Cañon City record., 1900-09-13

the other? Stable government in the
Philippine islands under American aus
pices Is what Mr. Bryan demands, and
he asserts the demand without the
slightest reference to the question
whether or not the Filipinos them
selves want US to establish stable
government or take them In the future
under our care and protection. There
Is no need to be mincing of language
Mr.. Bryan's program. reduced to prac-
tice, makes the Filipino people the
wards OF this nation. irrespective Of
their will presumably for their good
And In our capacity ms guardian, Mr.
Bryan would have us thriftily obtain
transfer of title from our comparative
ly helpless ward TO an extremely yalu-
able which In his opinion
is all that we happen to need OF our
wards property-and which In the in
ternational market Is by all odds the
wards most important asset. And yet
Mr. Bryan quotes Senator Lodges Phil
adelphia speech with deep moral dis
approval because Senator Lodge was
frank enough to say that he believed
that the promotion OF our commercial
interests in the Philippines and the
far East was entirely compatible with
our treating the Filipino people both
"
was distinctly proper object OF the
work OF our government In its diplo-
macy and external relations TO promote
the expansions of our trade.
The Philippines Necessarily Dependent
The people of the Philippine islands
could not possibly take their place as
n member OF the family Of nations
with no responsible hacker; because. IL
for no other reason. they would not be
admitted TO the family fellowship. The
American nag as the symbol Of the
larger and external status OF the Phil
ipptne islands does not mean anything
in any sense humiliating to the Fill
pinos. Their objection to the Spanish
nag rose solely from the most pro-
tracted and colossal misgovernment on
Spain's part. and not from any In
stinctive development. among the FL
ipinos. of the spirit OF national unity
and independence There has never
been any evidence Of the existence of
such spirit. Dr. Rial, who was the
real head and inspiration Of the revolt
that produced AeuinaIdo as one Of its
military chiefs. was merely contending
for the carrying out OF certain prom
lsed reforms I'm the Spanish colonial
administration As a matter OF recent
Tended the treaty agreed upon at Paris
under which Spain was eliminated
from the Philippines by the process Of
transferring such title as she had to
US Nothing could be more contrary to
the spirit OF sincere criticism than the
fiippant assertion that we went into a
slave market and bought the Fuipinos
at $40 head. when. in point Of fact.
ms the easiest way TO settle certain
property questions-the ownership Of
various public buildings. and other
valuable property unquestionably be-
longing to Spain-we paid the sum Of
<2u.OO1.Oo. The transaction was per-
fectly honorable on both sides. and
did not In any way Affect the future
political status OF the Filipino people
II that treaty OF peace had been
promptly ratified. as IL ought TO have
been. the wnr between our troops and
those OF Aguinaldo which began n year
aud a half ago. would. In all human
probability. never have occurred. We
should hnve proceeded to establish
good government just as rapidly as
possible and IL would have been both
easy and safe to have conceded to the
Filipinos inconparubly more than they
had ever asked from the SpaniarSis-
\ Coudisiou. Not = Theory-
There Is not a human being in the
United StnfeS who has ever wanted
to hold the Filipinos Ia subsection or
vassalage. But the events of the past
eighteen months have AT once illustrate
ed and brought about condition of
things under which II Is clear that
Filipino independence would be inn
possible for a long time TO come. As n
matter OF mere preference. most of us
want neither colonies. possessions. nor
protectorates in the Orient. and least
OF all. do we want military cam
paigns. whether In the Philippines or
In China. Rut i'm the Philippines, as
well as In China, ne less than In Cuba
two years ago. we are merely doing
n part OF the ugly hut needful police
duty of civilization. Our soldiers are
suffering in the Philippines because
Filipino gucrillas decline to accept the
American amnesty proposals: and their
refusal Is said TO be based largely upon
the theory that their position Is the
football Of American politics. and that
the election OF Mr.. Bryan would mean
the triumph of their cause. II, then,
Mr.. Bryan should be elected In Novem-
ber. II is TO be inferred that the flames
OF the insurgent cause would be re-
kindlcd everywhere. But Mr.. Bryan
would remain a private citizen until
the Jth OF next March. and Mr.. Me
kiuiey's administration would. for
four mcnths. be in n most difficult pre-
dicament. Our army would either
have to give up What It now holds in
the Philippines or else facc redoubled
lnsurgent activity with Increased eff
fort on our part. This would mean a
very fierce and bloody campaign. with
the loss OF many brave American offi-
GERS and men.
The ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Next March.
Under chose circumstance. what
would Mr.. Bryan. as commonder-in-
chief OF the American army. do on the
day after his Inauguration. early in
March? Would he discredit the work
OF our troops. and order them to their
barracks TO await their turn to ens-
bark for America on the transport
ships; Would be recall Judge Taft
and his fellow commissioners, and au-
thnriur vuiualdo TO assume the fef,-