The record-union., 1899-07-28
MR.. ADAMS AND THE PHILIP
PINES.


PINES.
The well-known publicist, Charles
Francis Adams, grandson of John
Quincy Adams, soldier of the civil
War, an author and practical business
man and a foremost student of pubic
questions, was invited to attend and
address an anti-expansionist meeting at
Cambridgeport. Mr.. Adams declined to
attend, but sent instead a letter which,
from so pronounced an independent as
the writer and man who has been so
much in public life, is worthy OF pro-
found consideration, especially as he
was~originally opposed to the acquisi-
ton Of distant possessions.
Mr.. Adams declares that there is a
tendency in American meetings to find
fault, to protest and criticise without
pointing a way out. For himself, he
would not take part in a meeting where
he could not indicate conscientiously
what the right way out should be-
While his position some months ago
was one opposed to acquisition, he con-
fesses that the course of events seem
now to be impelling us irresistibly in
certain direction, and therefore the
duty of good citizenship is to look to
the support of the Administration In
i it's policy concerning the Philippines.
While he had wished to see a
government in. the Philippines under
which Aguina1do could have become
another Diaz, he considers now that
it is plainly impracticable. AS the
Government has resolved to establish
in the Philippines stable government
with Governor General supported by
a sufficient force, with the purpose OF
guiding the Filipino in the path of de-
velopment, the practical thing to do, Is
to make it a success, if possible. What
can be proposed in place of it, and
what objection should be raised to it:
While he opposed the scheme from the
first, and preferred that the Fiipinos
should have been left to walk alone,
rather than be forever held I'D, the
chpice has been made and the thing to
do is to accept the accomplished fact.
The true course, then. for the anti
expansionists, says Mr.. Adams, is to la
bor to develop to the utmost extent
possible the policy and principle Of au-
tonomy, and to limit the interference
of the United States to the minimum,
which he understands is also the aim
and desire of the Administration.
Here he adds, sis a wide field for
the exercise of useful influence" If
there is, says the letter writer, dis
position manifest on the part of Con-
gress to bring the Philippine archi-
pelago within the area of domestic pol
itics, then there will be the old civil
service fight on again. President Nc
Kinley and his Cabinet will then need
all the aid that can be given to them.
He fears that the chances will be
with the spoilsmen, but hopes for the
best. He declines, therefore, to unite
in protest or further criticism, prefer
ing to accept the conditions and CO.
operate in bringing about the best pos
sible ends. He concludes in these
words, which ought to address them
selves with special force to such as
Mr.. Atkinson and Mr.. Bryan:
1 do not, therefore, feel disposed at
this time further to protest, or to in
dulge in harsh or unnecessary criticism
Rather I would heartily cooperate. In
this life, we can rarelyShave our own
wayi but when the course of events has
made it clear. as now, that our way is
no longer open, it is the course Of wis
dom to do what Is in our power to
eliminate SO far as may be the evil we
fancy we see in the policy imposed
upon us, however originally mistaken.
In his speech at the Democratic con-
ference at Chicago Mr.. Bryan said that
English financiers had forced the gold
standard upon this country by controll-
ing, through the Republican party, the
That was rank demagogy and Bryan
knew 1t. It was Grass mendacity and
Bryan knew it. He advanced not a
scintilla of proof to bolster the asser-
ton, and for the best of reasons, he
could not do it. The New York Post"
well says of this miserably reiterated
and threadbare old falsehood:
How can anybody have the hardihood
at this late day to parrot this ancient
untruth? It is impossible to- suppose
that ,Mr Bryan believes any such thing
Yet he offers it as suited to the NAV
of the Populists whose votes he desires
to hold in the next campaign.
THE SOLDIER CRITIC.