The Atlanta constitution., 1900-03-26

II would condition such guarantee upo.
| the complete and peaceable acquiesenc,
by the Ffiipinos in the authority Of tn,
american flag and the supremacy o
American jurisdiction.
| AS the result of developnents of tn,
past year. one factor i'm this discussion
has been practically eliminated-that
which favored the immediate Withdrawal
OF our troops from the Philippines. and
which boldly announced that American
soldiers were there as interopers ant
conquerors. and that they would get their
Just deserts IL they were driven into the
sea This element. with headquarters in
Boston. and with its ramifications eN-
tending with spasmodic breaks from there
To the United States senate and else
where. was particularly noisy at first,
and while not less vociferous now &: is
Infinitely less harmless. 1t IS a non-par-
tisln aggregation made UP of Republicans
and democrats. and il would be unjust to
II 10 withhold the full credit TO which
IL Is entitled for having been the chief
source of inspiration of Agunaldo and
his .nsurrection. The answer of ths
American people regardless of their opin-
ion fo what should become ultimately
of the Philippines. was firm and emphatic.
They declared that the flag must he up
held. tha; the insurrection against Amer
duellcd: that the asquiesence Of the ma
tVes TO American control must be Sc
cured. and that the strong right arm of
Uncle Sam would be backed with all the
men and all the money necessary TO bring
about this condition.
while partisans have differed. no diff
fer. and will continue to differ as To the
policy THAI should be adopted concerning
the future Of the Philippines. il is worthy
of note that the representatives of all
parties i'm congress have patrioticallv ral-
He'd To the support of the government i'm
meeting present conditions i'm the Philip
pines. and the world has been put ON
notice that American manhood could be
depended upon To protect and defend the
hag wherever it may float.
There was at one time disposition IN
some duarterS-and IL cannot be said 10
have disappeared now--;o miscQnstrue and
misrepresent the purpose of those demo-
Gratis VINO. Welding to none i'm devotion
To the flag. nor in the ardor Of its defense
when attacked. would say To the people
OF the Philippines that they should live
in hope of a government of their own
that when. i'm Gods appointed time. they
are capable cf meeting the demands of
civilization and OF administering "A repub-
licsn form of government. with justice TO
their own people and To che vast interests
identified with the islands. they should
be given opportunity TO establish and
maintain such "A government. ON the
other band. there has been a similar dis
position TO misrcpresent the attitude Of
many Of those who believe conscientious
IL that IL is 10 the best interest of our
government To retain the Philippines as
a permanent possession. There is a vast
difference between imperialism and 'ex-
pansion.' and IL is entirely consistent that
the latter can be accomplished without
the former as a necessary correlative.
The advantage Of commercial expan-
sion 10 the people OF this country is 80
apparent that argument is not necessary
Ia sustain the contention that we should
cave nothing undone 20 open new ave |
lucs Tor the extension Of our CONNER
lai facilities. We are now at the open /
gates of China. and our hold on the Phil /
ppines puts us in "a position whey. we can |
axe such advantage of our opportunity |
,ot ol,-,ined the unexpected footing"f' We ,
las wueu tsvwcy sailed into Manila harn"r ]
AMI raised the American flag above the
wreck of the Spanish fleet Nobody de
nies the great benefit 10 accrue from our
increasing trade i'm the orient. and it IS
an unjust argument which seeks 20 make
il appear that those who would hold out
the hope Of ultimate Independence To the
F.Iipinos fail 10 understand the import
amce of the extension of our commerce
L. the Asiatic market.
MANY Of those who are kcenly appre-
riative of the riches offered in the de-
vclopment Of this market believe that II
can better be. secured To American COM
merce by dealing with the Filipinos as
We have dealt with the Cubans than by
proceeding with them on the unjust basis
that We have the rigEt 10 tyrannize over
them. as was boldly declared. IN eject
that W. proposed TO IL with Porto klco,
whose people were formally put yn notice
bv the representatives of the dominant
Marty i'm congress that the Spanish yoke
NJ tyranny which had been taken from
their throats by American interference
was To be substituted with another "t
American make. the only difference being
That the new one was 10 be of somewhat
different character than the old one
There can be- no doubt that this new
venture into the uncertain sea uf colo
uial experiment has already had a very
effect upon the public NINA.
The people of this country VIII never
b.. satisfied To- hold Porto Rico in discrim-
mating bonds. and If We hold it-as we
ought Ia dot must be territory-and
ultimately as a statc-with full ana Tree
access To American ports. and with Amer
lean commerce given an open gate To the
Porto Rico market. Any other course
would be cruel. conscienceless and de-
feurelcss. and the party or the power re-
sponsible for it will be repudiated by the
American people.
In dealing with the Philippines. it Is
well 10 keep i'm view the fact tina; Amert-
can sentiment. without regard to party. IS
determined To maintain the commercial
footing already established there. View
ing the matter from a party standpoint
fh,. democrats are no less emphatic in
their Endorsement Of this position than
are the republicans II the democrats
contend. as they will in party convention.
AH NJ