The Van Buren press., 1899-11-11
JOHN SHERMAN.
Tersely Presents the Facts OF Our
War In tn Islaais Of
fhe East

the East.
Among the many prominent Republi-
cans who are opposed TO the policy OF
the Administration with regard to the
Philippines, none is more named than
John sherman, ex-Secretary of State
ex Secretary Of Treasury and ex-United
states Senator of Ohio John Sherman
has written the following terse, but
powerful statement of his views upon
expansion;
/ hate to comment upon our existing
relations with the Filipinos. because my
feelings in the matter are decidedly
strong and my words are apt to be con
sidered rs unfriendly to the Adninistra-
ton. which | do not intend. | am op-
posed to the idea of this country holding
the Philippines and subjugating the
natives. | do not believe we have any
business in the Islands. The Filipinos
are people superior to any other Malay
race. They have a literature and fine
arts. distinct and almost national in
character they are eminently capable
of governing themselves, and they are
splendid fighters. They have been mis-
represented to the American people.
Many of us have been led to believe that
Aeuipaldo' s followers were horde OF
unorganized savages. That the contrary
is true has now been established to the
satisfaction of fair minded Americans.
While the country WAS fired with the
expansion idea / was criticised for my
stand against policy of conquest in the
Philippines. L was called unpatrlotlc
because | refused to see the wisdom or
Justice of taking possession of territory
to which we were not rightfully en-
titled. Now | believe there has been a
revulsion of feeling and my sentiments,
it seems to me, reflect the more general
view of the matter. am in receipt of
a number Of letters from men of high
standing in public life, who at first were
disposed to criticise me for my Philippine
views, and who now cheerfully
acknowledge that through moral con-
viction they are forced to agree with
him.
Even the President has not escaped
this reactionary sentiment. Although
he was dragged into the business before
he could fully comprehend its inevitable
and startling results i believe he is now
disposed to avoid further bloodshed in
the Islands and will readily submit to
any honorable arrangement to the end
of re establishing peace. I have no
doubt that the country would be well
pleased to be relieved of its Eastern
burden.
We have no right to cede the Islands
to another power, because they do not
belong to us. am speaking now of our
moral right to do these things. We
have not even the right to claim the
Islands by conquest, because we have
not conquered them. We drove the
Spaniards from the Philippines just as
we did from Cuba, and have no more
moral right to claim one than the other.
And the Filipinos aided MS to overthrow
and tumble over Spain s Eastern empire.
Dewey can tell you how Aguinaldo 5
men fought by the side of ours and
helped us to win our victories. And
now we send large army there to sub
iugate the natives-the rightful owners
of the Islands. Already we have spent
upward of $3.50, 900, 000-.and for what
In the first place it would be impossible
for us to govern the Filipinos according
to our standards. They have their own
customs and habits, their distinctive
ethical and civil laws, and have nc
synpathies in common with the Anglo
Saxon 1t will be impossible for us tc
hold these people in subsection without
large armies there ,entailing an enormous
expenditure of money, far in excess of
any commercial profits we may hope tc
derive from possession of the archipel-
ago. My idea is that we should with
draw our troops, gradually or at once,
and turn the Islands over to the natives.
Instead of sending soldiers let us send
statesmen to the Philippines, men who
can assist the islanders to establish q
substantial republican government
with which we can easily secure trade
treaties that will give us all the privileges
and profits of possession without the
responsibilities thereof. 1t might be
well for this country to hold nava
station in the Island of Luzon, but
Aguinaldo is willing to give us that.
He would very willingly form close
friendly alliance with this country ano
concede every reasonable privilege we
might ask it.
| cannot see why we should go to the
opposite side of the world to acquire
territory by conquest, with the added
danger of involving ourselves in the
meshes of Europe's $ lust for Eastern
land. | believe public sentiment il
undergoing a rapid change and that the
Filipinos are coming to be regarded as
people entitled to all the rights of q
civilized nation. This country has
never before undertaken job of con
quest. 1t is contrary to our nationa
principles and is destined to prove disas
trous. Conquest was Spain s habit. Are
we to begin it where she left off One
of the saddest spectacles in the history
of the rise and fall of nations was thu
decline and final overthrow of th'
Spanish Empire, which four centuries
ago, was the grandest power on the fact
of the earth. JOHN SHERMAN.