The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-25
The Only Way Out.

The Philadelphia Times Is a Democratic
paper. a regular. its Democracy being OF
the Bryan brand and its faith and doc
trine being the Kansas City platform.
And yet the Times Is not living up 10
and In accordance with that faith. and
Is not expounding that doctrine. our con-
temporary has no doubt that We could i'm
mediately pacify the insurgent Filipinos
IF We would offer them peace ard lib
erty under constitutional guarantees"
Our contemporary appears to have no
doubt OF the amiability and the intelli-
gence OF those ten millions of strangely
heterogeneous people, and IL intimates no
suspicion Of their unfitness for American
institutions. II appears 10 think that
sweet peace and admirable loyalty would
be insured. II we would tender them the
tame kind Of government that we have al
home.
This estimate OF the Filipinos is not
harmonious with the latest and only au-
thentic Democratic output on that sub
iect. While contending that the COnsti-
tuition goes with the flag, the Democratic
platform does not assert that the Filipinos
are citizens or that the Democracy wants
them 10 be. 1t comes very near saying
they never shall be. 1t squarely asserts:
The FiliDinos cannot become citizens without
endangering our civilization; they cannot become
subjects without inperiling our form Of govern
ment and we are not willing to surrender our civ
ilizston TO convert the republic into empire:
we favor an immediate declaration Of the nations
purpose to give to the Filipinos hFst stsble form
Of government; second. independence; and. third,
protection from outside interference"
II. as The Post believes. and the De-
mocracy contends. the Constitution goes
with the flag. the Filipinos were citizens
long before that declaration was made:
treaty was adopted. That being the case.
those Of them who are resisting our au-
thority are in rebellion against the Con-
stitution and flag of the United States,
and the government has no choice but to
force them into submission.
The Post has repeatedly declared that
there Is no authority in the Constitution
for putting an integral part of the United
States out from under the flag and TIE
Constitution. The Post has challenged the
supporters of the Kansas City platform TO
show any authority for granting indie
pendence to the Filipinos If the Consti-
tuition goes with the flag. Their status Is
precisely that OF the inhabitants of New
Mexico, Arizona, and Oklahoma. Up to
this date that challenge remains unan-
Swered. No Democrat. no anti-expanson-
ist, no statesman or iurist has undertaken
TO show any constitutional authority for
fulfilling the Democratic pledge OF inde-
pendence without abandoning the Demo
cratic position, ''the paramount issue"
We infer from the deliveranees of the
Philadelphia Times that it agrees with
The Post.
On the other hand. the Republican con-
tention that Congress has a free hand
in the Philippines, unrestrained by the
Constitution. would exactly suit the de-
sire OF the Democrats to get rid Of those
islands and their troublesome inhabitants
Should the Supreme Court sustain the
Republlcans, We can, II so inclined, give
away. sell, or otherwise dispose OF the
Philippines. But If the court sustains the
Democratic construction of the Constitu-
ton, the Filipinos viii be declared to have
become citizens long ago, and the wish
20 make them aliens will be impossible of
qualification. The Republican contention
opens a way TO carry out the Democratic
pledge. The Democratic contention Is
squarely opposed to that pledge.
Meanwhile. there can be no reasonable
question OF the right and duty OF our gov
ernment to suppress insurrection against
its authority on any part OF the globe
over which our flag floats as an emblem
OF sovereignty. That is good American
doctrine. and must. therefore, be good
Democratic and good Republican doctrine.