The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-31

regardless of what the eight or ten mill
lions of natives might think or how
they might feel. Dewey's victory did
not make it necessary for us to absorb
the whole archipelago. That action
was altogether foreign to the purpose
for which the war was fought We
took the islands away from Spain sim
ply because we reached the conclusion
that they might be valuable--and we
wanted them. That is good Rob Roy
doctrine but not exactly the feeling
which should animate a great country
engaged in a humanitarian war"
The next mistake was Mr.. McKin-
ley's first proclamation, in which he
claimed the islands by right of con-
quest, promising protection to the peo-
pie if they obeyed the laws which we
prescribed for them, but threatening
them with dire vengeance if they failed
to do that. AS If for the purpose of
making the threat good, heavy rein
forcements were. about the same time,
dispatched to the islands. Obviously,
this was for the purpose of suppress
ing the Filipinos-the Spanish had sur
rendered and we had no other enemy
in that Quarter. Up to this point no
concession had been made to the Fill
pinos-there was not the faintest sug-
gestion that they had any rights what
ever in their own country. They were
simply told that they must obey Then
came the fighting.
Later the peace commission was sent
to Manila, and just about the first
thing it did was to refuse to treat with
the Filipinos, save as band of rebels
against the duly-constituted authority
of the United States. This presents
rather anomalous situation. The forces
under Aguinaldo We're either an organ
lied body engaged in legitimate war
fare, or they were band of cut throat
brigands fit only for the gibbit If the
former it was certainly proper for
them to be recognized as SUCH if the
latter, there was no occasion for
peace commission at all.
But, while our representatives have
declined to extend any recognition to
Aguinaldo, Filipino officers have been
met in conference and been told what
the people of the islands may expect.
The president will appoint governor
and a council, to act under the author
ity of the United States. The natives
are to be permitted to elect an advisory
board and the petty judges An adj
| visory body has absolutely no power.
The petty judges can punish offenses
against and enforce contracts under
| the laws which the people have had no
VOICE in making. 1t is difficult to see
how Russia, or any other despotic
power, could have conceded much less.
We believe that greater Concessions
than these will have to be made before
| the islands are pacified 1t may be
| said. indeed it has been urged, that this
4 is matter for congress to determine.
A We grant that-but Mr.. Mckinley has
/ undertaken to formulate a policy. If
he can offer little, he can offer lit
tie more. If he can offer little more,
he can offer good deal more. He was
| very anxious to have congress adjourn,
in order that he might settle the affairs
| of the islands in his own way. To this
end he has attempted to- carry out a
certain line of policy which thus far
can scarcely be regarded as a success.
The Standards opinion is that, in the
| first instance, the Filipinos would
| gladly have conceded the paramount
sovereignty of the United States, if
they had been assured of local self
| government 1t was blunder on Mr..
McKinley's part not to offer it to them.
That congress would have ratified
such action cannot be for a moment in
doubt. Local self government is prac-
tically given to the Indian tribes, and
there is no valid reason why the Fill
pinos should have anything less. The
original assumption of full sovereignty
was a mistake and out of joint with
the principles upon which our republic
is founded. But it has been done; anc
it is scarcely possible that the sover'
eighty will ever be laid down. We can
however, do much more for these people
than the president has yet seen ut u
offer, This should be done, not only al
matter of right to the Filipinos, M
in Justice to our gallant boys who have
fought so magnificently beneath tina
torrid sun and amid those pestilentla
swamps seven thousand miles an'
more from their homes and friends.