ten thou.
sand miles to force upon the Flip
mos form Of government which
is just the reverse Of that outlined
in the charter oil liberties.
What they have offered to the
Filipinos is a form of government
to be pr scrbed by President Nc
KinleY, which is to consist OF a
Governor General TO be appointed
by the President and With powers
defined by him. The Governor
General in his turn is to appoint a
Cabinet approved by the President.
He is also to have the appoint
ment OF the judges and all other
officials. The only concession that
is to be made to the Filipinos con-
sists OF an advisory council for the
Governor General. made up OF
natives. This is to be a strictly
advisory council possessing neither
Legislative nor executive power.
The members are to be elected by
a restricted and qualified suffrage.
In other words only such Filipinos
| will be permitted To elect the Gov