Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-11-06

the philippines. AS published IN the
Milwaukee Journal of Tuesday even
ing it contains many pertinent para
graphs. In stating his position the
governor says:
TT is, essentially public question
and one which should be widely dis
cussed. And, let me say, that the free
discussion of it by a republican, what
ever side he may take, in no sense in
wolves disloyalty to the administration
every man of intelligence in the
country, [ believe, is with the presi-
dent in his efforts to suppress the in
surrection; but what disposition is to
be made of the new territory and the
people who will become dependent
upon us is a question to be settled by
congress, and congress should express
the will of the people"
Continuing in cool and unimpas-
stoned manner he says: 81 ne real is
sue presented, then, is this: Shall the
government after it has suppressed the
insurrection, plan to maintain perma-
nent possession of the Philippines, to
make that archipelago a portion of our
territory, and it's 100000 or more peo-
pie part Of our population?
''The question for the people Of this
country to consider, put in somewhat
shorter form, is: Is it expedient for
| this country to permanently add to it's
| territory and it's population those far
off islands and their group of motley
| inhabitants? [ imagine that many
who differ from me will say at once
on higher plane than that of ex-
pediency, I might have framed the
question as a two-fold one, thus: Is
| it just, and is it eXpedient; but it
would have been no more cOmprehen-
sive; for a national expediency must
| include justice, else it cannot be ex-
pedient When we ask ourselves if it
be expedient that we permanently alb
sorb the Philippines, there is compre-
| hended the question of justice. In
determining a question SO broad as
this, we cannot ignore the existence Ct
| PSOP1S
Philippine islands and those of the
United States which did not exist two
years agO-a relation involving Obli-
cations on both sides-and greater on
our side because of our claims of SUI
periority. If we say, therefore, that II
two years ago the question had been
submitted to the people Of this country
whether we should accept the respon-
sibility of making the Philippine archI-
pelago a part of our territory, and that
people portion of our population, it
would have been voted down over
whelmingly, we get a little closer to
the problem, but we are still far from
solving it. We cannot thus lightly ex-
tinguish a relationship that has come
into existence. We must not, on the
other hand, overlook the fact that be-
cause in our ignorance of even the geo
graphical situation of the Philippines,
two years ago, we would not have de-
sired them, that, therefore, they should
be undesirable now.
eff we maintain control in the Phil
ippines of course they must be directly
and completely subject to our author
ity-but we need not trouble ourselves
as some do with the maxim that we
must not attempt to govern without
the consent of the governed The con-
sent of the governed in such cases may
be predicted upon the inability to re-
fuse to be governed. That maxim,
therefore, if it is applicable at all to
the case, may be used to strengthen
rather than weaken the side of those
who go in for a policy Of acquisition.
The question whether it will take a
long. or a short time to restore peace
and establish order in the islands,
should we determine not to maintain
permanent control, is not material
one. Duty measures time limits only
by complete performance.
81 repeat then, that the question is,
Is it expedient for the people of this
country to determine, and express
through congress that determination,
to permanently hold the Philippines,
and my answer is, decidedly, MOI.
cit seems to me that the continued
existence OF our pI0SSuC lOlm VI SON-
eminent is threatened by this Philip
pine problem. We have before us SO
many internal problems of moment
problems which our developing nation
al, industrial and social life present
for immediate solution, and the solu-
ton of which will determine whether
democratic government has the ele-
ments of perpetuity in it, that trem-
BILE at the thought of taking on from
the outside a burden which must, in
the nature of the case, divert attention
from vital domestic problems and
change our point of view upon ques-
lions of international relationship.
1--WE are a great nation, but we have
our limitations. Let us recognize these
limitations, and not allow the spirit of
speculation and gambling to enter in
to the solution of our governmental
problems. Let us be as nation as up
right as an ordinary business man, and
not expand beyond the capacity of our