The Saint Paul globe., 1900-12-31
AN AMERICAN COLONIAL POLICY.

AN AMERICAN COLONIAL POLICY.
The United States own colonies. That
is an established fact. The people at
the last election decided with an over
Whelming majority to retain those col
onies. That is another unquestionable
fact. and the majority in favor of re-
tention would have been ever so much
greater if there had been any well de-
fined colonial policy outlined in accord
with the fundamental principles of our
constitution. There was no such policy
outlined. yet the majority of the people
were in favor of retaining the Philip
pines. This does not mean they were
willing to do so under a policy repug-
nant and contrary to our own institu-
tions; it merely means that they were
willing to give the party in power
reasonable opportunity for developing
such policy.s,s -ss<s.,..ss.
Present conditions in the Philippines
cannot continue permanently The people
of the United States will never subscribe
to policy of governing colonies through
an arbitrary, despotic, irresponsible, mill
tary form of government Unless the
people of the United States can feel that
the inhabitants of our colonies are en-
joying the same amount of liberty and
self-government as we ouselves enjoy,
then there can be no American colonies
An i
is universal; that there are few people
in the United States who would sub
scribe to anything else. regardless of
party
On the other hand, it would never do
TO make tie Philippines free and soyel efgn
states. The objections to that are many
and well understood. 1t would not be
| wise to admit into the Union extensive
peoples whose race and language are en-
tirely different from our own. Our colo
NAL policy must therefore give our colo
nies the same liberty and self-govern-
ment which we ourselves enjoy, while
! preserving their connection with the
United States, but without actually ad-
If such policy can be devised, there
is no reason why it should not receive
unanimous support policy of expan-
sion that will actually extend to other
peoples and other countries the blessings
of our own free institutions is especially
in accord with Democratic doctrines. It
was the Democratic party that extended
the stars and stripes and American lib
erty to the entire territory west of the
| Mississippi.
| Democratic opposition during the late
| campaign was not directed against ex-
pansion, but against the policy of i'm
perialism, @i-~e-,- the governing of sub
| ject races by arbitrary method in which
the governed themselves have no voice
Such a condition could not continue for
any length of time. The Democratic party
will oppose it to the bitter end and the
American people have only accepted it as
a temporary makeshift looking toward
something better
II it is possible to develop colonial
!
there could be no objection to it either as
a matter of principle or of practical
policy. for if the United states could
stand at the head of a number of repub-
lies. self-governing- and independent, but
united in matters of trade and foreign
policy, it certainly would mean unlimited
commerce, wealth, power and prosperity
for all concerned.
It has lately been suggested to make
| Cuba virtually self governing and irda
pendent with congress and a presi-
dent of her OWN. leaving, however, her
foreign relations in the hands of the
/ United States AS far as Cuba is con-
cerned, in view of our pledges, it must de-
pend entirely on whether the Cubans
themselves would want such an arrange
ment.
Let US see how the same principle might
apply to the Philippines. AS soon as
any one Of the islands is eualined it
should be allowed to set up government
of its own, with constitution. president.
congress, etc. This country should not
interfere with the government except so
far as foreign relations are concerned, as,
for instance, the. subordinate republics
should not have the right to declare war,
which would also mean that no nation
could declare war against them In this
respect they would be an integral part
OF the United States
| The main purpose in establishing col.
onies is, of course, TO extend our trade
Some special provision should, therefore.
be made TO attain this object. We should
either establish free trade Or prefer
entiaI tariff with these our dependent
republics. 1t might, be stipulated that