The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1901-12-05

made toward putting the Independent
government of the, island upon a firm
footing that before the present ses-
sion Of the Congress closes this Will
be an accomplished fact. Cuba will
then start as her own mistress; aid
10 the beautiful Queen of the Antilles,
as she unfo, Is this new page II her
destiny, we extend our heartiest
greetings and good wishes. Elsewhere
| have discussed the question OF re-
ciprocity. In the case of Cuba, how
ever, there are weighty reasons OF
morality aud Of national interest why'
the policy should be held to have a
peculiar application. and most earn
estly ask your attention to the wis
dom. indeed to the vital need, OF pro.
viding for a substantial reduction in
the tariff duties on Cuban imports
into the United States. Cuba has in
her constitution affirmed what we
desired. that she should stand. in in
ternational matters. in closer and
more friendly relations with us than
with any other power; and We are
bound by every consideration Of honor
and expediency to pass commercial
measures in the interest Of her u!a'
terial wellbeing.
In the Philippines our problem IS
larger. They are very rich tropical
islands. inhabited by many varying
tribes. representing widely different
stages of progress toward civilization
Our earnest effort Is to help these
people upward along the stony an
difficult path that leads to self-eov'
ernment. We hope to make our ad
ministration Of the islands honorable
to our Nation by making it Of the
highest benefit to the Filipinos them
selves; and as an earnest Of what we
intend to do. we point to what we
have done. Already greater meas
ure Of material prosperity and OF GOV
rnmental honesty and efficiency has
been attained in the Philippines than
ever before in their history.
It is no light task for a nation tc
achieve the temperamental qualities
without which the institutions Of free
government are but an empty mock
cry. Our people are now successfully
governing themselves, because fol
more than thousand years they have
been slowly fitting themselves. some
times consciously sometimes Incon
sciously, toward this end. What has
taken us thirty generations to achieve
we cannot expect to see another race
accomplish out of hand. especially
when large portions Of that race
start very far behind the point which
our ancestors had reached even thirty
generations ago. In dealing with the
Philippine people we must show both
patience and strength. forbearance
and steadfast resolution. Our aim is
high. We do not desire to do for the
islanders merely what has elsewhere
been done for tropic people by ever
th best foreign governments. We hope
to do for them what has never before
! been done for anv people OF tt'
tropjcs--to make them fit for self
government after the fashion OF The
really free nations.
History may safely be challenged
to show single instance in Nnic!
a masterful race such as ours. iravia:
been forced by the eXigencies Of wa
TO take possession Of an alien land
has behaved to its inhabitants Will
the disinterested zeal for their pro
gress that our people have shown II
the Philippines. To leave the island
at this time would mean that the
would fall into a welter Of murderou
anarchy. Such desertion Of duty ol
our part would be crime agalns
humanity. The character OF Gov
ernor Taft and of his associates AM
suhordinates is a proof, II such b
needed, of the sincerity Of our effor
IN give the islanders a constantly ir