The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1899-08-19
THE PHILIPPINE PROBLEM.

OF them. The flag mas Deen ralseu
over them and there are many who do
not approve of ar imperialist govern
ment, vet cannot reconcile themselves
to the idea of giving the islands up
even to the people who inhabit them.
Though such do not fully appreciate
the situation of the Filipinos or they
would have different ideas. They do
not view the Filipinos as people who
have long been fighting for indepen'
dence, but as people whom we have
bought and own together with the
territory they occupy. The cost both
in life and money of maintaining the
war causes people to wonder when the
end will be and inquire as to the
cause that broughtit abont. The New
York World published a recent edi'
torial on this subject that is worthy oi
consideration. It is as follows:
To the growing demand that the ad-
ministration shall make an end quick
ly of the Philippine war the apologists
of the president reply that peaceful
tenders'' and ''friendly Offers have
been made to the Inhabitants OF the
islands only to be rejected, and that
the responsibility for the war is there
fore not upon us.
This plea lacks the saving quality
of truth. The presidents first procla-
-.:. - %ba E,i1iDinos oahlad Tn Gem
eral Otis on December q, was war;
provoking nota peace-making docu'
ment. It declared that the capture OF
Manila ''practically effected the con
quest of the Philippine islands
most ignorant and empty boast, as
seen in the light of subsequent events.
It asserted our ''rights of sovereignty"
over the entire archipelago and the
purpose to establish ''a new political
power'' under the ''absolute domain OF
military authority" 1t commanded
the "honest submission" of all the
natives, and warned all who refused
submission that they would "be
brought within the lawful rule we
have assumed, with firmness if need be"
in order to accomplish our purpose OF
s'henevolent assimilation.
This was not ''a way out" of our
Eastern ENHANCEMENT. 1t was
plunge into endless difficulties.
When the Fiiipinos, who had been
fighting for freedom and Independence
for many generations, refused 10
ratify the sale by Spain of possessions
which she did not possess, war newt
ably followed.
The war not prospecting Mr.. Nc
Kinley sent out commission to try
negotiation. Bu5 the very first condi-
tion of peace which it named was un-
conditional surrender and unquestion-
ing submission, and its threats to
those who refused were even more
emphatic than Mr.. McKinley's own.
Il would not even agree to an armis-
tice.
Was this promising sway out,"
with our campaign failure and the
rainy season just coming on?
Pressed by the Filipino leaders for
an outline of the government proposed
for them by the president, the commits
sion submitted this:
1. The governor-general will be ap-
poinGed by the president.
2. The heads of departments will be
appointed by the governor-general.
8. There will be a general advisory
council elected by the people; the con-
ditions for becoming electors will
have to be carefully considered and
determined and the governor.general
will have an absolute veto.
4. The tribunals of Justice will be |
strong and independent, and |
the magistrates and principal judges
will be appointed by the president.
5. The president anxiously desires
bloodshed to cease, and feryently hopes |
that the Philippine people at no dis
tant date will enjoy the greatest meas
ure of local self-government reconcil- |
able with The maintenance of peace
and good order.
This scheme was rejected by the |
Filipino commission, on tie grounc-
as stated by the Hong Kong telegraph |
that ''there is not one word in these |
from beginning to end that
secures to the natives of the Philip
pines any one of the things they have |
been fighting to secure"
There was in them not hint of |
future freedom or independence-not |
even promise or a suggestion of a
by the United States,
with coaling station and harbor at
Manila as originally proposed. Moth
ing but governor-general with abb
solute power, judges and other officials
appointed by the president. and
vague "hope" of restricted ''local self
in the future.
Is it any wonder that the Fillpinos
rejected these terms, if they still felt
themselves capable of that resistance
% tryants' which Americans have
,een taught to regard as obedience
o God?" They could hardly have
,een put uader more complete sub
ection at the end of successful war
f conquest
The common sense of the American
eople rejects these demands as neither
nst in themselves nor calculated to
pen "a way out" of the difficulty. If
be president issreally anxious that =,
bloodshed shall cease" he will try
egotiations on the lines indicated by {
Ir. Bryan and Judge Henderson, s
hich are substantially those thai we +
i'd down and are following in regard I
, Cuba. t
1t is simply choice between long
nd costly war of criminal aggres-
on" and peace according to Ameri- J
IN principles and precedents. /
OFFICE A PRIVATE SNAP. :
Assistant;Secretary OF the Treasury b
an5erlip has ordered reduction in a