The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-09-01
NEW PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT.


Today, the LIST OF September, is the date
fixed for the assumption Of The reins OF
government in the Philippines by Mr..
McKinloy's Commission" aud It was re-
ported from Manila few days since that
It WIS thought possible to naugurate this
new civil government on schedule time.
The POST trusts that n Will not he
accused OF unrensonlng pessImism II It
expresses at the outset OF this "experi-
mont" n well nxed doubt OF the success OF
the scheme. n is true the army is there
yet and at the command OF the commits
sion, but the eivll government Ia intend
ed to be tho main agency in accomplish
ing the quiet submission OF the people
and developing tho era OF benevolent as
slmllation
The chief objection to the kind OF ad-
minstration to be set up is that It grants
the natives 1t Is the mere she'll which IA
given to the Filipinos while the COM
mission retains the kernel. The commits.
sion has an absolute veto on every
move made by the natives, The latter
can not call themselves Independent In
are put UP whose will, under vaguely
deAnod limits. Is to be law. The spanish
governor general in the former time did
not have The absolute authority possessed
by this commission, Tho only redeemins
feature is the presumption that these
autocrnts. or joint satraps, are good men
and VIII make an honest effort to rule
wisely and humanely and give the depend
ent local governments all the liberty OF
action possible under such circumstances
But what can humane and broad pur-
poses accomplish II the rulers be not
thoroughly familiar with all the racial
pecullarltles, all the governmental asplra-
lions the effects and strength OF customs
and traditions, and In large sympathy
with them? A government by doctrinalres
and foreign lawyers. trained under one
civilization. OF ignorant and vicious, hos
tile and suspicious people trained under
other codes % morals and another sys-
tenn OF civilization with the inherited
instincts of centuries In both rular and
subjects directly antagonistic, is marked
on Its very face with failure.
Then again. the islands are not "pacl-
fed" The statements by high officials
either in the Philippines or at Washing
ton that there Is any general submission
TO American authority in the archipelago
or any disposition worth mentioning to
tat
legisnce to the United States. are simply
absurd in the face OF daily news coming
from the islands To inaugurate So
called civil government at this time is
q pious fraud-nothng more. It will not
command one iota OF respect beyond tho
confines OF strong military authority and
It's DEGREES viii only be enforced whero
tho military arm is the policeman. 1t
looks more like a political farce to divert
tho people at home. here in America, than
anything else.
There are but two ways 10 command
authority and respect In the Philippines.
by overwhelming military authority. or
by saying 10 the natives that We mean
only TO temporarily remain in tho
islands and aid them in establishing a
stable Independent government. People
who talk OF any other kind OF govern
ment by Americans over there are mere
rainbow cnasers, or cunning and schetnlng
hypoerites.
Which OF these two plans will the good
people of the United states approve
military desotism. or temporary occu-
patton looking to the Independence OF the
islands, and SO announced to them from
Washington In unmlstakable termsr
=--------------.---=