Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-16
MIR. HOar SneciGes.

Mr.. Hcar at last comes forward with a
definite proposition as to the Philippines.
He wants an independent government for
the islands. and, although his resolution
does not so recite in express terms. he
wants II established at once. The Filpinos,
as he believes. are entitled to their free
dom, are prepared to assume the RESPONSE
bIlities of government. and should be per
mitted to regulate their own affairs. The
United States has discharged its full duty
in expeling Spain, and now should with
draw and leave the people of the archi
pelago to work out their own destiny.
This is a sentimental view, and assumes
a very great deal for the Filipnos And
much of what is assumed is opposed to
the opinions of men of eminence who have
personally visited the country and investi-
gated the situation. In fact, the whole
weight of such opinions is against Mr..
Hoar Admiral Dewey and General Mer-
rift, as well as the governments civil rep
resentatives in that quarter of the globe,
do not believe that the Filipinos are at
present capable of selfgovernment, and
urge, in their interests and in the general
interests. that the United States remain on
the scene and give security to life and
property. Are not these opinions of great
value?
Mr. Hoars proposition is based upon the
governments declaration with respect to
Cuba. The two cases are very unlike.
The Cuhans have for some years been
studying American Institutions and their
leaders are known to our leaders and are
esteemed by them Moreover Cuba as an
Independent power will be protected from
European aggression by the Monroe doc
trGne, which is still a very live doctrine.
But the F'ilipinos, 1t is safe to say never
gave thought to America until last spring,
as America had never given ii thought to
them until that time, and, therefore, they
can have but the vaguest notion of what
popular government calls for. A failure in
such an attempt by them would be inevi
table, and the consequences disastrous. The
Monroe doctrine cannot be stretched to
Asia; and If the stars and stripes were
lowered at Manila now our right to speak
in behalf of the islands would be rejected,
and if asserted could only be enforced at
the cannon's mouth.
The Star on Saturday, in commenting on
the probable effect abroad of what APP
peared to be our irresolution at this time,
expressed the opinion that foreign powers
were likely tc recast their eastern calcutta
tons on the strength of it. In a cable let
tCl lIO4Il ILLS ~ lte view lOTk Tribune,
printed yesterday, appears this paragraph:
In official and financial circles in Paris
the opinion IS unanimous that it would now
be absolutely unworthy of the United States
u shirk its responsibility toward the civil
lied world by abandoning the Philippines
TO anarchy, and that all the powers, in
Guiding Germany, VIII hold aloot unless the
United States utterly fails to provide secur
lily for the lives and property OF foreigners
established in the archipelago, thereby al
loving the Philippines TO become an Ash
attic Cuba. In this case 1t is hrmIy believed
here that Germany would interfere at Ma
Mia for the same reasons that the United
States interviewed at Havana"
The Star commends this to the considera-
ton of those senators who are holding up
the treaty with no other aim but to defeat
it, as well as TO those who, with Mr. Hoar,
are forwarding a movement for turning
over the Philippines to greater strife than
they ever knew even under Spanish rule,
and which would result in filling the islands
with European troops.