The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-10-03
AMERICA RULED BY MOB
Sensational Address Of Poult-
ney Bigelow Before the
International Geo.
graphical Con-
ference.
(By Gable to The Associated Press.l

1SS-'~kaA
BERLIN, Oct. 8, 1sss.- today's ses-
sion of the International Geographical
Congress, and in the presence of a dis
tinguished audience, including many CO..
lonial and other government officials, Mr.
Poultney Bigelow discussed Colonial Ad-
ministration in Different Parts OF the
World" " The paper was received with
marked favor
Mr.. Btgelow said that this year, memor-
able for the International Peace Confer
ence at The Hague. whose noble purpose
it had been to make war less frequent
and less brutal, would be none the less
gratefully remembered for the supple-
meDtary work of peace entrusted to the
great Geographical Congress of Berlin. 1t
had taken centuries of business and
bloodshed to reach the state of compara-
tive civilization now enjoyed by the world
We were just beginning to realize that
what interested one interested all, and
that In colonial matters the most import
the whites, whether English, Russian,
French or German.
In the Far East, = continued Mr.. Bige-
low, stthe United States has now become
rival of Europe through the occupa-
tion of Manila. Americans thus become
next doors neighbors to Hon Kong and
are almost equally interested in the pro-
jected railway terminating at Kiao-Chou.
In common with Germany, however, the
United States has experience yet to pur-
chase and from observations made dur
IN gtne war rear my country Is learn
ing her lesson at an extravagan price.
The United States has officially COM
menced the government OF tropical EN-
pire under conditions which make it prob
able that the Americans Will repeat the
blunders which the Englishmen correct
ed century ago. Much as the Filipinos
dislike Spanish rule, they dislike Yankee
rule even more. Nor is this. to be won
dered at. Methods successful against
American Indians and against negroes
are not found successful In the Philip
pines, nor do they attract high spirited
race such as inhabits the Philippines.
The curse of America today is that
her politicians and newspapers stand in
fear of the mob. Anyone who dares to
criticize the wisdom of mob-inspired ma
chinery is howled at as unpat trfotic, II not
as traitor The war fever has gone to
the brain of the American mob, especially
that section of the mob which did not go
operations of the United States are mark
ed by great haste in preparation, by fire.
Quent changes of plan, by reckless ex-
penditure of life and money and by a
lamentable failure to fulfill the reasonable
anticipations of the merchant class. who
are, after all. the best judges of colonial
administration.
THE American has been a magnificent
coIonist in so far as his task in hunting
out the red Indian and administering ter
ritory for the white man only; but he has
.ating an inferior race. Tire enormous lib
erty he claims for himself becomes ridicu-
lous when shared with the red man. the
negro or the Chinaman- England has pur-
chased great experience In India, and,
even with all the cost of the Sepoy Mu-
price too high for the vast benefits which
have flowed from this terrible lesson.
America has this same lesson to learn,
and let us pray that she may learn it
from the Mother Country, rather than
rush blindly into situations from which
only costly war can extricate her.
"English public opinion Is today educat-
cd in respect of colonial needs just as in
Germany public opinion is educated to an
almost incredible degree in military mat
fers. But the average American voter. as
represented by the undisciplined press and
irresponsible congressman, offers no solu-
tlon in the present colonial embarrass-
ment. save to send more troops and to
shoot more natives
1.-THE lesson we Americans are now
learning is lesson for the whole. world.
Colonies succeed in proportion as they are
iustlv administered. There Is no man so
low in the human scale that he can be
treated uniust1y with impunity. The best
talent produced by the white mans civili-
zation is none too good when It comes to
governing communities of subtle Orien-
tails. with varying creeds and complex
conditions We used to think that any
teacher was good enough for the elemen-
hest Is none too good for the beginner.
1t Is. indeed, at the beginning that the
best work must be done, and colonies are
much Eke children
Professor w Morris Davis, of Harvard
University one of the honorary advisers
of the Congress- sailed from Bremen to-
day for the United States.