The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-04-08

so far as our constitution allows. I do
not think we would shirk the question
| of a permanent government for them.
Anything other than permanent pos
session, however desirable, will be
most difficult. My reasons are that flu
| ture surrender is sure to be construed
as confession Of failure and would
hurt the national pride. We need not
have assumed the burden but having
done so, it must be patiently and loyal
ly borne.
the government of Porto Rico should
be laid as largely as possible upon the
shoulders of it's own people. Military
rule should not be necessary and a car
petbag system would produce results
which we can pretty definitely fore
cast.
CASE OF THE PHILIPPINES.
'"The case of the Philippines stands
on a different footing. They are certain
to be a heavy burden. But the treaty Is
now ratified, and we must make the
best of it. Govern well we must. Civil
government would mean chaos If the
personal guarantees go with 1T. No gov
eminent can succeed there which is
not based on force. We need to place
a benevolent despot in every district
in the archipelago. Therefore, the mill
tary government is the only one posi-
ble.And this is independent upon the ac-
ton of congress. Its constitutional basis
lies in the fact that the United States
are sovereign, is responsible for the
maintenance of justice and order for the
defense OF its territory, for the protec-
ton of its subjects rights.
Pending action by congress this duty
develops upon the president, the exec
utive head of the nation and comman-
der-in-chief of both army and navy.
The law applicable would be simply the
will of the president, but expressed so
far as practicable in terms of the law
already existing and executed by the
presidents representatives, the officers
of the United States army. This des-
potic form of administration is not an
ideal method; its justification is that
no other is practicable. There is always
the chance that congress in order to
embarraSS a president of a different po-
litical complexion may decide to en-
bark upon civil government and take
this tremendous, perhaps dangerous,
despotic power out of the executives
hands. So we can hardly expect plain
sailing. Our duty is to respect the con-
stitution patiently and Loyalty to do our
best under the circumstances, and then
to wish for the day"
AN ENGLISH VIEW.
Mr.. w. Alleyne Ireland, of London,
Eng, delivered an address on 1.-The
government of tropical colonies" in
which he said: Il do not believe that
the inhabitants of the tropics will ever
be capable Of government in the
sense which is usually attached to that
expression. Is there at the present day
to be found anywhere in the tropics a
country which is showing itself capable
of Self-gOVernment! L might go 1arIh-
err and ask, has there ever been any
country in the tropics which has shown
itself capable of self-government?
1.-The reason why the negro has made
no progress, is that tropical climate
does not place a. man under any neceS-
stiles to exert himself, and there is no
reason to suppose that the climatic in
f1uence of the tropics will be less power
full in the next thousand years than it
has been in the past thousand years. 1
am inclined to think that so long as
theorists will maintain that political
and ethical principles have universal
application so long will all attempts at
civilizing the tropics end in grievous
disappointment. I will not go so far as
to say that the faculty of governing the
tropics lies wholly with the Anglo
Saxon race but am firmly of the opin-
ion that without the strength of the
north to hold things together, the trop-
les will never advance beyond the point
which has been reached by the Central
American republic