The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-29
THE PHILIPPINES
Strong Reasons Why They Should Not
BE Annexed to the United states.


Elitor OF The Times:
Sir.-I congratulate The Times on the
editorial. stand by the Constitution"
bon its issue OF The l-th, endorsing Senator
foars speech against annexing the
United States go the Philippine Islands.
The Times must have lost but recovered.
the compass by which u has been guided,
Tor lt has ia.e.y been wandering after
/ pnantom-iike Isis in search Of the lost
os'r.s-fo find ON, IL way Of holding IN
sub . elton and governing a distant bar
par4sn colony without yioI.d,g Con-
st.tuuon framed FOR the Anglo-Saxon
race Unless government be a mirror
that reflects the image and representa-
/ tive OF the %sOpie governed IL Is a ty-
Iauuv Al people are capable OF self
government. But their government must
+ DR. them ike their clothes The Esqui-
maux hko their way az well as the
American does his. We put our Indians
on ID reservation and then treat them
as % foreign nation and let them govern
themselves Lee Agu.naii0 do the same
Red cloud and sitting Bun never heard
I of onr 1911 Of Rights. and don't want IT,
Unfortunately. tho fiiipinos are not in
ID tribal condition and must be treated
( either ass citizens or as subjects If we
b annex them. II is just as impossible 20
make our Constitution nj these half
: naked tropical islanders as our clothes
to force one upon the other the COnstitu-
| ton or the Filipinos must be sacrificed.
u might be for the advantage of the
Fuipiuos. II they chose us for their guar
/ dians and we agreed 10 act during their
mlnorty-3o00 years-and give them a
! pateruai government But u Is hard 20
see where the advantage comes in TO ~.
We could do so not only az the annual
ut 40
penee IL the sacrifice of the principles
of constitutional liberty FOR which John
Harnndou and George Washington fought
Tho hostility with which The Finpnos
receive - show that they look upon our
offer with suspici0u as n Grecian gift,
ana that we are now getting foretaste
of "a chronic rebellion. Eng ana always
has one on hand somewhere
There never was a greater deiusion
than the popular notion OF trade lo!oN-
ing the fag" or that OF one ct the COM
missianers. judge Day. who negotiated
the Spanish treaty thar our commeIee
needs the protection OF the Nag meahln-,
of course. that our commerce rs not oale
outsiJe II cur oNn territory. Trade FOL
lows the markets as certainly as the nee
die nolnts to the pole. and is not control-
ed bv sentiment The writer. as consul,
has had some experience in this way anu
never heard of char'erers or shippers pe-
Ing Influenced by amy ofner CONSIDERATION
ran the question Of profit ard loss Our
commerce. "a under tle protection OF "ur
n1r inst rs safe in the Heiiespoht as III
the Cleeaucake. But ~ Is not necessary
10 have a colony wherever We nave COM
rnorce IL so better have no commerce
British commerce IS under the protection
OF the British flag ass much 80 an AInetl-
can or Inn an English port But In CIV
pized countries the real presence
of AN armed force is not ne
cesgarv for the security ~ commerce
jefferson refused 10 pay tribute 10 'ne
Barbafy C0rsa.rs and sent Decator 10
.vreop them from the sea. All ciVii4eo
nations keep men Of war cruising I'D inc
China sea as o. police force 10 suppress
nirscv. According 90 Judge Day, every
American ship must be under the escort
of a ruan-of-war or the guns of ipfI
Dcwov's squadron was Doe the orient i'hs
before there was talk OF war with SPAN.
have cleared hundreds OF American
vessels loaded iu the Philippines and never
heard that they Did not enjoy az iaueh
freedom OF trade there MS anywhere e'sc'
To is a prevalent delusion That our com
u,croa will be enormously increased ny
the annexation of the philippines but
trade REPORTS show that the expansion
of our commerce. does not depend upon
tho expansion 0f our territory. We are
already the greatest exporting nation OF
the world Uow would extending our
political authority over the Philippines
increase our trade? III this IS ISOLATION
lct us stay Isolated
IL is said that American capital and
ENTERPRISE would develop them. But
Americans can't live there except IN the
shade. and VS. have no surplus population
or capital 20 send there. Besides the
archipelago Is more densely populated
than the United states. l prefer for
American capital 20 stay az home and
develop our own country. There has been
no such chimera as the Philippine craze
since the bursting of Laws Mississippi
bubble III tranquility in the Philippines
as an that IS desired a mere diplomatic
hint from our government 10 the Euro
peaR powers would secure e IN thirty
days. and We would have every CONNER
cial privilege of the most favored nation.
A superior can only govern an Inferior
race Boy treating the Inferior not as citi-
zens but as subjects. Representative in
stitutons would be as much out OF place
among the Malays MS tine furs Of tine Es-
Qu'mauX for clothing. Let them have
government 10 suit themscives-like the
natives of B0rueO-a sultan II they want
him. There is o. great deal Of can't or
rant, about our holding the Philippines
until the people are fitted for self-govern-
ment This Is simply q cover for the
mouvc-lust Of empire All people are
capable of selfgoyernmcnt. as | have
said. in their own way.
our government wouldn't suit q Lap
lander amy better than his would suit
u.s. Either imposed on the other would
BE- n tyranny IT the end Of an govern
ment is the general welfare" then the
Malay let alone win 0e as happy and
cOnteuted as we are, although ne never
jury. ON the same philanthrODic pretoyt
war was declared against Spain-to re-
licVe the rccOncentrddOs. A benevolent
campaign was begun by blockadlng the
Cuban ports ana cutting of supplies from
the starving recOucenCradOs. They were
never mentioned or thought OF after war
was begun. When n Ras over they were
an dead All for the sake Of humanity.
il we are 20 hold the archipelago until
the Fiiipln0s get educated up 10 our
ideals IL means holding them in per-
petuity. IRE Fl,ipllos can never be bent
or broken 20 our standard: IN order 20
rule such a race We must descend 10 their
level and govern by arbitrary methods.
They can't understand any other That
suits a monarchy NOT bound by an inflex-
ib'e. written Constitution, one form over
an empire Such Is even the English
Government In It's Crown cOlOnies-a be-
nevolent despotsm--where a few hundred
Fnelishmen govern millions Of natives.
Local self-governmcnt would mean then.
the same conditions that would be I'm
several States In the South ~ there We're