Omaha daily bee., 1900-02-07
THE PHILIPPINE QUESTION
Duties and RESPONSIBILITIES of the
oNcrnmcn in Dealing with Our
"tnsulnr Possessions"

ton. The fasco OF their former declara-
tions in national platforms will not deter
them from Offering, in all seriousness. a
solution of this problem, framed or APP
proved by such great statesmen as Croker
of New York, Altgcld of Illinois. Bryan OF
Nebraska, Stone of Missouri. Goebel Of
Kentucky, Hogg Of Texas and Tillman of
South Carolina, who are really the leaders
of the democratic party, and will shape the
policy of that party in its next national
convention. They will grapple with it APP
p~arently in real earnest and as though they
comprehended the magnitude of the inter-
ests involved, and were not simply lifting
stones and logs, il happily they might find
some bait for their hooks in the next presi-
Dental campaign.
The republican party has never made a
mistake in any great public policy, nor
paltered with principle for policy's sake.
Truth is the magnet to which It. points as
unerringly as the needle to the pole. In
1861 the republican party stood for the
unity and integrity of the nation. The
abolition of slavery, resumption of specie
payment, all the reconstruction acts and
constitutional amendments were republican
measures. 1t has taken charge of the af-
fairs of the country at times when all was
chaos, confusion and business stagnation,
and has brought order and prosperity to the
people. 1t has stood at all times for honest
money and has = refused alliance with
"greenbacks," free silver or any other
debauchery of an honest financial system.
Its past is a pledge of it's future and the
history OF the republican party is, and
should be, a guaranty not only to repub-
licans, but to all thinking men, that it is
the best and safest tribunal in which to
seek the rightful solution of the Philippine
question. That question involves the well
fare of the nation, as well as our duties to
other governments and to the Filipinos
themselves, imposed by the fortunes of a
war begun in a spirit of sympathy and jus
tice, to free a neighboring people from a
tyranny and oppression that had become a
horror unbearable.
Little or no murmur is now heard in re-
gard to Cuban affairs. It has been hushed
by the mastery management of the admin
istration, which is rapidly bringing indie
pendence and prosperity to Cuba. This has
been no small tax upon the finances and the
manhood of the people of the United States.
But they We're our neighbors suffering
morally, physically and financially from
the tyranny and greed of a foreign nation,
which had no other interest than to suck
their blood. 1t was a duty that has been
SHH 10 " bNiA6 anu CaNlS
f~aCtorily discharged.
But by the fortunes of this most righteous
war the Philippine islands, away off in
Asia, have fallen into our hands, imposing
new duties of a somewhat similar character,
but of a broader scope and under essentially
different circumstances, which may well
challenge the wisest craftsmanship.
The United States does not possess a
fortunatus' purse, nor can it pose as a
Don Quixote rushing wildly to the rescue
CT every dusky damsel in distress, nor can
it levy taxes upon its citizens to buy ships
and munitions of war, nor yet send its citi-
zens and soldiers to shed their blood in
foreign parts without cause or reimburse
ment for the cost entailed, which is a
paramount duty we owe to ourselves. Here
are a people hardly half civilized, most of
them yet living in tribal relations on differ
ent islands of the sea, without homogeneity
Of customs or language, one tribe at enmity
with another, and in whose ability and ca
pacity to either establish or maintain a sta
BE government we have little or no conf
dence, who will have cost us perhaps half a
billion of dollars for the reimbursement Of
which they car give us no security. We
cannot let them go. To do so would be both
cowardly and inhuman. We cannot relin-
gGish our own rights and then stand by
and dare other nations to interfere, nor can
we define the line of conduct to be pursued
toward them by the nations of the world.
Dewey could not have sailed away after
sinking the Spanish fleet in Manila bay and
left even our enemies, the Spaniards, as
we'll as the subjects of foreign govern
ments, to be murdered and looted by the
half civilized hordes that hemmed them in.
Such a line Of conduct would embroil us In
-. e.
States billions OF money and rivers Of blood.
We cannot dismiss our obligations and re-
probabilities by reverently raising our
hands over the heads of the Filiplnos and
saying: BLESS you, my children; bless
you"
The republican party has practically taken
the stand that the United States was COM
PEELED not only by the fortunes of war. but
in justice to the Filipinos themselves, to
assume sovereignty over the Philippine
islands, with all the duties and RESPONSE
bilities entailed. That much was demanded
OF It by its responsibilities to other nations
as well as by the dictates of humanity, and
1t is entitled to any advantages that may
accrue, such as the extension of trade and
m in Asia, which will soon become
Of vital importance to the United States If
it would maintain the prosperity Of its peo-
Ilt anu la Ilpui pbolNlOH dllibIB lut ma
tons Of the world.
The republican party does not propose
there shall be inaugurated a tyrannous sys-
tenn of government similar to that from
which they have just been liberated, but that
as fast and as far as is consistent with their
capacity to administer a wise, stable and
humane government, they shall govern
themselves under the guidance and control
of the United States, who will stand their
sponsor and protector, promoting the arts Of
peace bv establishing a system of free
schools Ike our own, by introducing i'm
proved methods Of manufacture and of Gull
tivating the soil, opening up new fields of
commerce ana extending their business and
trade relations, converting their rude huts
and primitive villages into comfortable
homes and thriving, bustling towns, thus
making them an intelligent, happy, pros
porous people.
The United States can and will insure to
each individual justice in the courts, edu-
cation IN the schools, religious freedom and
the right to life, liberty and the pursuit
Of happiness, all of which are the outgrowth
of American civilization and the highest
attributes OF our form OF government
c.. e. HAMBLBTON.