The evening times., 1900-01-27
OUR COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
The Duty of Congress to Provide for
Their Government.

From Harper's Weekly.)
The Senate has been wasting it's morn
ing hour for a number of days in moo
discussions on the Presidents policy in tn,
| Philippines. Whether Mr.. Mckinley ol
Mr.. Hay, or Admiral Dewey, or Genera
| Otis or any one else is to be vindica tet
or condemned, it may be well to have tht
varied information for which Senators arr
calling. By all means, let us have all tn,
| documentary evidence that bears upoI
the truth of history. Let us have tn,
story of our war with the Filipinos TOLD
correctly But, pending the Forthcoming
of the testimony, let the Senate stop talk
ing on the Administration policy until
it has something practical before IL, dis
| cussion of which may be followed by the
| solution of at least one of the problems
with which we are confronted. The futur
| policy of this country cannot be settled
by complaint or by debate. 1t must b
| determined by the action of Congress on
bill for the temporary or permanent gov
ernment Of colonies. IL Congress does not
intend to retain the PHILIPPINES, it will b.
able to announce its purpose in bill IT,
on the other hand-and we think this as
sumption the more likely TO be the true
one-it is the purpose of Congress that the
Philippines shall remain permanently a
part of the territory Of the United States
the bill need be merely a simple provision
for government. But every day devoted
| TO speech making, no practical PROPOSE
| tiOn being before the Senate is a day
wasted. In passing, we are impelled by a
| sense OF duty TO the grave question in
| volved TO join with Senator Wolcott's con-
demnatiOn Of Senator Beveridge's apparent
oversight of the moral aspect OF the sub
| ject. and we hope that we shall have no
more speeches devoted to the exposition Of
| the mere money value of the islands.
| The country will demand a government
for all our colonies based on higher
| ideal than that of commercialism IL We
| should confess that there is nothing in
| the Philippines or In Porto Rico but the
| dollar which can be picked up there by
the adventurous speculator, the person or
party responsible for the admission would
| We fancy. fare i'll at the hands of the pee
pie who went to war to save Cuba from
| the barbarity Of Spain. Mr. Mckinley un-
| derstands his countrymen better than to
urge upon them the richness of the prize;
! and he tells Congress, in his annual mes
\ sage that few grayer responsibilities have
! ever been confided TO us. If We accept
| them" he adds. ''in spirit worthy Of our
| race and traditions. great opportunity
comes with them" Mr. Mckinley eontem-
1 plates governments for the colonies which
| Shall tiSNdiG tnElF people W nat Ne udS
1 said on this subject in his messages and
his speeches is supported by the acts of
| his officers in Cuba. Porto Rico, and in
| those parts OF the Philippines which have
| been freed from insurgents. So far. at
| least. the religious opinions and prejudices
| Of the natives have been respected
| Nothing has been done to offend against
/ their customs and habits But schools
| have been established the courts have
I Il 49,. Il
and all official business has been relieved
| of the burden and taint of the corruption
which was inseparable from the old Span
/ sh rule; the cities and towns have been
policed. their sanitary conditions have
been vastly improved-in a word civliza-
tion has daWned upon these medieval and
| savage countries. where il may be justly
said. manners alone had been tempered
| by he advance of time. So intense has
been the activity Of the military officers
charged with the task OF ruling in Porto
Rico. for example that they would seem
TO have neglected not only the commercial
exploitation Of the island but its COM
mercial needs. if it were not for the fact
that in respect OF commercial regulations
the Government has been powerless until
now Congress is in session.
Porto Rico is the one new possession
which demands and gives opportunity fo-
introduced a bill. not providing for such a
government as the President suggested in
his message, but still providing for the ap-
pointment OF executive officers by the Pres
ident and Senate, and for a legislature. in
the choosing of which the people of the
island should have an important voice. Ii
therefore differs from the suggestion OF
the President which was that there
should be a local legislative council con
u
citizens of the United States, appointed by
the President, subject TO COnfTmatiCn by
the Senate. Senator SpOOner has intro
duced bill providing for temporary gov
eminent of the Philippines when the insuT-
Iection shall have been completely sup
pressed. II follows the precedent Of the
resolution under which Hawaii is still gov
erned, giving TO the President power 70 ex-
ercise all functions OF government through
the agency Of any persons he may select
for maintaining and protecting the inhab-
itants Of said islands In the free enjoyment
of their liberty property, and religion"
Ii is with Porto Rico, however, that Con
gress ought first to deal. There is in that
island crying need for relief from the
drastic incidents of our tariff law. The
Porto Rican planter and merchant suffer |
under all the disadvantages and hardshiTs |
Of cur customs law, and enjoy none of its |
dement's AS Is SuONU III the ItpJIlS Oi |
Secretary Root and Gen. George b. Davis, !
these people are economically and CONNER |
cialIy not so we'll off under our rule as they |
were under the rule of Spain. nor can ttey |
be until they are admitted into full COM
mercial partnership with the United States
that is, until there is free trade between
Porto Rico and this country as there S
among the States and Territories. The |
economic conditions and the commercial |
distress of Porto Rico afford TO Congress
its first Opportunity TO enter upon the task
Of creating colonial governments. Thus far
no very serious effort in this direction has |
been made, for the examination of General |
Davis. in view of the fullness of his report !
TO Secretary Root, like the speech-making |
in the Senate, seems to be a waste Of time |
Porto Ricos government will probably |
be model for the other colonies. and |
therefore the plan ought to be prepared |
with the utmost care Upon one point |
only are We disposed to insist in antc- |
patton of the report Of the Committee on
the Pacific Islands and Porto Rico. The
bill that is introduced should afford no
opportunity for the expansion of the spoils
system The governor at first must doubt
less be a political appointee and it may
be that the office will always remain po-
litical; but this ought not to be the case
The law should provide for a colonial
service in which governors should be
trained, and from which they should be |
appointed. But, apart from the COVER |
nor and the attorney general. there is no |
reason why the other officers. such as, |
to quote from Secretary Roots plan, sec |
retary Of state. treasurer, auditor or I
comptroller superintendent of public |
works. and superintendent of education
should not be appointed and commissioned |