The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-09-07
maintained an organized government for

maintained an organized government for
centuries
Aguinaldo and his chiefs represent the
most civilized and intelligent element of
the native races, and yet we know it was
their purpose to burn, sack and loot Ma
Mia, and to slaughter all foreigners in
the city. The independence the Filipinos
would enjoy under such leaders as Agui-
naldo and his chiefs would be such indie
pendence as the people Of Haiti and Santo
Domingo enjoy-brute lawlessness, partly
restrained by brute force, and revolution
succeeding revolution.
To reiinquish our title and SOW
ereiHnty to the Filipinos, and then
continue to maintain q stable gov
eminent there, and to protect them
against the fnroadS of foreign ma
lions, would make our task more
difficult and more burdensome than
ever.
We should still. owing to the great dis
lance and the character of the people, be
obliged to maintain a naval station,
fleet and an army in the archipelago.
And does not such a protectorate, with
all that appertains to it, SAVIOR of imperi-
alism of the most noxious kind? If we
relinquish our title and sovereignty, what
warrant is there in the Constitution for
our maintaining a stable government and
exercising protectorate there, directly
or indirectly, by armed forces, as we
needs must, for we cannot hope to do it
by moral suasion? For the purpose of
establishing such a protectorate, with
such burdens, over such a people and
with such an environment, Mr.. Bryan
would call special session of congress.
The relief would be as elusive and as
abortive as 16 to 1.
REPUBLICAN PLAN.
The programme of the Republican party
is just, plain, and safe, and far less bur-
densomc and predetermined. In brief it is
this: Suppress the insurrection as rapidly
as possible; then esta blish a stable gov
eminent, giving the Filipinos a great a
degree of self-goverrment as they are ca
pable of exercising and enjoying. And
who are more capable of Judging of this
than the American people--the worlds
masters of the science Of free govern
ment? To be able to give them a stable
and free self-government, and to main
tain such a government, it is essential
that we retain the paramount sover eighty
in the islands. 1t is only by retaining
such sovereignty, that we can be in a
condition to establish and maintain such
government To relinquish our sover-
eighty would be to deprive us of this
power.
No better, safer Or less expensive
prote ctOrRte can be given than by a
stable and free government under
the auspices of the United states.
No foreign power could eyade or es-
cape such q prOtectOrate.
And with a good, free and stable gov
h. a1o
the American flag, few troops would be
required to maintain order. Tyrannical
and oppressive as the Spanish govern
ment was, still it never maintained a
large army in the islands. AS soon as
the Filipinos can get fair opportunity
to enjoy a free government under Ameri-
can auspices, and can fully realize the
great difference between Spanish and
American rule, they will become peaceful
and law abiding, and very small army
not over 10000, more likely not over 5000
will be ample to maintain peace, law
and order. And surely there can be moth
ing alarming in a standing army of such
numbers. With peace and good govern
ment. Manila and the Philippine islands
will become the great commercial center
of the far East, and afford us great
field for American enterprise and trade,
such as we never had before and such as
no other nation can boast Of. From this
vantage ground we can dominate the
commerce, and by our near presence be
instrumental in maintaining the peace of
the East at less outlay and less exertion
than any other nation.
AS a substitute for such a progremme
and such results, all that Mr.. Bryan can
offer is burdensome, expensive and
problematical protectorate, not warranted
by the Constitution, and in its essence sa-
voring more of Imperialism than the
course pursued by the Republican party.