New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-09


The one issue in the elections of 1872 whlch
directly affected the welfare and honor OF the
country has been conclusively settled. Many
times it has been said that capacity FOR SELF
government was shown In nothing else ~
surely as In knowing what issue was AT
given time of the highest actual importance
and how to meet it. Not for the first time nor
for the fffticth Americans have shown prec'seiv
that capacity Many blundered but the ma
ioritv proved its right to rule The majority
saw that all else was Of secondary Importance
compared with the support Of the Nahohai
Government In its suppression OF an armed To-
belllon. Whatever else the elections proved
or failed 10 prove they show beyond question
that large majority of the voters mean 10 up
hold the Government in It's dealings win the
Philippine Islands. and 10 give 10 IL ri NOME
and in all foreign lands the prestige ana power
which come from the support of great SELF
governing Nation
While the result OF the voting was yet TO be
ascertained there We're reasons for such support
which some persons thought it unwise to dis-
cuss. Everybody had been duly Informed that
the conduct Of Aguinaldo and his insurgent fol-
lowers would be affected. and possibly so mucn
MS 10 end the contest before long, because his
force had been kept together for some months.
according to the testimony of the most trust
worthy generals or civil commissioners who
had investigated the matter mainly by the be-
lief that the Democratic opposition to the
Government would either formally change Its
course or else cripple its action. Though the
real meaning of the elections in respect TO that
matter will not be as carefully published 10
the insurgents by their leaders as 1t would have
been II more favorable to their wishes. the in
formation will necessarily reach the more In
tellicent of them soon, and 1t cannot now be
,ulred how far the cohesveness and force Of
the rebellion will be affected. This at least Is
certain. that the ballots Of the people have been
50 cast ms TO discourage further resistance 10
the National authority.
But the action Of foreign Powers in certain
contingencies may be affected. and 10 what
extent cannot now be determined. by proof that
the American people are with their Government.
So long as It was persistently reported In all
foreign countries that this was President
war" and had no Endorsement from the people,
and would surely end In overthrow or the al
minlstra tion" and such reports were made not
only by emissaries Of the Philippine insurgents
hut by influential Democrats. and also Ivy per
sons or some prominence III the parry "pVH
which the Administration relied for support,
there was always the possibility that they
would be credited Icy foreign Powers In that
case the attitude OF those Powers on many
questions might go far to increase The difficult
ties of the Administration. TO encourage It's op-
ponents and to hamper efforts to establish
American authority in the islands II was per
fectly well known all the time TO foreign
Powers that while they had not the faintcst
shadow Of prctcxt for interfering so long as the
United States appeared able to establish It's au-
thoritv. any abandonment Of the Islands 10 the
attempted despotsm of the Tagals would af-
ford reason for the resOutc and effective inter
position Of any foreign Power having subjects
residing on the islands with property interests
needing protection
A possible revolution Of public feeling against
the Administration and It's course has therefore
! been constantly in the minds Of the rulers Of
| other nations. because such change might
/ open the richest and most important Of all dis
puted territory in the East 10 foreign PARTITION.
/ What the elections have done, therefore, can be
measured only by considering what might have
occurred If the people had not shown them
selves prepared heartily to support their Govern
ment.