Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1900-02-01
Absurd Protectorate Talk.


ment has ever been proposed than
that the u. S. should 60 into the
business of setting up ignorant races
In republics to be protected by our
army and navy. A republic presup-
poses capacity for self-rule. 1t is de-
fined as a<4state in which the SOW
erelgn power resides In the whole
body of the people, and is exercised
by representatives elected by them.
A government over which another
power was supreme ia any way, or
claimed rights Of tutelege, would
certainly not be republic. There
are some who insist that we should
have authorized Aguinaldo to form a
republic, and served as his monitor
and guardian during probationary
period. The Tagal revolutionists
never showed any inclination to &C.
cept a place as pupils of the United
States. They could never be per-
suaded to define their demands, even
orally. But II they could, have OBJ
tanned the sovereignty, under Amer
lean restrictions and temporary SUI
premacy, the ridiculous and danger
Gus nature Of the compact would soon
have become apparent 30 both sides
and to the world.
In the first place, the Tagal idea
OF government Is completely inter
woven with church affairs. Church
and state have been much the same
with them, with the church practi-
cally in the ascendant. The Tagals
would DOT and could not set up gov
eminent Of their own without posi-
tive church Affiliations and division
of public revenue. To what extent
does any one expect the United States
not only to found republics" with
an established church but to protect
them afterward with army and navy?
Ii to avert this difficulty we had die
tated absolute religious freedom to
the Tagals we should be put in the
position of forcing a constitution up
on them, of writing their fundamen-
tai law as the condition Of allowing
them to be an alleged republic. We
could not have put them in control
OF the whole archipelago without
crushing many other tribes, and for
the only reason that the Tagals de-
sired to rule over all aud. being arm
ed, were m aking themselves trouble
some. II the United States is to
govern the Philippines at all 1t must
be with free hand and under its
own established lines of action. A
protectorate experiment would quick
ly become nightmare OF conflicting
authority, a hopeless tangle of half
way sovereignty to be settled at last
by the law OF force.
Instead OF ordaining something
labeled Tagal. republic, with con-
stitution shaped by ourselves, which
the revolted tribe would have reject
ed In any case, the United States
has pursued straight road, a policy
clearly defined and perfectly intellig-
able to every other nation. The SOW
ereighty of the Philippines is ours
with all responsibilities fully acknowl-
edged. Our army and navy are pro-
tecting the islands, but not on lines
laid down by semi-savages or insur-
rectionary juntas. Our DEGREES are
decisive and not by indirection. Our
generals can act without comforting
with a Filipino cabinet. Many who
began by calling the policy imperial
lstic are working over to a sort of
middle ground. Democratic leaders
can be named who want to keep
enough Of the Philippines to insure
our commercial supremacy. Even
Mr.. Bryan is reported to be making
concessions to expansion sentiment
In the South. He is said to be will
ling now ito have naval base and
commercial privileges and to exer-
else protectorate functions as re-
CARDS other nations" and to confer
@local sovereignty" The Republican
party Is not paltering In this fashion.
IL stands unfiinchingly by the full
sovereignty. Between this and aban-
donment there is nothing but con-
fusion; and Abandonment would be
lasting disgrace. -Globe-Democrat