The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-07
Lord Elgin, who was Governor General of

Lord Elgin, who was Governor General Of
India, and who could speak with the
greatest authority upon this question
| The quotations l make were cited in a
pamphlet entitled. Commonwealth Oh
Empire" written by one of the greatest
scholars end writer's in the British EN-
| pire, man who has shown himself a
| sympathetic friend of American institu-
tions-Prof. Goodwin Smith.
1t is terrible business, however, this living
among inferior races. 1 have seldom. from mar
| or woman, since / came to the East, heard q
| sentence which was reconcilable with the hypo
| thesis that Christianity had ever come into tht
| world. Devastation. contempt, ferocity. ven
| geance, whether Cinnamon or Indians be the
object. There are some three or four hundred
| servants in this house. When one arst passes
by their salaaming, one feels a little awkward.
But the feeling soon wears OF, and one moves
among them with perfect Indifference, treating
them. not us dogs, because in that case would
whistle to them and pat them, but machines
with which one can have no communion or sym
pathy. OF course. those who can speak the Ian
guage are somewhat more en- rapport with the
natives. but very slightly 20. take it. When
the passions of fear and hatred are ensrafted on
this indifference, the result is frghtful: an abso-
lutte callousness TO the sferings OF the objects
OF those passions. which must be witnessed to be
understood and believed.
fact that Government had removed some commits
sioners who. not content with hanging all the
rebels they could lay their hands on, had been
insulting them by destroying their caste, tell
ing them that after death they should be cast TO
the dogs to be deyoured. ETC., mentioned.
A reverend gentleman could not understand the
conduct OF Government; could not that there
was any improperly in torturing mems souls /;
seemed to think good deal might be said in
favor of bodily torture as we'll! These are your
teachers. G Israel! Imagine what the pupils be-
come under such leading!
The newspapers OF this country have
frequently contained reports whether true
or false / do not know OF cruel treatment
Of the Filipinos by American soldiers and
Of Americans by Fflipinos. But we can
accurately predict what will take place IL
We permanently remain in that country.
We shall have the race problem, and race
hatred in general in its btterest forms.
But what shall we do with the Philip
plnes9 We are told that We have already
taken them, We have already expanded.
1t is said, you are arguing a question
that is already closed I insist, however,
that we are not to submit to the perpetual
drain which this policy will impose. be-
cause what was never an American prob
lem. Why should not the Philippine ISL
arders govern themselves? II they are not
fitted to become the abode of Americans
or part Of the American Commonwealth,
for what righteous purpose are Americans
there? Let US treat the Philippine Islands
according TO American presidents. I
would have no loosely defined proteetorate.
But it seems to me. from all the testimony,
that if those people were permitted to
govern themselves, after their own rude
fashion. but still fashion that Ats them
better than does our fashion. they could.
after a brief time, walk alone as well as
the people of many of the South American
countries or the people Of Haiti or of
Cuba. l said let us treat them according
to American precedents. What are those
precedents?
How did we treat Mexico. that had only
recently been Spanish colony? After a
checkered experience as nation Of hardly
a generation, in which were seen disorder
and governmental chaos, and all things
that 1t is predicted, Will take place IN the
Philippine Islands, the people of the
United States conquered that country and
subjugated 1t as completely as conquest
can ever be effected By arms. Our flag
was over the City of Mexico. A move
ment was made in this country as gen.
eral and widespread certainly as the
movement for the annexation of the Phil
ippines before the ratification of the
treaty, in favor of our annexing the whole
of Mexico.
There was this to be said at least Tor
that policy that 1t was complicated with
no delicate question OF an alliance, that
the territory was contiguous. and that
1t some time might become an integral
part OF the United States. Prof. Bourne
has reviewed. with a good deal of learn
ing, a discussion of that subject. Presi-
dent Polk resisted the policy OF whole
sale annexation. Some OF his advisers
favored it, and among them James Buch-
anan; and the course of the latter Curl
ously brings to view the cant with which
it is invariably sought to conceal the
felonious designs which strong nation
sometimes entertains toward weak one.
Buchanan desired to take the whole of
Mexico. Polk resOlutely opposed this
policy, and in his message proposed TO
encourage the friends of peace In Mexico
to establish "a republican government
able and willing to make peace" Buch-
anan piously proposed to substitute for
this the declaration that 1--WE must fulfill
that destiny which Providence may have
in store for both countries
This submissive Christian spirit was not
destined to have sway. and Mexico was
the victor and stripped of her last posses
sion, even of her existence as nation.
We aided her in setting UP a Government
that could meet some of the ends of
government. although imperfectly. She
was established under our protection
When our attention was engrossed by
civil war. a foreign power. ostensiply IN
the interest OF liberty and civilization.
took possession Of Mexico. We had no
sooner terminated our own struggle than
we massed our troops along the Rio
Grande and gave France notice that she
must withdraw, and she withdrew. After
wears of struggle and revolution, Mexico
has today a stable Government, and l
think no one would contend that 1t was
not fortunate for her-fortunate, too. for
the United StateS-that the extreme pol
icy of extinction was not accomplished.
We have held up Haiti. although no
other portion OF the world has come so