The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-29

existing system Of control of the island.
In Porto Rico the same dissatisfaction
prevails, and representatives of that peo-
pie have been in attendance at the ma
tional capital for many months past en-
deavoring to secure the assurance that
the present anomalous conditions of pub
lie control shall be brought to an end
at once. In the Philippines. on the other
hand, the apparent collapse Of the Tagal
bring out in clear proportions the ques
ton as to the condition of public govern
ment which is to prevail.
As the o understands the attitude
Of the administration authorities on this
score, it may be stated thus: We have
a right to put and keep in operation, I'M
der military regulation or otherwise. any
present form of government we please,
for any length of time thought advisable.
None of these countries is to be regarded
as an integral part of the United States,
and, therefore, not entitled to have
any of the distinctive political or consti-
tutioral principles underlying our own
governments extended to them. Those in
authority and representing us may rec
ognize and Pat in operation the funda-
mental ideas Of the American political
system. or they may not. according as
they regard the immediate welfare and
the best interests of the people affected.
This, certainly, is the attitude assumed
by the insular commission, recently APP
pointed by President Mckinley.
What will congress do under such con-
ditions? A more or less we'll defined sys-
tenn must be put in operation In all Of
these countries at once. In Porto Rico
they want a territorial form of govern
ment as provided by the American con-
stitution, with the attendant right of
admission as a state as soon as the re-
quired conditions are realized. In Cuba,
on the other hand, the establishment Of
any revised form of government control
which does not provide for the recognf-
ton OF Cuban sovereignty is pretty GER
tain to be followed by serious trouble
In the Philippines, if we are to act on
any understanding of the needs and
wishes of the people, we will give them
as many different forms of government
as there are islands, from a plain autoc-
racy in the SuIu group to a purely rem
resentative system in the island of Iuzon.
with recognized outlawry of all frfars
and the confscation of their property.
such as Senior Aguinaldo is said to have
had in mind for some time past.
1t is certainly hard to assume ANYTHING
regarding what congress will do. 1t is not
so difficult to understand what congress
ought to do, at least in one or two direc-
lions. Unless our former declarations are
to pass as of no account, we will so leg
lslate regarding Cuba that that people
will have no substantial reason to doubt
that 1t is the certain purpose of the
United States to turn over the govern
ment of the island to it's people at the
earliest day possible In Porto Rico. If
we are equally just to ourselves. we will
give the Porto Ricans fair assurance that
In the immediate future a territorial gov
eminent will be established on the island
AS to what congress will do in the Phil
ippines the world has just as vague an
idea at this time as congress itself doubt-
less has concerning what it ought to do.