The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-04-29

Islands? Restore them to Spain? Not
one even of MIR Carnegies reform lead
crs, by whom, according to the press, the
name of President Mckinley was Missed
and that of AguinaldJ checred at re-
cent meeting in Boston, proposes this.
Shall we forthwith surrender the soNer.
eighty to a native government? There
isn't an intelligent man In the world who
has familiarized himself with the con-
ditons; there isn't an officer of the Unit
cd States, with experience there, from
Admiral Dewey down; there isn't an IN
vestigdtor of the islands ard their pco-
pics; there isn't a writer who instructs
us from personal observation. who does
not declare their uititncss for govern
inert. There was not Il witness Ecforc
our Paris commission vino did not unhosi-
tatingly assert It. How could any one
expect them to he fitP What model has
been given them to copy, what experience
to follow? They have cnjoAAl the op-
pcrtunity only TO study the most despotic
government the world ever saw. Turn
the sovereignty over to them, anarchy
follows, tribal wars cLsue and their con-
dition will be worse than even und,r
Spanish dominion. Or, what Is orc
likely, the rations Of Europe, to protect
their subjects, or on pretence TO do so,
would seize the islands, and very likely
fight each other over the spoils. Should
we follow the advice of the statesmen
who have likcncd Agunaldo to George
Washington, Patrick Henry and Lafay-
cite and yield tho control to him? Even
he has dropped all pretencc of devotion
to our Declaration of Independence and
to republican form of government, and
| looks only to the exercise OF despottc
power. His crown, If he were permitted
to assume It, would be an uneasy one, for
every island would furnish a cheftain
claimant.
| We might sell the island and reimburse
| ourselves for the cost Of the war. We
might sail away and leave them to chaos,
| shifting from broad shoulders all rcspon-
| sibIlity to God and mGn; but would God
! and man hold US harmless? What shall
we do with the Philippines? In my
| judgment there will be no uncertain
sound in the answer of our people. They
have been acquired honestly, and in their
| requirement we have dealt generously
| with Spain. We will held them Is our
| own, for the good of the peoples who in
| habit them and for the immense advan-
! tage, commercially, they promise us. We
| will give them a good government, relief
| from burdensome taxation, ample securi-
| ty in all their civil and religious rights.
We will build highways, construct rail-
roads erect school houses and churches.
! We will allow them to participate in gov
ernment so far and so fast as we may
| find them capable. We will give en-
ployment to labor and good wages to tho
| laborer. We will arouse in them an am
| bition to become good citizens. Compe-
| tent to manage their own local affairs
and interests. We will make it possible
for them, some time in the future, to
I form a stable republican government, ca
| pable of making treaties, enforcing their
rights under them, and observing their
| obligations. Then we, along being the
| judges Of their competency. will surreu-
der to them the sovereignty, rcserving to
| ourselves the naval and coaling stations
| necessary for our commerce and it's pro
| lection. In the meantime we will not
! restore rod to Spain or sell rod to
any nation of tho earth; nor will we per-
nit our supreme authority to be dimin-
ished or questioned by any power within
or without the islands,