The evening times., 1900-01-27
OUR COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
The Duty OF Congress TO Provide for
Their Government

OFr0m Harper's Weekly.)
The Senate has been wasting it's morn
ing hour for a number Of days in moot
discussions on the Presidents policy in the
Philippines. Whether Mr.. Mckinley. OF
Mr. Hay. or Admiral Dewey. or General
Otis. or any one else is to b. indicated
or condemned, 1t may be well 20 have the
varied information for which Senators are
calling. BY all means let US have all tho
documentary evidence tii@t bears upon
the truth Of history. Let us have tn
story OF our war with the Filipinos told
correctly. But, pending the forthcoming
OF the testimony. let the Senate stop talk
ing on the Administration policy until
/ IL has something practical before IL. dis
| cussiOn Of which may be followed by thr
solution OF at least one of the problems
with which we are confronted. The futur5
! policy Of this country cannot be settled
by complaint or by debate. It must b.
determined by the action of Congress on
a b'u for the temporary permanent gov
ernment Of colonies II Congress does not
intend to retain the PHILIPPINES. il will b.
able TO sunounce its purpose in a bill: f.
on the ctneT hand-and We think this as
sumption the more likely 10 be the true
One-it Is the purpose Of Congress that the
Philippines shall remain permanently
part of the territory Of the United States.
Z
! FOR government But every day devoted
| TO speech making. no practical PROPOSE
/ tion being before the Senate. is a day
wasted. In passing, We are impelled by a
sense OF duty TO the grave question in
/ volved 20 join with Senator Wolcott's con-
demnatiOn OF Senator Beveridge's apparent
oversight OF the moral aspect OF the sub
ject. and we hope that we shall have no
more speeches devoted TO the exposition OF
Hks.
The country will demand a government
FOR all our colonies based on a higher
ideal tEan that OF commercialism II We
should confess that there is nothing in
the Philippines or in Porto Rico but the
dollar which can be picked up there by
the adventurous speculatOr. the person or
! party responsible for the admission would
We fancy. fare III at the hands Of the pee
pie who went TO war TO save Cuba from
| the barbarity OF Spain. Mr.. Mckinley un-
| derstands his cOuntrymen better than 10
urge upon them the richness Of the prize
and he tells Congress in his annual mes
sage, that few graveT responsibilities have
ever been confded TO US II We accept
them" he adds in d spirit worthy Of our
race aud traditions. great opportunity
comes with them" Mr. Mckinley contem-
plates governments for the colonies which
shall elevate their people What he has
said on this subject In his messages and
his speeches is supported by the acts Of
his officers in Cuba. Porto Rico and IN
those parts OF the Philippines which have
been freed from insurgents. 50 far al
least the religious opinions ana prejudices
Of the natives have been respected
I Nothing has been done 10 offend against
their customs and habits. But schools
I have been established, the courts have
I been opened, the transaction Of judicial
and all official business has I-en relieved
.
which was inseparable from the old Span
ish rule; the cities and towns have been
pOliced, their sanitary conditions have
I been vastly imprOved-in a word civiIiza-
tion has dawned upon these medieval and
savage countries. where 10 may be justly
| said, manners alone had been tempered
1 by the advance OF time So intense has
I been the activity of the military officers
charged with the task OF ruling in Porto
Rico. for example. that they would seem
10 have neglected not only the commercial
exploitation OF the island but its com
mercial needs. II IL were not for the fact
that. in respect OF commercial regulations
the Government has been pOwerless until
now Congress IS in session
Porto Rico is the one new possession
which demands and gives opportunity TO-
( immediate action Senator Foraker hes
introduced a bill. not providing for such a
government as the President suggested in
his message. but still providing for the ap-
pCiutment of executive officers by the Pres
. ideut and Senate. and for a legislature. 10
the choosing Of which the people of the
island should have an important voice. Il
therefore differs from the suggestion Of
the President which was that there
should be a local legislative council. con-
sisting partly OF Porto RiCans and partly Cf
citizens of the United States. appointed by
( the President subject TO confirmation by
the Senate. Senator SpoOuer has intro
. duced a bill providing for a temporary gov
eminent Of the Philippines when the iuSu--
IectiOu shall have been completely sup
/ pressed. il follows the precedent Of the
/ resolution under which Hawaii is stil gov
eyued. giving 10 the President power 70 e.
/ erCise all functions OF government through
| the agency Of any persons he may select
Z for maintaining and protecting the iuhab-
/ irauts Of said islands IN the free enjoyment
/ OF their liberty property. and religion
/ ID is with Porto Rico. however. thai Con
/ gress ought first TO deal There Is in that
/ island a crying need for relief from the
drastic incidents OF our tariff law. The
! Porto Rican planter and merchant suffer
under all the disadvantages and hardshiTs
I Of our customs law. and enjoy none OF It's
{ benefits. As is shown in the reports OF
/ Secretary Root and Gen. George B. Davis.
I these people are economically and CONNER
] -
/ were under the rule of Spain. nor can they
/ be until they are admitted into fuIl com
mercial partnership with the United States
that Is, until there is free trade between
( Porto Rico and this country as there S
among the States and Territories. The
I economic conditions and the commercial
] distress OF Porto Rico afford TO Congress
/ its first Opportunity 10 enter upon the task
| Of creating colonial governments. Thus far
I no very serious effort in this direction has
/ been made, for the examination Of General
/ Davis. in view of the fulluess Of his report
| 10 Secretary Root, like the speech making
| in the Senate, seems 10 be a waste Of time.
| Porto Rco'S government Will probably
| be model for the other colonies. and
/ therefore the plan ought to be prepared
/ with the utmost care. Upon one point
I only are We disposed to insist in antici-
/ patton Of the report Of the Committee on
| the Pacific Islands and Porto Rico The
( bill that is introduced should afford no
/ opportunity for the expansion Of the spOiIs
/ system. The governor at first must doubt
] less be a political appointee and il NAV
( be that the office Will always remain 20
/ litical; but this ought not Uo be the case
/ The law should provide for a colonial
/ service in which governors should be
! trained, and from which they should be
/ appointed But, apart from the COVER
7 nor and the attorney general, there is no
/ reason why the other officers, such as,
/ to quote from Secretary Roots plan. sec
retary Of state. treasurer, auditor or
| comptroller superintendent Of public
[ works. and superintendent Of education,
/ should not be appointed and commissioned