The daily morning Alaskan., 1900-02-01
SUNDAY SOCIAL.
LATEST PnILIrrIsE PASS.

The Philippine situation haS takeu ou a new phase. Senor Mabini, whom Senator Beveridge. pronounced annex ationist. says Is "the equal, as con structive statesman, of any man in pub lie life in Ameri,a," as the representa- tive of Aguinaldo, has asked that the United States government designate a civil commission to treat with the Fill p!nos on the basis of peace with the widest possible self government in local affairs. The president has responded firmly that the Eilipinos must first cease fighting American soldiers and lay down their arms before they can be treated with on auy hypothesis what ever. They will be required to sur render unconditionslly, and depend upon American sense of fairness and justice to give them such self govern nent as they are capable of sustaining. ln his position the president Is sustain d by those expansionists who have .iven the greatest thought and study C. the situation.
 As could be expected, the petition as given Senators Hoar and Hale, and III the other antis. another argument O oppose against the administrators Nsiatic policy. Senator HOar thinks hat to acquiesce in this, to him fair appearing proposal, is the least our government can do. But -nservative American sentiment will more proba- ply agree with John Barrett, ex-minis- ser to Siam, who says; Whatever 'omes from MaDini is certainly worth considering. am inclined, however, 70 think it Is too late for anything 70 be lone on the line he suggests. The only thing io be done Is to 20 in and com plete American victory and then get to work and help the Philippines develop the largest amount Of self-goyernment Of which they are capable"
 So long as the United States acts upon the assumption that Aguinaldo's forces are insurrectionists, rebelling against the legitimate authority Of cur government. it cannot honorably treat with them as with foreign power. Our government bases it's policy large ly upon the theory that Aguinaldo and his alleged government are not author ized to speak for the Filippino people. lt is to protect these people from the greedy pretensions of Aguinaldo's army as well as to uphold the authority of the American government that we have an army of 10000 men in the Philippine A-chepeligo. To now enter into an agreement with AguinaldO, whereby the belligerant Tagsl and those who have supported him in mak- ing war against the United States would be both unfair to that greater number who have not been in sympa- thy with his war and incompatible with national dignity.
 There k also more practical reason in justification of the course which the president has decided upon. There has already been too much temporizing with the Filipinos. Too often have their representatives sought to nego- tiate with our country only tO gain time to organize for a more effective campaign. The dry season in those tropical islands is fast slipping away. Several weeks consumed now in fruit less negotiations would permit Agui- naldo to gather larger army, and, by consuming much of the dry season, in. evitably prOlong the war. Aguinaldo is crafty and plausible. Should Presi- dent Mckinley stOop to barley with him he could easily make it appear to the other Filipinos that his greatness was such as to bring the great Ameri- can government to his terms. The re- suit would be to induce the belief that, in the event of peace. promotion dC. pended upon allegiance to the Tagal chief. An army would be again re- cruited, and then if negotiations failed, as probably they would, another wet season would intervene to prevent the continuation of the war. The insur- gents would be as strong a year from now as at present. We cannot afford to depend upon the faith of the Tagals.