The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-01
OUR DUTY TO TIE FIL1p1Nos.

The Danville Register quotes this para
graph from one article in The Times:
"Christianity does not teach the game
of greed and grab. and if this game is TO
be practiced in China by the Christian
nations Of the earth, the Chinese will be
persuaded that Christianity is mockery
and hollow pretense.''
And this from another:
at is not simply question as to whether
or not we shall give the Filipinos their
independence. We have vast interests in
the East, and these interests compel us
to take an active part in the affairs of the
East, whether we would or not
The Register says that The Times is
now champion of the imperialist policy.
and adds:
In the one case a high moral position
is taken; in the other, justice and the
rights of others are ignored because we
have vast interests in the East The
question of the independence of the Fill
pinos is of minor Importance and is sub
ordinated to the commercial phase Of the
situation. This Christian nation that
will not teach. the game OF greed and
grab in China considers our vast inter-
ests in the East of vastly more impor-
lance than Filipino independence. Our
ing at the Philippine question through
golden spectacles without glasses. It Is
all right to shoot Christianity into the
Filipinos. or to act in bad faith with
them. but if this game of greed and grab
is to be practiced in China by the Chris
tan nations Of the earth the Chinese
VIII be persuaded that Christianity is a
mockery and hollow pretense" If not
in one case, why not in another? In Chi
pfn~ Sa1,1 10
in the Philippines we have only a feeble
people poweriess to resist our designs.
That is the difference.
There is but one reply to the Registers
assertion that this paper is a champion
OF the imperialist policy and that is
that it is not true. We do not mean,
however, to be offensive in using this plain
English The assertion of the Register
that The Times has subordinated the indie
pendence of the Filipinos to material in
terests is equally without warrant. It is
very clear to anybody who will read the
second extract quoted from The Times,
that we meant to say simply that there
are other questions besides the question
of independence for the Fiipinos demand
ing our attention in the East. Does the
Register deny this? Does the Register
dare to say that we ought to withdraw
our forces from China and leave that
great question to be decided by the Euro
pean nations and Japan? Does the hegis-
ter mean to say that we should let the
European nations and Japan go in and
take possession of China and establish
there spheres of interest without a
word of protest from the United States?
Let the Democratic party take such a
position, and it will not carry dozen
states in the Union. We have time and
again asserted that we are opposed to
what is known as European Imperialism,
that We are opposed to waging wars of
conquest. bu, this country has great in !.
terests in the East which must be pros
tected. and there is no getting away from
the fact. This problem would confront US
whether we occupied the Philippine Islands
or not, and we have simply said that the
Eastern problem exists apart from the
philippine problem. however intimately,
! the two may be associated
AS for the Filipinos. about whom the
Register is so deeply concerned. the
United States Government Is now under
obligation to do for them tina which is
best 20 BE done. But that IS q Question
i which cannot be disposed Of onhand.
Wa think a, y SIfs~n,,fd Ia mnnsfYoU1s Tor