The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1900-09-22
profitable for as to expand7 or, to
state the proposition correctly,
Have we erred in expandingl
BRY MS GRE AT SCllEN aE.


stable government in the Philippine
Islands as though he had the att
tributes Of Otnnipotence and could
establish governments as easily as
the Creator in the dawn Of time
gave light to his .fiat--let there be
light In contemplation DC the pos
sibility Of. Mr. Rryan's election 1t is
well enough to consider some Of the
difficulties that might arisein carry
ing out the proposed program. He
has been very liberal in criticism Of
the Republican administration be-
cause it has refrained from giving
a detailed statement of its future
policy, but he has overlooked the
fact that hehas been equally econorn-
ical in the matter Of detail. But, he
says, IT will give the Philippines a
stable government" and, we ask,
how would you proceed to do it.
We presume of course, that the
form Of government he proposes to
establish would be Republican, and
that il would be founded on consti-
tuition formulated and adopted by
the whole people. About the first.
thing to be done would be the cali
ing of a constitutional convention in
which there would necessarily be
representatives ofthe different tribes
sinhabiting the Philippine Islands.
Now we come to a somewhat prac-
tical part of the program. There
are in the Philippines some eighty
different and distinct tribes, speak
ing different languages, having
different customs, and in all stages
of civilization and barbarism. Let
us imagine that Mr.. Bryan had is
sued proclamation calling for
Filipino constitutional conven-
ton; that the delegates had been
elected and were gathered together
in some convenient and suitable
place. We may suppose that Mr..
Aguinaldo, by virtue ofMr. Bryan's
proclamation, were made Chairman
of that Convention and that his.
chief adviser and confidential agent,
Agoncilo, were duly installed Sec
retary that the meeting had, been
called to order and business begun.
The moment the president Of that
convention, had occasion to address
the delegates it would be necessary
for him to employ at least rs inter
prefers; but before he could secure
these they would be obliged to take
a course in language involving an
expenditure Of possibly six or eight
months of time. But let as wave
that difficulty. and, for the moment,
consider Mr.. Aguinaldo endowed
"with the tongues" About the
first thing he would do would be to
have his Secretary call the roll Of
States. First would come the dele
| cation of Aetas, from Pangasinan;
then the Aetas from Zantbales;
then Atlas from Cagayan; then
the Buguiles from the shores Of
| Mainit; then the Bagobos from the
foothills of Mount Apo; the Bilanes
from the Sarangani Islands; the
Dulanganes from the country Of
Tamontaca; and so on, and so or
until the whole eighty-four states
lad been called, ...
Some of these representatives
would come clothed in the rich and
picturesque raiment which that eli.
mate, unaided, gave to them; other:
would have breechclouts and moth
ing more; others would be shielded
from the hot suns rays by palm
leaves. The various tribes of thl
Negritos, naked, big-footed ane
fat-nosed would all be represented
by their prominent citizens. ! Tht
Indonesians, with yellow skin ant
flowing boards would be represent
ed. Then there would be abou
forty different kinds of Malayan'
some with struggling boards, other
without boards at all; some half
breed Arabs, some three-fourth
. Chinese, others half and half cooli