Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-08-03

theory under which the Philippines are
now governed. President Jefferson Sc
cured the Louisiana purchase Just as
PRESIDENT Mckinley secured the Philip
pines and Andrew Jackson warred
against the Seminoles when we had ac-
CURED Florida from Spain, just as
General Macarthur is now warning
AGAINST the brigands among the Tagals
III buzon, unless we are willing to de-
Drive Jefferson and jackson of the
,need or honor which has been held to
De particularly theirs. we can not deny
the same high praise to President Me.
Kinley."
THE FACTS.
Now. what are the historical facts?
when we acquired Florida and when
we acquired Louisiana not only did the
treaties provide that the new territory
should be an integral part Of our re-
pubic to which they did not object.
out the territory in each case was at
once made part of the republic and
the inhabitants at once became citizens
OF the republic. And the Same Is true
IN the state of Texas. in the case OF
fornia. VI Naii-
sp 5E5 IN IN negotiating the treaty with
omitted from the treaty the provision
mat the new territory should become
an integral part of our Republic. and
,hat the fnhbitants of the territory
s'n become citizens of the Repub-
The policy which the Administration
adopted toward the Philippines is eX-
actly the opposite OF that adopted Nv
Jefferson, by jackson and by later
!Cemocratlc administrations in acquir-
ing new territory.
1t is not question of expansion at
an. 1t Is solely and simply a ques-
lion OF imperialism and militarism
They are to be subject colonies. We
are going to govern them with CARPET
baggerS.
Let us look at the attitude of the
Administration before the treaty was
ratified. The documents, the letters,
the dispatches on file In the depart
ments at Washington, show that after
Dewey had sunk the Spanish fleet Mt
Manila the Administration thought OF
having him come away. Then il con-
sidered the idea of, keeping one island
as base for our shipping, and 1t ask
ed Dewey's opinion as to which was
the best.
ENGLAND'S LOVE FOR US.
He recommended Luzon. Then the
British minister waited on the Presi-
dent and urged him TO keep all OF the
Islands and to go into the colonial bust
ness with England.
You recall that the Administration
papers told us In big headlines that
England loved us so much she wanted
us TO keep all the Islands. 1t has since
developed that Germany wanted to buy
the Islands of Spain. England did not
want Germany for n neighbor in the
south seas. She could not dictate Ger
man policy Is she could American pol-
ICY; therefore. If she could not have
the Islands herself, the next best thing
was to have them held by an Admin
istration which she could control.
instantly the syndicates of America
and the forces of greed. rapacity and
corruption united in favor of that poll
Gg; During the summer and fall OF
1928 Aguinaldo's government applied
repeatedly to President Mckinley for
an expression of the policy that he In
tended to pursue toward the Philip
pines. asking whether the Philippine
people were to be treated like the Gu
bans. This was all they wanted. They
were already cooperating with us
against Spain. They had hailed us as
friends. and they simply wanted dec
laration as to our intentions. But the
President. having already secretely
embarked upon n policy OF imperialism,
evaded an answer.
MKINLEY'S PHILIPPINE POLICY.
Had he told them they were to be
treated like the Cubnns, not a man
would have been killed in the Philip-
pines.
For two years the American Repub-
Tic, through President Mckinley, has
been burning villages. shooting down
men. women and children, who had
done us no harm. who, according to all
the evidence, were peaceable, and in
dustrious people. who are guilty of no
crime, except that they had read the
Declaration of American independence.
had admired the heroism of the fathers
OF the Republic, had believed in the
honor of our country when we declared
Conf1o,,oI ~ no1 a.