Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-01-21
THE PHILIPPINE QUESTION.

THE PHILIPPINE QUESTION.
To the Editor of the Alexandria Gazette {:
The imper;alists say the UnitedS;ai 8
must be great world power and r,-
main in no Logger isolated. Il was such
g power before we went to war with
Spain and is no greater now. II by isola-
ton is meant observing the amenities
Of national Intercourse, and keeping
out of quarrels about the partition of
Asia ana Africa, then let us stay isola-
ted, if by isolation is meant the exten-
sion of our commerce until we have be
come the greatest producing and ex-
porting nation of the world, while at
the same time we have the smallest
army and navy, then again / say let ua
be forever isolated. We should be
much prouder of our small armament,
than Germany is of her large one. As
long as we attend to our own business
on this continent and are governed by
the advice George Washington gave Us
there is no more necessity for our hav
ing big army and navy than for Gull
liver to 90 armed at Lilliput. 1t is just
as absurd to talk about The anneXa-
ton of the Philippines increasing
our commerce as 10 cay it
would bring tnem Geographically near
or to our coast. They will be just
as far from MS after they are annexed
as they are now, and the islanders will
still be aliens and enemies. The Anglo
Saxon race degenerates in the tropics
and can never be trausplanted there
and flourish, and there can be no afini-
ty of fl cling between two peoples so dit
ferent as Americans and Filipinos.
A large portion CT the people OF the
Philippines live by the bounty of ma
ture; they dress pretty much like Adam
did before he fell.
A palm leaf is q dress suit, and
bunch of bananas is bountiiul break
fast. Such people will have as much
u g for American blankets as for our
constitution and laws. But says the
jngo we have driven out Spain and il
i our duty to establish law and order
there. But the Filipinos don't want
our help, and why should we insist on
feeding them on sweetmeats if they
don't like them. They say to Us all that
they ask is to be let alone. say let
them alone. We are under no more
obligations to look after their internal
affairs than of any other people. All
people are capable of governing them
selves in their own way. All We should
ask is such fair commercial regula-
tions as we accord to those
we trade with. AS for their independ-
enco there is no obstacle 10 the way ex-
cept the treaty now before the Senate.
Remove that and everything could be
adjusted by diplomacy in thirty days.
The concert of the European powers
would guarantee tranquility on the isl.
ands and all the commercial conces.
sions we should desire. This would re-
lieve US responsibility for their govern
ment, and save US from the danger of
political IMPLICATIONS. What is called
the Eastern Question has been the
problem of European politics for more
than century, and is now in a more
acute and dangerous form than it ever
was. Why should we meddle by an
nexing Asiatic territory and make our
selves parties? The government of
distant provinces and inferior races is
utterly repugnant to the spirit of demo-
cratic institutions. 1t may do for
monarchy, but not for a democracy.
The monarchies of Europe are not
bound by rigid written constitution as
we are. They adapt their colonial
governments to the people governed.
We can't. The American constitution
is as untitled to the dusky races of the
Philippines as the clothes that Amuri.
caus wear and the food that Americans
eat. What do Malays care for bill of
rights, habeasS corpus, trial by jury,
and all the principles of liberty that
are sacred to us. Might as we'll dress
them in Alaska sealskins as place them
under our constitution. Imposed on
the Malay race the constitution would
simply be bed of Procrustes; unless
the constitution be sacra6ced the poor
MALAY must either be broken, or
stretched to fit it. In the long run the
constitution would get the worst of it;
the Malay would win aud live and the
constitution would die. Such colonies
as Canada and Australia, where the
white race can rule, are practically in
dependent and English sovereignty
nominal The government of India is
benevolent despotisn; with popula
ton of two hundred and fifty million
natives and only q hundred thousand
Englishmen, government of malori'
ties would mean government of Hin
docs. An English colonist or Hindoo
is as much bound to obey the orders of
the home government as Roman was
an edict OF Justinian. India must be
governed by England in this way or
not governed at all. By these same
methods We must govern the Philip
pines, or permit the Filipinos to govern
themselves. Are the American people
who were once so jealous of executive
influence that they refused to trust
Grant with third term now willing
to give the President the power OF Au-
gustus Caesar? Aud then, too, we are
asked to pay s2o,OOO,Ooo for the privi-
demnity. II may be blessing to the
! MoI,ve to bava nrlr fl ap over them, OuG