The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-21

Luzon alone resists our authority. Shal
We quit and turn the whole business owe
to that small faction, that it may Cypress
loot, and murder the rest?
-. I would reject a eession of sovereignty
which inp5os that sovereignty may be bough
and sod and delivered without the consent Of thu
! people
Then to be consistent we ought also K
reject the cessioBs of sovereignty by which
We acquired Louisiana, Florida, California
New Mexico, and Arizona In not one o
the cases cited was the consent of thu
governed asked or even thought of We
have never, perhaps. outgrown the prac.
tees of the Pilgrim Fathers, who on land
ing on Plymouth Rock fell on their knee:
and then fell on the aborigines" with {
view TO the acquisition of territory.
80 l would require all foreign Governments t.
keep out of those islands. -
This proposition is too impractical and
visionary to consider. The United States
must keep the Philippines or leave them
To talk of holding them by force in a
condition of permanent barbarism for the
benefit of few Malay cut threats, against
civilization by any power would simply be
TO excite the derision of Europe. OF course,
We would not be allowed to do anything of
the kind
-. | would offer to the people Of the Philip
pines our help in maintaining ordsr until they
have a reasonable opportunity TO establish gov
| eminent of their own
What kind of a common government Of
their own would the Ygorrotes, the Wis
| cayans, the Sulu Mussulmans. and the
| Tagals be able to unite in establishing, and
how long would it be before they would be
ready TO start il going? We often talk
about the hopeless future of the Austrian
Empire, because it is composed of half a
dozen distinct and mutually antipathetic
races creeds, and tongues. 1t is homo
geneity exemplifed in comparison with
the Philippine Archipelago. In the latter,
besides about eight more or less distinct
races, there are fifty or sixty independent
tribes. The Luzon fraction, which Senator
Hoar would endow with the entire prop
erty, probably does not exceed eight per
cent of the total population.
IS. | would aid them by advice, if they desire
it, to set up free and independent government"
On this point we have only TO remark
that Mr.. Hoar has already aided them" by
advice; but they have not made any visible
efforts in the direction of free govern
ment," unless we may be permitted to
speak of Aguinaldo's gold collar. or the
butchery of General Luna, as evidences in
that direction.
sc. would invite all the great powers OF Eu
rope TO unite in an agreement that that indie
perdence shall not be interfered with by us, by
themselves, or by any of them with the
consent OF the others"
The great powers would reply that it
would be inconyenient TO have the vast
stores of precious metals, gems, woods, and
all sorts of good things with which the
Philippines are bursting permanently
buried from mankind. We should be po-
litely but firmly told that while the United
States could relinquish the archipelago if
it chose, 1t could not exercise any ex post |
facto control over it, or the relations to it |
of other nations.
s'7 ! would declare that the United States Will |
enforce the doctrine applicable TO the |
Philippines that declared to Mexico and |
Haiti and the South American Republics. 1t is /
true that the Monroe Doctrine, doctrine based /
largely regard for our own interests, is
a distant Asiatic territory. But, undoubtedly
having driven out Spain, we are bound, and have
the right, to secure 10 the people We have lib
Grated an opportunity. undisturbed and in peace, |
to establish governments, for themselves. -
The role assigned to the American Re-
public in the foregoing quotation is that
of a general, all around mentor and world
bully.
IS. would then in a not distant future, leave
them to work their salvation, as every
nation on earth, from the beginning OF time, has
wrought out its own salvation"
The different breeds of Filipinos in oper-
alton on the work of their own salvation
would make thrilling picture. The Tagals
and head hunters would meet frequently
in convention, and the Malays who run
,muck would hold camp meetings with the
Jious adherents of Islam. Salutary losses
If population would ensue, but hardly fast
enough to talk about salvation.
80 would strike out of your legislation the
.ath of allegiance to rs and substitute oath Of
allegiance to their own country
Their own country" if the Philippine
natives can be said to have had any, was
Spain II is now the United States of
which the islands form an integral part as
much as Senator Hoar's own State does.
They do not need to have any change in the
present style of the oath of allegiance. 1t
will continue to remind them of their
plain duty for centuries to come. We
IRE pleased to think that the venerable
eader of the few American Filipinos has
,poken his piece if only to show how ut
erly doddering and empty the anti-expan-
ion and mock philanthropy contention is.
lie has made a useful addition TO the lit
.rature of his subject, but one which will
n no wise promote the Filipino propa-
yanda.
-bristiao Science AupIied IN Auimnls !