The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-05


toll of other peoples. AS to England
Il is my opinion a regard, for the
| mother country on the part of her colo
MES, manifested through unnatural dis
| ordinations in trace, is the present sal
walton of the Empire, not the profits Of
her colonies. 1t appeals to me, moreover,
that a nation formed ours was formed
on the assumption that every citizen is
| capable of elf-government and that the
| nation is only the union of such indivd
| ual interests-can poorly afford to con-
trast with the rewards of humdrum labor
at home such rewards as have been paid
our national servants in Cuba.
A Losing Investment.
what are the benefits likely to be? IN
the Republican platform they are advanced
as better government for the islanders
and increased trade for America The
! former is a desirable and necessary
achievement. With Mr. Mckinley and Mr..
Bryan l think the nation has undertaken
| that work in ending Spanish control in
| the Philippines although no similar re-
| sponsibility was assumed when we took
| the City of Mexico. The error on the part
| of the Administration. it seems to me, lies
| in the assumption that Administration
methods are the only ones possible under
| the circumstances. We must give the ISL
anders better government than they had
under Spain, says Mr.. Whitelaw Reid in
/ correct. So much at present for the first
| object.
THE second is increased trade for
| America What does that mean? The
| population of the islands we have acquired
out of the war is, roughly, 49, $50 900. That
of the British Isles is about As ,000.0 goo. In
| the course of year our trade with Eng
mn Ilwa
portionately, that with these islands may
reach a total of less than one-fourth as
much-less than $500, 1000, 900. 1t is now
less than one-ninth. OF this about 10 per
cent will be net profit, or 100000 00- We
are asked, therefore, to undertake an an
nual expenditure of over $40. 1000, 600 for
possible benefit of S20000.00O, with every
| fair prospect of the continuation of this
| ratio as long or longer than England's
! occupation has lasted in Egypt. The bar
gain would not tempt investors in the
open market, not when the war has al
ready cost us well over 5000, 100000, and
| especially not when our total trade with
the Philippines has never reached 49,
| coo. 900. Any rebate we can obtain through
| trade with the islands will be welcome,
| of course, but such trade cannot be SEN
sibly urged as warrant for the continual
| ton of army expenses necessary for the
| subjugation of the insurgents to which the
Presidents letter of acceptance refers.
From these facts hold 1t is honest to
conclude that the Republican party pur-
| poses to ignore the Senate resolution as to
| the results of the war with Spain; that
there is no warrant in any possible in
crease of trade, any reasonable betterment
of the Philippine government, or any fair
outcome of the Presidents plan of action,
for the course outlined as TO the Philip
pines, and that against it are to be urged
years of prospective fighting. the main
tenance of a standing army four times
| larger than any peace army we, have ever
possessed, and small chances of real sue
cess at any cost" Am
| The speaker quoted a series of Supreme
| Court decisions to establish the citizenship
| of the islanders. In the case of Boyd VS..
| Thayer. rendered in 1891, the court said:
'Manifestly the nationality of the inhab-
| itants of territory acquired by conquest or
cession becomes that of the Government
under whose dominion they pass
| Mr.. Albert declared that the doctrine
| is definitely established from these de-
cisions that territory acquired by the
| United States can be held by Congress only
! through measures which prepare the peo-
| pie in the Territories to become States in
the Union;' that with or without the right
of franchise citizenship and allegiance are
, reciprocal, and that the Inhabitants of
| Territories acquired by Conquest or ces-
sion are thus made Americans and be-
come possessed of the rights of the resi-
| dents of any other Territory of the Union.
Some Evident Deductions.
From rulings OF our court of final juris-
diction 1t is thus made clear that if We
| achieve the complete subjugation of the
| Philippines We admit into the Union, with
| all that such admission involves, l., $50 coo
| aliens In all respects less fit for citizen
| ship than the blacks admitted after the
| rebellion. Either these people must be
taken and trained for full citizenship in
| ultimate States or they cannot be taken
under the present Constitution. No one
| advocates the admission OF any island OBJ
| tanned from Spain as State in the Union.
| II the law prevails, therefore. We must
withdraw.
But how? it is asked. How can the
nation retreat? l shall not pause to
dispose of so cheap phrase as Who
| will haul down the flag? The course
| of action favored by Mr.. Bryan-that OF
| cooperating with the natives to restore
| order and Withdrawing the army grsdu-
| ally-was given expression by Senator
| Hoar. BY such course, whatever trade
| advantages can be obtained through
! ownership, will remain to the United
| states without the responsibility OF
| ownership; the need of a large standing
army and extravagant army expenses
| VIII be obviated: order will be estah-
lished in the Philippines as it has been
| established in Cuba; there will be no
| American officeholding class abroad; The
needless destruction of thousands of
| lives-both native and American-wlll
| be prevented; all the responsibility as
| sumed by the occupation of the islands
| will be met; our faith as nation will
| be established before the world, and
| the Constitution. with the declaration of
| principles on which it rests, will be
preserved inylolate.
Against all these considerations
| several clubs. Baltimore organization
| particularly, known as the Honest
! Money Democratic League is Urging a
| single Objection-Mr. Bryan's advocacy
| of the principles on which he met defeat
! four years ago. Change of government
| is gradual says the organization mai
Gated. and panic is immediate; let us
therefore avoid the latter; there VIII
| still be time to prevent the change of
| government This is the attitude o. a
| physician who would permit a cancer
| to grow while he cures intermittent at
| tacks of headache.
Suppose Mr.. Bryan to be elected and
supported in Congress by a free silver
| majority in each house. What would be
| the result? Does anyone seriously ap-
| prehend the national credit would col
| lapse or American commerce he
| wrecked? How, then did 1t survive the
! rebellion? When the nation issued nat
| money of the baldest sort, payable and
| redeemable at no specified time or place.
and when its future was matter of
! grave doubt even in the North? With
| 6 Uhn is ne