Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-05-01

Newspapers state that somewhere in
this country there are people who
| would have the United States withdraw
troops at once from the Philippine
islands and leave the natives to their
fate, or to the greed of some foreign
nation that might treat them as did
Spain. One reads of such abandonists
but rarely sees them. Abandonment at
present would be easy but cowardly.
The United States has never, by the
will of the people. undertaken any act of
principle or honor and abandoned it be-
cause of the cost or sacrifices required.
1t would be contrary to the national con-
science and pride to pursue such a course.
Only when the people can have a safe
government will the United States with
draw.
This country undertook to suppress
an insurrectionary force that was pre-
pairing to seize upon a government
the United States navy had upset by
| destroying a Spanish fleet that menaced
the safety of the Pacific ocean. To
have permitted a mercenary leader and
army to take possession of the islands
afterward, would have been a crime
against humanity impossible to a ma
ton that went to war to sweep tyrants
from Cuba.
The American people are peace low
ing and shun the horrors of war. They
mourn the loss of everyS man who dies
from wound or fever more than they re-
greet the expense of war. But having
once been put in the position to care
for the welfare of a people whose rulers
were dispossessed, there can be no de-
sertion of them while danger threatens.
The United States has the opportunity
to redeem from ignorance and anarchy
10000, 900 of Filipinos and it appears
to be a sacred duty not to thrust them
back upon their own They
can be made a happy and prosperous
people by a government that works
along tolerant lines. But the natives
will never respect the Americans if they
compromise with the corrupt class of
schemers who seek only personal power
and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. Such al element
stands in the way while Aguinaldo's in
surrectionary forces are in existence.
The United States must show its
pluck, its capacity to subjugate such
rebels, and then there will be little more
trouble. Firmness and moderation later
will have the effect of winning loyalty
from the Filipinos. Only war, however,
could put the Americans in position to
bring lasting order to the islands.
History shows that war is the advance
guard of civilization. To benighted
lands comes war. Then peace. Then
school houses, agriculture, commerce,
prosperity. The army must meet and
sweep away obstacles for the advance of
civilization. No other force has ever
opened the path for progress.
But while rightand duty c%all.for Ameri-
ca to stand by the Filipinos, it is not
for them alone that the mission must be
faithfully filled. The Philippine islands
will support millions more of people.
They will furnish supplies for a large
part of the world. They will, with Ameri-
can domination, become a fair land of
Republican liberty, instead OF remain
ing a monarchial dependency of another
nation which would regard the country
only as a means for raising revenue, and
make no effort to build up a race of en-
lightened people.
America Is the light of the world, and
her rays shining in the islands of the
far Pacific will iliumine a nation born
and dwarfed in the shadow of ignorance
and oppression.