Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-10
HOLD ON TO THE PHILIPPINES
EN-JudGc Neville Argues for Impc-
riniism rs n Means of Pro-
NOTING Trade.

ElHshNhi vs. ~ VI
noting Trade.
! OMAHA, March S.--To the Editor OF The
| Bee In your communication upon the elo-
quent and most able address Of the president
at Boston you persist that his policy is i'm
perialistic. His present policy is not differ
ent from that Of nearly all prior admins
trations. Since the first establishment OF
| self-goyerument in North America all
natives have been governed without their
consent.
The 1900. 900 Of slaves prior to their eman-
cipation gave no consent to their govern
ment and this was not Imperialism. 1t was
a condition having its birth with the gov
ernment and in a manner beyond its control,
a condition you and ! fought from almost
our births.
The natives Of the mother countries from
which we took territory by treaty or con-
quest never gave their consent to be gov
erned by the United States, yet today you
could not drive them from under its bless
ings.
The Aaskans never have recognized our
authority as a government over them, ex-
cept where they could not prevent our rule.
The Mexicans in the majority in the terri
tory acquired by our Mexican war, never
assented to be governed by our republic
with imperial governments TO dominate over
him. except as he was forced so TO do yet
we became by that treaty party to i'm
perial domination, IL your view Of imperial
ism is sound, yet we only interceded 10
soften the errors OF Imperialism
When a republican government is formed
based on the consent OF the governed 1t is
only the majority that gives its consent 10
that form OF government. The minority re
fuses its consent and is yet governed
without It.
There is hut one argument against the
controlling or governing the Filipinoe, and
that is that we have as many ignorant un-
evolved citizens, both white and black, as
the government feels able to carry. Let
us be honest and when we take position
give the true reasons.
Those disfranchised ignorant OF the various
states where an intelligent qualification is
necessary to the exercise OF such privilege
are governed without their consent, yet that
form Of government is not imperialistic, but
often self protecting and necessary to good
government and self preservation.
More than one-half the population OF the
United States is governed without its con-
sent and under protest; that half has nothing
whatever to say as to how they shall be
: governed; ! refer to our mothers and sisters.
If this is imperialistic our republic has been
guilty Of 1t from its birth.
The evils of having to handle politically
these ignorant Filipinos are overshadowed
by the great benefits to come to our govern
ment by its holding these islands.
These seven millions Of people on 115,0OO
square miles of territory, nearly large in
territory as the empire Of Japan, and capable
of sustaining a greater population than that
empire can, with two-thirds Of it's inhab
itants dressed and in habit far beneath our
native American, can little be able to sus-
tain a government of self-rule without the
aid and advice OF the United States. This
great territory with its mixed population
dropped into our possession by the weakness
Of an imperial government and left US with
trust duty to perform which We cannot
and will not shirk.
Now the discordant element that brought
on war between our soldiers and the Fill
pinos is the same Spanish blood that has
not given up its hate. The commanders
and leaders of the natives are mixed Span
ish bloods, and If they could be eliminated
the natives would return to their homes
and live happy people, blest by the pro-
lection, advice and culture OF the freest
government on earth.
All the nations of the earth are but now
|. merce, in science, in religion and philosophy,
and each at this advanced age has com
mercial intercourse with the other. There
lore the nation that is without strong navy
Is mere puppet in the hands OF the coun-
try that has one, and liable at any time to
nave Its trade with the world shut off and
utterly ruined. The oceans are the high
ways between these families OF nations and
If we cannot travel upon those highways we
are nothing and can and must lose all in
difficulties with other powers merchant
marine cannot exist in peace or war without
navy that can back it. and stick its nose
IN every port that the merchant marine
; does. state this as fact because no
capital Will engage itself in shipbuildng
When that capital knows that in a difficulty
with other powers the merchant marine
business of that nation must cease AT the
dictation of the batteships of other powers
The Philippine islands lie within two or
three days sail of the empires that furnisb
one-fourth or more of the population OF our
planet. We do not want the peoples OF
these empires, but an interchange of com
lhodltles, and TO get ii acquaintance and IA
mlllarity with their methods are necessary.
We cannot get 1t by remaining thousands OF
miles distant and being unposted as to their
odd methods. 1t is common saying that
lhe Gnlnese and the Anglo SaXons do not
understand each other and without this un-
derstanding great interchange cannot be
, had. After time these Philippines will be
partly settled by our most intellectual people
r and we will become the neighbors of Japan
, China, lower China, Australia, the Polynesia
Islands and even part OF India, This will
enable us 10 know the commercial possibili
ties OF these densely populated lands with
: out social and political contamnations
= With Porto Rico, Hawaii the Philippines
and some islands lying between the tive
latter we should have some islands on thu
west coast of Europe or Africa. These pos
sessions will stimulate a navy that will give
US protection we must eventually have anc
which We need today. We want a grea
navy and well manned, not large standing
army. The battles Of the future will b
b upon the water-the interests of all grea
a powers make this inevitable.
Let US not fear corruption or expense; th
= former will exist while finite man make
= governments and the latter are not all bad
Z Expense is necessary distributor of none,
e and division Of capital, Furthermore