Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-12-07
TWELV e PAGES.
EXTENDING THE CONSTITUTION
The Brooklyn Eagle says:

'iC i'iSOhiSh says.
"The report of Secretary Root and
the message of the President describe
what has been done by the executive
department of the government through
the exercise OF It's war power 20 give
civil liberty to the Filipinos. The guar
antees of the constitution have been
extended to the Asiatic archipelago by
the President"
Is is not q little late in the day to at
tempt to revive the hypocritical preten-
sion that we are in the Philippines for
beneficcnt purposes, and that we are
giving or propose to give the Filipinos
civil libcrty?" We are at an utter
loss to understand why the fact should
not as we'll he faced, that there is
neither civil government nor civil lib
erty in the Philippines. Two months
ago the facts were concealed or dis
torted for political purposes. The oc-
casion for either concealment or dis
tortion on that account is past The
country has committed itself 10 arbi-
trary coloniallsm for the time being. if
not irretrievably. In pursuance of that
policy Congress Is now busily arang-
ing for permanent standing army OF
1O0.OOO men, $4,000 of whom are to he
stationed in the Philippines where. "by
the exercise of its war power" the
Executive department" of our govern
ment is alleged to hav established civil
liberty.
1t would be decidedly more credtahle
to Mr.. Mckinley and the Republican
organs TO dispense with cant and n
pious whine in discussing our relations
with the Filipinos. The Car of Russia
does not clasp his hands, roll his eyes
upward and call the world 20 witness
the blessings he has handed tie Fin
landers on the point OF a bayonet.
Hon. Joseph Chamberlain-for some
time the worlds champion hypocrite
has ceased TO dissemble England's real
purpose in South Africa and to pirate of
the righteousness Of her quarrel Only
Mr.. Mckinley insists on maintaining,
in reference TO his war OF aggression
in the Philippines the most approved
manner of the Sunday school superin-
tendent at Podunli as ne prcsides at
the Christmas tree.
The plain immutable facts are that
the United States has grabbed the
Philippines and is in process of estab-
fishing it's military supremacy over the
inhabitants--a rather tedious and
costly undertaking. In nearly two
years it has succeeded in taking and
Earrisonirg the larger towns. within
which martial law prevails and where
FilDinos are tried by court martial for
capital offences and shot If found
guilty Guarantees, constitutional on
otherwise. do not go unless the guar
antee be an unquestionai alibi on tho
part of the prisoner. What ice does a
constitutional guarantee cut in coun-
try where man cannot go beyond the
military outpos;s without getting u
bolo stuck under his fifth rib? How is
Mr.. Mckinley going to give the Fill
pinos civil liberty when they are SO
extremely uncivil as TO prefer liberty
of domestic manufacture?
We have not given the Filipinos civil
liberty, and what is more we do not In
tend TO- The world will have more ne.
spect for us as a people and we shall
have more respect for ourselves if W.
do not pretend to altruism or phllan.
thropy in the premises.