The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-11
THE BRYAN PROTECTORATE.

MT. Bryan'S platform and Mr.. Bryan IN
his speech declare that, first, he would
give the Fflipinos stable government; Sec
ond. independence; third. protection from
outside interference, such as has been given
for nearly a century to the republics of
Central and South America.
Every day that Mr.. Bryan is a political
oracle the country is surprised with new
ideas and declarations He tells us as his
tory that the United States has given the
Central and South American republics pro-
lection against outside interior nce." Years
ago it was declared that the United States
would regard il an unfriendly act for any
European government to take any portion
of the territory of any American republic.
This is the Monroe doctrine, first suggest
ed and urged by Mr.. Charming, a British
minister, in order to Illustrate the plans
of the Holy Alliance. To that we have
stood as far as possible, but it is in no
sense a pledge of protection. Government
after government has been overthrow.
Chile. for instance. practically s~ubjugated
Peru and held a portion of its territory.
But while we AVE prevented European
governments from Selling and holding por-
lions of the territory of the American re-
publics the United States has not protected
them from the interference of other ma
lions. Not many years ago Great Britain
enforced a claim of a British subject by
seizing a custom house of one of the re-
nuh1f0c with q x-iauy Of oolIaofino tho
amount claimed. British seamen were land
ed on the soil of that republic and the place
occupied until the authorities made provi-
sion for paying the demand. Quite recently
Germany enforced the payment of the
claims of German subjects for the destruc-
ton of their property in San Domingo by
sending a warship to enforce the demand
for indemnity. which caused the govern
ment of San Domingo to arrange the mat
ter.
side interference" like those cited by Euro
pean nations. Property of the subjects of
Great Britain and Germany is destroyed by
the little wars of revolutionary govern
ments or the lawlessness of some ruler,
and those governments proceed to forcible
measures to collect damages. We have
not interfered or troubled ourselves in re-
gard to the collection in a single instance.
Does the Bryan scheme contemplate a more
p~aternal protectorate than to prevent the
taking of the territory of any one of the
eighty tribes in the Philippines? If not,
then any government whose subjects may
be robbed or murdered while i'm the Phil
ippines can seize its ports and proceed to
collect the indemnity it demands. Are we
to interfere and say when the indemnity
demanded is cxorbitant? If one of the
tribes. the Tagalos. of which Aguinaldo is
the leader. should seize the property of a
dozen German merchants, and Germany,
in seeking collection, should land troops
and occupy a own until the indemnity de-
manded is paid, is this government to in
~terfere if Aguinaldo shall complain that
the German government is holding Tagal
soil and depressing the Tagalos in collect
ing taxes? If this sort of protection against
outsiders is the kind implied by Mr.. Bryan
we shall need a larger navy than we now
have to protect the independence of the
Filipinos.