El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-28
The Philippine
Problem.
FIGHTING FOR LIBERTY"

Written for the HERALD.

x
dence be granted to the Fiipinos a
this time? The anti-expansionists con
tend that because the Filipinos are
Fig hting for Liberty, "they should be
granted summary Independence, re
gardless of the attending circum-
stances. But the mere contention that
some of the inha bitsnts OF the Philip
pines are engaged in "Fight ting for LII
berry, as the anti-eXpansiOnists tern
the contest, certainly furnishes no sui
| fcient reason why independence shoulo
be granted to the whole archipelago
Beyond the mere existence OF an in
surreclion in the islands, we have nc
evidence sufficient to warrant US In
abandoning the islands, or in attempt
ing to grant independence to the peO-
Pile. We have no assurance that the
FilipinOs are capable OF self:
government, or that they could
maintain an Independent govern
ment if one were established. On the
evidence. gathered from the ex-
periences of people who have thrown
9 shas int the YOKE FilipiD nc spare are
utterly incapable of self-government.
We know from the harsh experience
of Mexico, and the South American
countries, that the civilization of Spain
has tended to suppress every species OF
individual liberty, and to render the
subjects utterly unfit for self-govern-
ment. Thus the mere fact of the ex-
istence of an insurrection in the Philip
pines,-or the fact that certain trib-
es are "Fighting for Liberty. docs
not warrant US in abandoning the
islands at this critical juncture.
The fact that an insurrection is pre-
vailing in the Philippines furnishes
simple premise. But the character of
the premise does not regulate or de-
termine the conclusion. "Fighting
for Liberty" is the only premise upon
which the anti-expansionists base
their conclusion that independence
should be granted to the insurgents.
But the conclusion is wholly unwar-
ranted by the premise, is utterly In
consistent with the true principles of
free government, is irrational and un-
just. This conclusion is the result OF
the exercise of mere sentiment, not of
reason; of q misconstruction, and an
erroneous application of the principles
of civil liberty. But reason and JUS
tice, not sentiment, should be invoked
in grave exigencies like that which
now confronts us in the Philippines.
ALI cases of the character in question
should be determined by the specific
facts in the given case. We cannot
in q matter OF this kind, to
formulate q conclusion upon an errOn-
eous statement of facts. Our action in
the matter will be in the nature of q
Judgment at law. Consequently, we
must attempt to reach conclusion, or
to formulate judgment in accordance
with the facts. We are not warranted
in applying political principles indis-
to any given statement of
facts. We should attempt to render
judgment in respect to the Philippine
question strictly in accord
ance with the facts of this
particular case. We shall not be
justified in applying indiscriminately
to this case the principles applicable to
the American revolution, or the revolt
Of the Netherlands, or to the revolt of
the revolt of the Cubans. Why?
Simply because the facts in the
Philippine case, and those in the
other cases cited are radically dissimi-
lar, and a judgment which might be
by the facts in the cases last
cited might be wholly erroneous if rem
Tered upon the facts in the Philip
pines case. Thus we must render
Judgment only upon the facts in each
hat is entirely warranted by,
Ind in perfect harmony with the pre-
Misses.
The fatal weakness of the case made
~ the anti-expansiOnists Is that they
attempt to apply indiscriminately the
yreat principles of civil liberty to any
.iven statement of facts. In other
words, they attempt to form a fixed
conclusion that will fit any kind of a
'rror.-they do not make the conclu-
ion or judgment fit the facts in the |
pecific case in hand. Because the FL
ipinos are merely "Fighting for Lii
,erty," the anti-expansionists jump to |
he conclusion that they have attained |
he status of the American patriots. of
he Dutch patriots, or of the |
atriots of the SpanishAmerican coun-
ries. or of Cuba, and that the prin-
iples applicable to such cases should
e summarily applied to the Philip
'hether the facts in the Philippine
ase justifes such action. To be plain,
be anti-expansionists would have us
1ake blind leap in the dark. But
andor, justice, and equity demand
hat we should act in This grave mat
er. not in accordance with sentiment
notions, or attempt to apply to the
ase mere utOpian principles, but in
ccordance with the cold hard facts of
his particular case.
Looking now at the great generic
rinciples of civil liberty, and the ap-
LEGATION of these principles in practice
] the countries which wereOnce under
rule but subsequently,,
fter successful revolt against the
ominant power, established their in
ependence, we find the facts as fol-
,ws: In North America, the Thirteen
after a valuable experience
\ self-government, under and limited
y the British constitution, instituted
revolt against Great Britain because
lat country persisted in exactions
gainst the colonies which were not
arranted by the English constitution.