Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-05-26
OUR CANDIDATE IN 1900
What is the Policy?

point that before condemning anybody
for not supporting the presidents pol
icy in the Philippines, the president
or his supporters ought to declare
what the policy is. 1t says:
Let us reason together about this
Philippine question.
Let the reasoning process begin with
a definite announcement of the admin
istration IS policy toward the Philip
pines.
Is it the policy of the administers
tion to subdue the Philippines and
make the inhabitants unwilling citi-
zens of a United States colony, or
Is it the policy of the administration
to subdue the Philippines and then as
sist the Filipinos in establishing an in
dependent self-government?
With this one pointsettled there will
be no difficulty in joining the issue and
securing an expression of pnblic senti-
ment. 1t will not do to assert, as most
of the administratio papers assert.
that it is not time to announce the adj
ministration policy, and will not be
until the Filipinos are subdued. How
can we expect the Filipinos to know
what the administrations policy is
when the champions of the administra-
ton are left in ignorance? And how
can we expect the Filipinos to be will
ing to accept any old policy the adj
ministration may see fit to offer when
the administration friends declare
that the adminiStrati ton has no policy?
How many citizens of the United
States would vote to put an admins
tration in power unless the aspirants
formally declared their policy? What
would citizens of the United States
think of man who declared himself
a candidate for the presidency, and
when asked what his policy would be
would reply: None of your blamed
business. Just elect me and then wait
andse -
Before the administration organs
condemn us for not supporting the adj
ministration policy in the Philippines
they must cease their declaration tina,
the administration has not yet framed
its policy. Ii they cannot tell us what
that policy is let them quit demanding
support for it. Citizens of this repub
lie are not in the habit of buying pigs
in pokes.
A little information, please, upol
this one point, What is the admins
tration's Philippine policy?
Is it policy of colonial empire?
Is it a policy of self-government?
Or is it merely policy of loot ant
rapine for the benefit of a favored
few?
Step to the front, you thick-and- thi
supporters of the administration, an,
tell us what it is you want us to SUP
port.
1t is indubitable that the policy doe
not contemplate recognition of Filipino
independence Immediately or remote
ly. By merely announcing this purpos
the president could have averted til
war. When he did not announce it
avoid war it is certain that he doe
not entertain it. Nor is annexation il
tended, since no reference is made t
the subject in the proclama ton of til
presidents commission to the Filipino
Filipino independence nor anneXatio
being part of the policy, what is tt
policy? Is it imperialism, subjugatio
OF the natives by superior force an
their subsequent government by mil
tary power? And if it is, how can sue
a government be reconciled to Amer
can principles and traditions? Itseen
clear that the administration has L
policy save one of drift, or, if it has tn;
the policy is so vicious that it ispu
poSely kept secret lest exposure of i
character should provoke overwhell
ing condemna ton. The American pc
ICY respecting the Philippines must
settled by the American people. Ha
PLY the senate's ratification of IL
treaty makes it exclusively an Amer
can question. And when the peop
get chance they will declare for
policy having for its end the indepen
ence Of the Filipinos.
Progress In Mexico.