The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-12-04


 Our earnest effort is to help these peo-
 pie upward along the stony and difficult
 path that leads to government. We hope to make our administration of the
 islands honorable to our Nation by
 making it of the highest benefit to the
 Filipinos themselves; and as an earnest
 Of what we intend to do, we point to
 what we have done Already greater
 measure of material prosperity and of
 governmental honesty and efficiency
 has been attained in the Philippines
 than ever before in their history.
 It is no light task for nation to
 achieve the temperamental qualities
 without which the institutions of free
 government are but an empty mockery.
 Our people are now successfully gov
 erning themselves because for more
 than thousand years they have been
 slowly fitting themselves, sometimes
 consciously, sometimes unconSciously,
 toward this end. What has taken us
 thirty generations to achieve, we can-
 not expect to see another race accom-
 plish out of hand, especially when large
 portions of that race start very far be-
 hind the point which our ancestors had iNeNiiCN CNGll llllIly StliSialIoAio oSo' HI
 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 peoples by even the best foreign governments. We hope to do for them what has never before been done for any people of the tropics-to make them fit for self-gov- ernment after the fashion of the really free nations.
 History may safely be challenged to show a single instance in which a mas terful race such as ours, having been forced by the exigencies of war to take possession of an alien land, has behav ed to it's inhabitants with the disi1ter- ested zeal for their progress that our people have shown in the Philippines. To leave the islands at this time would mean that they would fall into a welter of murderous anarchy Such assertion of duty on our part would be crime against humanity. The character of Governor Taft and of his associates and subordinates is proof if such be need ed, of the sincerity of our effort to give the islanders a constantly increasing measure of self government exactly as fast as they show themselves fit to exercise it. Since the civil government was established not an appointment has been made in the islands with any reference to considerations of political or to aught else save the fit- ness of the man and the needs of the l service.
 In our anxiety for the welfare and | progress of the Philippines, 1t may be 1 that here and there we have gone too rapidly in giving them local sef-gov- 1 ernment, It is on this side that our error, If any, has been committed. No observer, sincerely desirous of finding out the facts and influenced | only by desire for the welfare of the | natives, can assert that we have not | gone far enough. We have gone to the very verge of safety in hastening the process. To have taken a single step farther or faster in advance would have been folly and weakness, and might we'll have been crime. We are extreme y anxious that the natives shall show he power of governing themselves. We are anxious, first for their shkes, md next, because it relieves us of q great burden. There need not be the slightest fear of our not continuing to give them all the liberty for which they Ire fit
 The only fear is lest in our over anxiety we give them q degree of in dependence for which they are unfit, hereby inviting reaction and disaster As fast as there is any reasonable hope hat In given district the people can govern themselves, government ias been given in that district There S not q locality fitted for self-govern- nent which has not received it. But it nay well be that In certain cases it will ave to be withdrawn because the in- abitants show themselves unfit to ex- rcise it: such instances have already ccurred In other words. there Is not , he slightest chance of our failing to , how sufficiently humanitarian spirit. ; he danger comes in the opposite di- i ection. There are still troubles ahead in the ; slands The insurrection has become l n affair of local banditti and maraud- IFS. who reserve no higher regard than I he brigands of portions of the old , rorld Encouragement, direct or indi- ect, to these insurrectos stands on the ( anne footing as encouragement to hos T lie Indians in the days when we still r ad Indian wars. Exactly as our aim to give to the Indian who remains q eaceful the fullest and amplest con- a iteration, but to have it understood il nat we will show noweakness if he f oes on the warpath, so we must make |
 evident. unless we are false to our q wn traditions and to the demands of n vilization and humanity, that while @ e will do everything in our power for t le filipino who is peaceful, we will take Q le sternest measures with the Filipi- l. ) who follows the path of the insurrec- r
 and the adrone. i, The heartiest praise Is due to large it lmhers of the natives of the islands n 1T their steadfast loyalty. The Maca- fl ,bes have been conspicuous for their f, urage and devotion to the flag. l h that the Secretary of War n empowered to take some systematic a ,tion in the way of aiding those of V ese men who are crippled in the ser fl ce and the families of those who are il