The statesman., 1900-01-27
STOP THE FooLisHNEss.

The so-called anti-imperialist oppo-
sition to the administration policy in
the Philippines has its humorous side,
and it is from that side that it has been
treated generally in the press of the
country. 1t is high time, however, that
the Jerious view should be considered.
and that the opponents of the admins
tration should be called upon to formu-
late their policy in positive state
ment. That the speeches of Senator
Hoar and others, telegraphed to Hong
Kong and thence TO Manila, encour-
aged Aguinaldo and his followers, and
that the continuance of the insurrec-
ton, and the blood of General Lawton
and many others is directly chargeable
to these reasonable encouragements of
the armed enemies of our country, has
been put beyond a doubt. 1t is time
now to stop the foOlishness.
The so-called anti-imperialists differ
among themselves as to the policy to
be pursued; but one thing all of them
apparently are united on: that the
United States, when it abandons the
Philippines to Aguinaldo and the
Hong Kong junta, shall guarantee that
no other nation shall put stop to the
anarchy which would naturally result
from the withdrawal of the United
States forces, or take possession of the
islands or any part thereof, for the
time of ten years at least. This is the
most definite proposition upon which
all the anti-imperialists appear to be
united. This is a policy which can
only be characterized as q dog-in-the-
manager policy. Does any one imagine,
who has any sense, that the other ma
tiOns who would be glad to get pos
session of the islands would acknOwl-
edge for a moment the right of the
United States to withdraw from them,
and at the same time announce to the
world that no other nation should take
them? So long as we hold the islands,
other nations acknowledge our right to
do so: but the moment we withdraw,
and allow the natives to make war on
each other undisturbed, to violate the
rights of traders, to pillage and mas
sacre at their will, other nations are
bound to see that the rights of their
subjects are protected, and they will
do so; and if we should undertake to
prevent them we should have on our
hands q worldwide war.
The guaranty which the anti-imperi
alists propose, therefore, is a guaranty
of war with England and Germany and
Russia and probably France, all in the
interests of peace A more absurd
was never formulated by
q man insane.
There is not a single anti-imperialist,
so far as their utterances disclose, who
would have this country simply with
draw from the Philippines and leave
them to their fate. Every one wants
the United States to guarantee them
from interference by any other power.
Such a guaranty involves all the re-
and none of the benefits
which would come from an occupa-
ton by this country. That the Fill
pinos would have under our govern
ment a larger measure of individual
freedom, q better administration of
justice, and better chance to life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness"
than under the dictatorship of an
is not worth arguing. The
question is whether this country, hav-
ing undertaken responsibility shall
funk it. There is but one answer to
such q question that can be given
by the American people, and if Mr..
Bryan and the majority of the Demo
Gratis in their next national convention
shall declare that this country ought |
to adopt any such course as is now
by the Democratic leaders
who seem to have most influence in the !
party. the popular verdict in the next |
election will be so overwhelming that |
the party will need a quarter of a |
century more to recruit its shattered |
forces enough to make respectable |
contest.