Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-27

| a heavy foot across the threshold of the
| open door in China, and will perhaps pre-
vent 1t from being closed.
Filipino Welfare to BE Promoted.
! In developing the Philippines the United
States will so treat the people who live In
the islands as to make of them the most
effective factor in this insular develop
ment and to that end will maintain there
government under which they shall be pros
porous and contentcd. in which they shall
as far as possible participate and which
shall meet their reasonable aspirations by
fully protecting them in life, liberty and
pursuit Of happiness.
The government of the Philippines by
Americans will be successful in proportion
to the extent to which brainy, honest and
tactful men are selected TO represent the
, republic in the Islands, and in proportion
to the extent to which the reasonable hopes
and wishes Of the people arc met and salts
fed.
If little or no attention is paid to the de-
velopment Of the Filipinos in exploiting
the Philippines if they are not to be care.
fully led through education and experience
toward local self-sovernment on American
lines; if the main result Of the possession of
the Philippines is to create a batch of Luz
crative Offices to be distributed under the
spells system to clamorous political strik
ers or used-up politicians who need to be
provided with means of support at the pub
lie expense; and especially If the appoint
ments of the kind likely to be made under
this system approach their difficult and
delicate task with no appreciation OF the
national importance of their work, and in
spired mainly by the impulse to get out Of
their office all there Is in 1t financially. then
the Philippines chapter in the republics his
tory will chronicle a failure, scandal.
disgrace, staining the American admintStra-
ton and destructive of the Filipino.
An especial importance attaches to the
treatment Of the Rawaiians and the Porto
Ricans by the republic on account OF the
object lesson thereby furnished to the Phil
ippines and to Cuba. Whatever can be
safely done to demonstrate the value Of the
privilege of living on territory belonging to
the United States should be done, with the
purpose and result of causing the Flipinos
to appreciate the advantages Of this con-
nection, and with the result. If not the pur
pose, of causing the Cubans to desire an
nexation. an end which will not be brought
about in their case in the absence Of this
desire. If the Porto Ricans do not fare dis
tinctly better in trade relations with the
republic than the West Indies islands which
do not belong to the United States. and
whose relations regulated by reciprocity
agreements, Cuba will be eager and impa-
tent to exercise her privilege of severing
the bond which temporarily attaches her
to the United States. If the republic in
dealing with the Porto Ricans. as well as
the Hawaiians. faithfully fulflls every
agreement. express or implied. made to
them, and shows itself in every way con-
siderate. just and LIBERAL the confidence of
the Filiplnos will be the more quickly
gained. appreciation of the advantages of
the American connection will be confirmed
and strengthened. and the genuine peace in
the islands which is absolutely necessary
for their present well-being and future de-
velopment may be the more speedily estab-
lished and rendered permanent.
American and Filipino Interests Co
incide.
The philanthropy which makes the well
fare of the people of the islands the pri-
mary purpose of the government and the
test of its success is also enlightened self
ishness. For the development of the islands
into valuable national asset in our COM
mercial and business relations with the
world can be accomplished under the lin
itations as to methods imposed by
wholesome public opinion, only through
development and improvement which applyS
to people as well to soil and which bring
prosperity to both.
Let the republic then prepare itself for
the task of so administering the affairs OF
these islands that their people shall be well
governed and far as possible self-gov-
erned thrifty, prosperous and content; and
that at the same time this American sec
ton of the tropics may be 80 developed as
to contribute most effectively to the ma
tional welfare
The first page of the record of America
as Pacific power Is as yet unwr1tten and
unblotted. We can write upon 1t what we
please. THEODORE w. MY Els.