New-York tribune., 1900-09-19
THE PHILIPPINE POLICY.

Inc PfeSlQeDCS pOncy IN the HnlIlpplueS mas
never been matter of doubt save to those
whose minds were deliberately self-obfuscated
1t has been made known to the Nation, step by
step, from the beginning, with admirable ex
plicitness. It was made sufficiently clear in
the proclamations to the people Of the Philip
pine Islands by the Presidents representatives
upon their assumption of administrative author
ity there It has of late been set forth in suffi-
cient detail by the President himself in his let
ter accepting denomination. But there are al
ways some who, like certain persons of Old
"seek a sign" No matter how plain a thing is
made, they want 1t made palmer Every axiom
must to please them, have annexed to 1t an
explanatory diagram. We do not know that in
the present case anything will altogether satisfy
them. But at least the publication of the full
text Of the Presidents instructions to the Philip
pine Commission which was made In our
columns yesterday should satisfy every reason
able seeker after information as TO the manner
in which the United States is governing and
proposes TO govern its insular possessions in the
Eastern Pacific and the China Sea. After read
ing that document it will be impossible for any
one, without disqualification, TO complain that
the President has no definite and clearly ex-
pressed policy In the Philippines
The first detail of the scheme which attracts
municipal governments and to proceed with
them as a basis to provincial and general gov
ernments. That is particularly wise provision
in dealing with Oriental land in which the
village is the unit and the whole country an
aggregation Of units, instead of the nation be-
ing the unit and the municipality a fraction
thereof 1t has often been remarked that in
China local home rule reaches it's highest de-
velopment, each village being practically autOn-
Omous, and knowing and caring little about
the Empire as a whole The same is true in n
large measure OF the Philippines and indeed It
is in some respects more true there because of
the number and variety Of the tribes into which
the inhabitants are divided. There could be no
better method Of bringing the whole archipelago
under American rule than by winning the CON
fdence and organizing the government of vii
lage after village. 1t is local government that
most directly affects the individual persons In
any country, and especially in semi-civilized
country. Give them satisfactory governments
in the village and they little what the
general government may be.
In thus beginning with local governments
moreover the President wisely directs the Com
missioners TO let the people choose their own
officers from among themselves. That means
not only home rule but native rule OF course
the rule is qualified. The Commissioners would
not approve the choice Of nOtoriously unfit Off
GERS. But then, If half thar we have heard OF
the fitness Of the Filipinos for self-government
is true such are not likely to be chosen The
people will choose their best men, and will thus
enjoy the privilege Of self-government in the
very department of government which most
Immediately concerns them. When that is eff
fected government is to be organized in the next
larger administrative divisions or districts. and
In that work the same rule is TO be observed
Natives are to be chosen for office IN preference
to Americans whenever they are found capable
and available, and they are TO be permitted to
exercise their authority in their own way. sub
ject only to the general requirements Of law
order and loyalty The point is made clear and
strongly emphasized that the Philippines are
not TO be governed or exploited for the benefit
Of American carpet baggers and SPECTATORS.
but are to have-if we may use the paraphrase
"A government Of the Filipinos for the Fill
pinos, by the Filipinos. The Presidents own
words are; The government is designed not
for our satisfaction nor for the expression OF
'our theoretical views, but for the happiness.
peace and prosperity of the people of the
philippine Islands"
Those are strange words TO proceed from the
criminal aggressor," the "bloodthrsty con-
qnerOr and tyrant" and the wholesale mur.
uerer certain tacuon in this country has
tried to picture the President TO be. But there
are others in this document stranger still. The
President has certain principles which he thinks
should prevail in all departments Of the Pbjlip-
pine Government, both local and general In
deed, he calls them ''invloabIe rules" and tolls
me commissioners they must be Imposed" +"
"hat are they? Some abominable conception
OF selfish greed and harsh tyranny? Something
copied from Frapcia's laws for Paraguay or
Hoih the books OF King Bomba of Naples? Alas!