The San Francisco call., 1899-09-21
GOVERNMENT IN ASIA.

OOVCNIfMCNl liI AStA.
HE country needs that men who influence pub
lie opinion stand by their guns President
Schurnan OF Cornell says now: II consider
it pity that the Filipnos do not recognize that the
best thing in the world for them would be to acknow-
edge American sovereignty
When sovereignty has to be forced upon people
by conquest and arms, no matter II 1t appear to the
sovereign the best thing in the world for the subjects,
they take it that way. Therefore it has be
maintained them by force. The sovereignty, OF
necessity, becomes a military despotism, and the
slightest relaxation OF military vigilance is at
met by outbreak and armed resentment. We are
going to put down existing resistance in the Philip
pines There doubt Of that but when it is done
only the least OF troubles in that
quarter American contempt for what regard as
the inferior races was never more active than
1t seems to be established trait in national
character 1t is that sentiment which made
in the Philippines feel that the natives had none Of
the rights OF human beings on the soil where they
were born Holding others and interiors in subjec-
ton has yet deepened the noble characteristics
of any people. The master has always degenerated
and the subject has always suffered.
In August 1898, President Schurman said: "This
republic, whose soul is self-government does not
want Asatic dependencies the military despotism
they would entail. The proximity OF Cuba made its
misgovernment affair, but not called upon
to rectify the tyrannes OF India OF Asia Nor
We under any obligations to Aguinaldo and the in
surgents. Let us keep to own hemisphere, seek
ing only naval stations in the Old World"
As Commissioner Schurman he counsels a
course that leads straight a military despotism as
the only form of government possible OF institution in
those distant islands. The effect of English rule in
y IL.
ment in this country. Now that has ceased and our
imperialists point to that rule model OF benefi-
cence and an example that lures us to imitation.
One Sunday last May something was said in West
bourne Park Chapel, London, to British audience
about empire in India. The speaker was Dadabhai
Navoji, Hindoo, who represents an English con-
stituency in the House OF Commons He said that as
the United States, hitherto deyotee OF the Monroe
doctrine, had abandoned it and appeared to share in
the imperialism of the world, the American people
would look to imperial government in India
example to follow or to avoid. Then followed ter
rible arraignment OF Englands government in India
He said: "An oriental despot when he misgoverned
acted so to speak, like butcher, and people
astounded and horrifed but this despotism Of
civilization rather resembled murder effected by
clever but unscrupulous surgeon who drew all the
blood from his victim while leaving scarcely scar
II
the results to the individual were serious they at
least were not so terrible to the country. par
tcuar victim was no doubt despoiled of his fortune,
but some favorite benefited and the money at least
remained in the country whereas the British system
Of despotism took away year by year a greater por
ton of the wealth OF India, with the result that to-
day the Indians the poorest people in the world
Lord George Hamilton talked glibly OF the in
which British empire in India had been built up by
the spiling OF British blood and the spending OF Brit
sh treasure But much of the blood was Indian,
while, to the treasure, not arhing OF it was Brit
sh They had, the contrary, constrained lthe
wretched natives to contribute the whole cost and
were still drawing from India year by year millions
upon millions, to the still greater mpovershment
and destruction OF the Indian people Lord Salisbury
himself had said that India must be bled, and ad-
mitted that India injured by the drain that was
constantly going in the expectation of much
revenue without any equivalent, and went on to say
that the great of the people, the agricultural
community, had more blood remaining in them,
and the lancet must be applied where the blood was
congested The lot of the unhappy Indian is some
what worse than that of the negro slaves of America
in the old days, for the masters had interest in
keeping them alive for their money value But if an
Indian million of Indians died there another
or other millions to take their places and be the
slaves Of British officials in their turn The average
annual income per head of the people of the British
isles is fI; OF the people OF India it is IS shillings
(six dollars and quarter)"
In other words, England is in India for commercial
purposes, and this country is asked to make Asatic
conquests for the purposes. If these gained
by what different process will they be accomplished?
The British and the Beers doing much fight
,no 6o1ti rim rcbar
pions, and perhaps the challenging and counter cha
longing will end in much the same way
Coroner Hill has gone to Merced to put in a couple
of weeks shooting rabbits. He might have saved
himself the journey and continued in the city splitting
hairs for the railroad company.