Evening star., 1900-06-23
HOW TO GOvER
This is the Real Philippine Problem,
Not Shall We Abandon.
A FREE HAND FOR CONGRESS
In the Interest of Wise Discrimi-
mating Laws for the FiIiplnos.
A VITAL NEED

| Editorial Correspondence of The Evening Star.
Study of Javanese, Cinghalese and other
oriental precedents for useful hints in deal
ing with our Asiatic possessions assumes
that the real Philippines problem is: How
shall we manage Philippine affairs to pro-
mote to the highest degree the welfare Of
both Filipinos and Americans
1t treats as already conclusively answered
the preliminary query: Shall we hold or
abandon the Philippires?''
Without considering at all the merits of
the popular verdict it assumes that the
same public opinion which brought about
the acquisition of the islands will assure
their retention.
There is no apparent evidence of change
of mind on the part of the merchants mani
ufacturers. agriculturists and workingmen
who interested, directly or indirectly,
in an expanded foreign commerce, in the
retention and increase of our Chinese and
Asiatic trade. These classes. covering and
representing every section of the republic,
continue to think on this subject men
| would naturally do who find increasing
prosperity in the transfer to Asia of the
cotton of the south, the kerosene. the ma
chinery and the countless minor products
of the manufacturing east, the -four of the
west and the timber and general supplies
of the Pacific coast.
The trend of the influence of the churches
with their powerful missionary organiza-
tons is still in the same direction. They
appreciate that the victory of Manila bay
and the possession of the Philippines not
only open up new missionary fields. but
make every American missionary In all
Asia more respected and safer in his per-
son. and, as a consequence. more effective
in his labors.
The aggressive, acquisitive spirit of the
great west, fresh from frontier struggles,
was enthusiastic for the with Spain,
and now seems equally vigorous for reten-
ton of the fruits Of the war. This spirit
meets with sympathetic response from the
hct-blooded youth of the republic of every
section. in the north and east and south
no less than in the west.
Philippines to Be Retained.
While commercial. missionary and war
spirit influences thus urge toward retention
there has been no change in our relations
with foreign powers and in the greater evils
of every alternative course consideration of
which at Paris caused even the anti-expan-
sion representation on the peace commits
sion to assent to the acquisition of the
whole of the Philippines. There are the
same threatened alternative results from
present abandonment of the islands as from
refusal then to take them. TO wit venge-
fu and cruel marrying of the Philippines
BY the Spanish Cuban army. anarchy for
the Filipinos, transfer of the islands from
Spain to Germany, international war, and
final domination of the Philippines by some
fore ign power whose occupation would
render worthless for commercial and strait
Ill.:
served for our own use.
AS if to render impossible abandonment
of the islands. the bulk of those Americans
who opposed their acquisition and reten-
ton have curiously enough adopted and are
now urging a construction of the Consttu-
ton which if sustained by the Supreme
Court, would make the Philippines an inte-
gral part of the United States for all pur-
poses, and prevent absolutely their seces-
sion or separation therefrom. even with
the consent of Congress. If Congress may
not constitutionally treat the Philippines as
not included within the words United
States when uniformity of duties is the
ISSUE it may not suffer them to be distin-
guished from the United States for the
purpose of setting up in them an independ-
ent government under Aguinaido. No one
will contend that the powers cf Congress,
ing to the secession of an integral part Of
the United States. and unless under coer-
cion of superior force to any diminution of
the Union. Thus It results that those VINO
argue the most vigorously that the Philip
pines ought to be separated from the United
States are at the same time urging that
they are consttutionally nseparable.
When the opponents of the acquisition OF
the islands are apparently convinced that
the Constitution forbids their abandonment
the vote for retention might perhaps be
made unanimous.
The Real Philippines Problem.
Assuming that the Philippines to be
held, and to be governed in the manner
most promotive of Filipino and American
welfare, it is in order to determine what
relation of the islands to the republic will
best serve this beneficent purpose.
The lessons of Java and Ceyion are prac-
tically lost if they do not teach the neces-
sity of fiexibility in the legal systems to be
applied to the various parts of the archipel-
ago Different tariffs, different labor reg
u.ations, different general laws, different
degrees of self-government must prevail
in the various sections of the Philippines,
and all must differ, If the welfare of the
natives Is to be promoted. from those
which exist in the United States. Neither
the Tagalog nor the Moro today, with
comfort TO himself, be forced into the
American mould.
To permit this adaptability of methods in
accordance with the conditions confronted
in each case, it is desirable that Congress
should have free legislative hand as
possible not in order that we of the United
States may crafty our tyrannical instincts
by placing a despotlc heel upon the neck
of Asiatic millions but in erder that the
most valued rights and privileges, the in
grained sentiments and traditions, of these
millions may be to the limit of national
safety respected and protected.
American protection and guardianship of
the Filipinos should be a light, strong.
flexible, easiiy-fitting coat of mall and not
as a uniform, unyielding, cramping Strait
jacket
Not Outside of the Consultation.
uppoceSSary tn take he nnSitiou