The Topeka state journal., 1899-08-25
As We DO UNTO CUBA
Even so Would We Do Unto the Phil
ippines But They Will Not.

ippines But They Will Not.
Chicago. Aug. 25.-A special to the
Herald from Shelbyville, Ill,
There must be for the present
government of the Philippines by the
United States for the Philippines be-
cause there can not for years to come
be a government of the philippines by
the Philippines for the Philippines.
I'VE are bound to give freedom to
the Philippines. what Aguinaldo is
fighting for is not freedom but inde-
pendence.
There may be some day independ-
ence in the Philippines. The shortest
Way to it is under the American flag"
With these sentences former Con-
gresham George E. Adams of Chicago,
struck the keynote of the address which
he delivered before the Lithia Springs
assembly, sort OF western Chautau-
qua at Lithia Springs in this county.
His subject vase Pending Questions
and he had been led, through a discus
sion of the possible political issues of
the next national campaign, to make
a thorough analysis of what the United
States had accomplished in the islands
which have come under its control and
of what the country purpoSed to ac-
complish in the future. After asserting
the honor Of the motives which had
led the United States to intervene in
Cuban affairs for the benefit of the
Cubans Mr.. Adams arrayed his rea-
sons for holding that the aims set up
in the policy of the United States
toward the Filipinos are the same as
those in It's policy toward the CubanS
although perforce the methods taken
to attain this end were different in the
two cases.
Those who call themselves anti-im-
perialiStS, he said, ''conflne their argu-
ments to the Philippine islands. One
of them said not long ago that we
ought to treat the Filipinos as we treat
the Cubans. I believe it is precisely
the same that we set out to do and are
trying to do in both cases The motive
is the same. the policy is the same
and the method would have been the
same but for causes beyond our con-
troll"
After telling of this country's as
sumption of responsibility in Cuba as
a result of intervention without recog-
milton, Mr. Adams showed how the
United States was now giving govern
ing powers to the Cubans by encourag-
ing local self-government. from which
all Iree governments must rise. Turn
ing then to the Philippines, he said:
Our constitutional right to rule the
Philippines is admitted by nearly all
even among those who think it is un-
wise or unjust to exercise it. The ques-
tion is one of moral policy.
This question of morals is substan-
TALLY the same for the Philippines as
for Cuba. There is this difference,
however. We are responsible to the
society of civilized nations of which we
are a member to maintain order in the
Philippines which Spain with the as
years and then ceded to us. Cuba was
not ceded to US. It was simply eVacu-
ated by Spain. Still, we exercise au-
thority there. We have not asked the
consent Of the governed.
The administration has tried to do
in the Philippines Just what it has
tried to do in Cuba,
Mr.. Adams then asked what course
the United States could have taken to
avoid the labOriOuS task of esta abIisIing
order in the Philippines after the war
and found no answer. The American
flag alone, he said, would bring liberty
there.
I'VE are bound he continued. ITO
give freedom to the Philippines What
Aguinaldo is fighting for is not free
dom but independence. Independence
he could not have even if we with
drew our army and navy and hauled
down the stars and stripes in Manila
Liberty he can haVaeeunder the Ameri-
can flag in almost as large measure
as the state of Illinois.
Let the people of the islands first
learn to govern themselves in their sew
eraI villages, cities and parishes. If
then they choose to unite these vii
lages, cities and parishes into states
We ought to help them do So If then
form a federal republic we ought to
help them do so and if the federal re-
public thus formed is strong enough
TO maintain its position as an inde-
pendent nation and chooses the pro
lection of it's own flag instead of the
protection of the flag of the United
States, large majority of the Amerf-
can people would be glad to give it
God speed on its way