Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-10-26

this end. Is 10 oe DONE e. eEuFe
we are here. can only advise. Ba;i oy G i
ing forth expressions of the nopG.aF Wiz by
various means of public demon stration,
and, If need be, at the polls, we can make
that advice SO strong that those in power
will hardly disregard ii. We have often
been tainted with having no positive poll
icy to propose. But such a policy has mere
than once been proposed, and can or.ly re-
peat it.
I'm the first place, let it be well uader;
stood that those are egregiously mistaken
who think that if by a strong military eff
fort the Philippine war be stopped every.
thing viii be right and no question about it.
No. the American trouble of conscience viii
not be appeased, and the question will be
as big and virulent ever unless the close
or the war be promptly followed by an as
surance to the islanders of their freedom
and independence, which assurance. il
given now, would surely end the war with
out more fighting. We propose. therefore,
that it be given now. Let there be at once
an armistice between our forces and thS
Filipinos. Let the Philippine islanders al
the same time be told that the American
people will be glad to see them establish an
Independent government, and TO aid them
in that task as far as may be necessary;
that, if the different tribes composing the
population of the Philippines are disposed,
as at least most of them, if not ALL are like
~ to be, to attach themselves in some way
TO the government already existing under
the presidency of Aguinaldo, we shall
cheerfully accept that solution of the
question. and even, if required, lend our
good offices to bring it about: and that
meanwhile we shall deem ii our duty to
protect them against interference from
other foreign powers-in other words, that
with regard to them we mean honestly to
live up to the righteous principles with the
profession of which commended TO the
world our Spanish war.
And then let us have in the Philippines.
h
politician a meddlesome martinez, but
statesman OF large mind and genuine SYM
| pathy, who will not merely deal in sancti-
moniouS cant and oily promises with a
| string to them, but who will prove by his
acts that he and we are honest; who will
keep in mind that their government is not
merely to suit us, but to suit them; that it
| should not be measured by standards which
we ourselves have no. been able to reach,
| but be a government of their own, adapted
| to their own conditions and notions
whether it be true republic like ours, or
| better, or dictatorship like that of Porfirio
| Diaz in Mexico, or an oligarchy like the one
| maintained by us in Hawaii, or even some
| thing like the boss rule we are tolerating in
| New York and Pennsylvania.
Let Them Walk Alone.
Those who talk so much about fitting
| a people for self-government' often forget
| that no people were ever made fit for self
government by being kept in the leading
StIlHSS VI lOTelSn power. lou learn 10
walk by doing your own crawling and
| stumbling. Self-government is learned
| only by exercising it upon ones own re-
| sponsibility. OF course, there will be mis-
| takes and troubles and disorders. We have
had and now have these, too-at the begin
| ming our persecution of the tories, our
! founderings before the constitution was
| formed. our Shay's rebellion, our whisky
war and various failures and disturbances
| among them a civil war that cost a
OF horrible q think
of, and the murder of two presidents. But
who will say that account CT these
| things some foreign power should have
kept the American people in leading strings
to teach them to govern themselves? If
the Philippine islanders do as well as the
Mexicans, who have worked their way,
since we left them alone after our war Of
1S47, through many disorders, to an orderly
government, who will have a right to find
fault with the result? You may take it.as
general rule that he who wants to reign
over others is soiemnly convinced that they
are quite unable to govern themselves.
Now, what objection is there to the poi
icy dictated by our fundamental principles
and our good faith? l hear the angry cry:
| What? Surrender to Aguinaldo? viii
not the world ridicule and desrise US for
such confession Of our incompetency to
deal with so feeble foe? What will be-
come of our prestige?' No, we shall not
surrender to Aguinaldo. In giving up
criminal aggression we shall surrender
only to our own sense of right and justice,
to own understanding of our own true
interests and to the vital principles of our
own republic Nobody will laugh at Us
whose good opinion wshave reason to cher
ish. There will, of course. be an cutlery of
disappointment in England. But from
whom will it come? From such men as
James Bryce or John Morley, or any one Of
those true friends of this republic who I'M
derstand and admire and wish to perpetu-
ate and spread the fundamental prin-
ciples of its vitality? No. not from them.
But the outcry will come from those in
England who long to see entangled in
complications apt to make the American
republic dependent upon British aid and
thus subservient to British interests.
THE true friends of this republic in Eng
land and. indeed, all over the world, who
are now grieving 20 see us go astray, will
rejoice, and their hearts will be Uphfted
with new confidence in our honesty, i'll cur
wisdom and in the virtue CT democratic in
stitutions when they behold the American
people throwing aside all the puerilities OF
false pride and returning to the path of
their true duty"
Bad Use of the Flag.