Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-12
ISEXCITING
Senator Foraker's Remarks on the
Philippine Problem.
ADMINISTRATION IN 4 new LIGHT
Presidents Attitude Consistent
With Granting independence.
AN EXPANSIONIST'S VIEWS

The declaration by Senator Foraker that
he did not understand that anybody intend
ed to deny the Filirinos. except temporarily,
the right to establish free republic; that
he knew the President had no such inten-
ton, has excited much comment, as If it
were an entirely new proposition and placed
the policy of the administration in a new
light Senator Foraker is not usually look
ed upon as the mouthpiece of the President,
but in this instance he has very clearly
stated what some of the most earnest ex-
panSionists understand to be the attitude
OF the President with respect to the treat
ment of the Filipinos.
one Of the leading expansionists said to
a star reporter today that he had never
understood the President to occuny anv
other attitude than one consistent with the
granting of independence to the Fiipinos
whenever they can establish a responsible
and stable free government.
Not known What FiIipinos Want.
1t is not known now" he said, Ito the
President or to any one else what the Fill
pinos want, or whether it will be possible
to establish a free republic there.
This has yet to be determined. If it
shall prove that the Filipinos are capable
of sclf-Sovernment it will, / believe be
very gratifying to the President and TO
most of the men who are denominated eX-
pansionists- The first thing is to ratify
the treaty. The next thing is to determine
what is the best thing to be done, both for
the Filipinos and for ourselves and then
to do it. 1t may be found that for a long
time yet we shall have to hold possession
OF the whole group of islands, but the pur-
pose to give the people a government of
their own choice will not even then be
abandoned.
1t may be that we shall want to hold but
one Island or possibly only port and naval
station, with certain treaty privileges.
MOST any proper settlement of the ques-
uon Is possible, but time must be taken to
determine the solution of the problem Two
negative propositions may be definitely set
down. They are that we will not either
abandon the people of those islands to be
preyed upon by foreign powers nor restore
them to SPAIN
The Presidents Idca
This expression of opinion NAV be ae-
cepted as expressive of the sentiments of
the strong supporters of the President in
the Senate The President is represented
as having frequently signified to those with
whom he can talk on the subject his entire
sympathy with the idea that whenever it is
possible to do so the Filipinos shall be given
a government of their own choice. 1t is
said that he has made it particularly
pointed OF late that he had no desire other
than that good government should be in
suTeu 10 the people ultimately by their own
selection.
The men in the Senate who are opposing
the treaty are really doing more toward es-
tablishing absolutely arbitrary possession of
the islands than the so-called expansionists
have any purpose to do.
If the Treaty is Not Ratified.
1t does not appear possible that they can
defeat the treaty, but if they should sue
ceed in doing so they would leave a state
or war under which the President not only
could but would be compelled to take mill
tary possession of the islands and the ma
tives would be placed in the attitude of
Spanish subjects, and, therefore, enemies
instead of allies.
The President could take possession of
and hold indefinitely the entire group with
out any implied obligation to the natives
On the contrary, when the treaty is rati-
fled the question will be thrown open for
Congress to deal with as it sees proper A
few of the most extreme imperialists say
that their desires will be best served
through the rejection of the treaty.