New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-19
ABSOLUTE WANT OF EVIDENCE.

1t would be a very good thing, of course, if the
opponents of the Peace Treaty could agree
among themselves what part they wish to con-
test. Firing into the atmosphere is tiresome,
even for men of Dewey's feet. If these Oppo'
nents intend a constitutional argument it will
be long before they disturb the solid foundations
laid by Senator Plat, Of Connecticut in his
strong speech on that subject IL they wish to
discuss the question OF policy 1t would be well
for them to arrive at some sort of basis for rea-
soning. When one man says that the nhabi-
tants are utterly incapable of self-government.
so that they cannot be taken under control ms
colonies without the gravest peril to the United
States while another says that they have a
Heaven-born right to self-government, with
which we have no business to interfere, there
is apparently slight mixture of opinion among
the brethren.
Let this thing be put in straight English.
There Is not trace of evidence th2t the inhap-
tants OF the Philippine Islands, as BODY, desire
or support the so-called government Of which
Mr.. Aguinaldo Is the nominal head, or any other
government The enormously preponderatng
evidence IS that the people have not been tested
on that or any other point so that nobody
knows what they want. The men in Congress
or elsewhere who are pretending to know that
the inhabitants have an organization which
they generally support are merely repeating the
reasoning which threatened last spring to tie
our hands with fatal recognition OF the So
called Cuban Republic of Cubtas.
A part OF the people, and no one knows how
large or small a part, support the claims Of
Aguinaldo. The United States has no means Of
knowing whether he is usurper of the basest
sort, mere hirellng Of Il foreign Power or
real representative OF the inhabitants. 1t has
absolutely no right to force him upon these
inhabitants as their tyrant without their au-
thority. If the majority Of the people are be-
hind him there Is not the slightest evidence
Of 1t. But the opponents of the treaty say
that there Is a visible intention to make war
on him and on the people Of the Philippine
Islands. One finds it hard to answer such
an assertion with courtesy There is no truth
whatever in 1t, and the. Administration, right
ly or wrongly, has carefully refrained from
using its power against AguinaldO. although, be-
ing entirely in the dark as TO his right to repre-
sent anybody, it would be justified in suppress
ing him as n mere disturber Of the peace. No
expression Of the wishes OF the population can
be obtained, whatever It would be worth, until
armed resistance to the authority of the United
States has ceased
The plain fact that the people OF this Archi-
pelago have neither the training nor the capac-
ity for selfgovernment has been testified to by
all who have had to do with them, whether
among the Spanish authorities or our own or
among the intelligent English and German
business men and travellers who baye fur
nished our Government information on the sub
ject. We broke down Spanish rule there, and
by that act made ourselves responsible to the
civilized world for the preservation Of order
with protection to life and property, till better
rule could be established. Since then Spain has
agreed to turn over her sovereignty there to us
This may be, as some eagerly insist q burden
not n gain, for us. At any rate, II involves a
plain and instant duty, which we cannot shirk
without dishOnor