Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1900-09-01

: it, let us eschew metaphysics, recog
}. nize facts, and come home. If the
: have moral title to their independ
enc., backed up by military proves
and the evidence of political capacl
: ty, then it follows that we are the las
!. people in the whole world to have
: right to take from them port 0
coaling-station. AND it would b.
ridiculous in the extreme for us tt
introduce the new sister into the in
ternational family.
That is one straightforward alter
native; and we for our part should
advocate it with all our might if we
thought the facts justified it. But
we do not believe that Aguinaldo is a
G. orge Washington, or that there
exists any such thing as great and
promising Filipino nation moved by
the spirit of political progress and
fighting intelligently for independ-
ence and place in the family of ma
lions. What we do believe is that
there is large population in the
Philippine Islands that needs peace
and order; and that, as matters now
stand, the Only outlook they can pos
sibly have for those ordinary condi-
tions that make life worth living
lies in the suppression of the warfare
maintained by guerrilla bands of
Tagala, and a chance for American
administration to show what it can do.
We have shown so far in this matter
that true economy of human blood,
effort, and treasure lies in our work.
The best way out of the woods is to
press straight on to the other border
which does not now seem so very far
distant. If there ever is to be an in
and sovereign Philippine
nation, it can rest only uuon the basis
of considerable historical period of
in self-governmenr with
limited sovereignty under strict
American auspices. Two or three
centuries of Spanish colonial methods
nave not fitted the Philippine Island
for immediate emergepce as sove-
.eign political entity. Perhaps SO or
LOO years of American tutelage may
the work of evolution and
n that case, it will be safe to trust
The Americans who will be on hand
80 or 100 years hence to deal with the
question Of Philippine independence
Is the facts and circumstances may
Justify. Mr.. Bryan's programme
loes rot seem to us to point to any
cal solution. We cannot undo what
las been done since the early days of
Nay, 1898. We must deal with the
Philippine question as it is in the
after half of the year 1890. AS mat
ers now are, we can acknowledge
lefeat, withdraw from the Philippines
md disclaim responsibility. This is
he scuttle policy that President
Jordan, of the Leland Stanford Uni
'ersity, has advocated, and that Mr..
declares he cannot adopt.
The only practical alternative is to
tay in the Philippines, and seek, by
ii possible means, to bring hostilities
0 an end; to establish firm and or
lerly government; to train the ma
ives by degree to the exercise of self
in villages, towns, dis {
riots, provinces islands and event
tally, in confederated archipelago
IS free and democratic as the Domin-
on Of Canada. When that time
ONES, the PHILIPPINES will be ready
0 decide whether they prefer to
emain under the auspices of the
American flag or to enter upon the
more ambitious and dangerous ex-
'eriment of complete independence
n their external relations. This