The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-12-06

the tariff duties on Cuban imports into
the United States.
In dealing with the Philippine peo-
,, pie we must show both patience and |
strength, forbearance and steadfast res
, olution. Our aim is high. We do not
j desire to do for the islanders merely
| what has elsewhere been done for trop-
| ic 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 government after the
| fashion of the really free nations.
The only fear Is lest in our overanx-
| iety we give them degree Of indie
pendence for which they are unfit.
thereby inviting reaction and disaster.
As fast as,tbere is any reasonable hope
that in a given district the people can
! govern themselves self government
has been given in that district. There
is not locality fitted for self govern
ment which has not received it. But it
may well be that in certain cases 1t
will have to be withdrawn because the
Inhabitants show themselves unfit to
exercise 1t; such instances have already
occurred. In other words, there is not
the slightest chance of our falling to
show sufficiently humanitarian spirit
The danger comes In the opposite direc-
ton.
Troubles Ahead Yet.
There are still troubles ahead in the
islands. The insurrection has become
an affair of local banditti and maraud-
ers. who deserve no higher regard
than the brigands of portions of the
old world. Encouragement. direct or
Indirect, to these insurrectos stands on
the same footing as encouragement to
hostile Indians In the days when we
still had Indian wars.
The president declares that the time
has come for additional legislation for
the Philippines. He says:
l 1t is necessary that the congress
should pass laws by which the re-
sources OF the islands can be developed,
SO that franchises (for limited terms of
| years. can be granted to companies do
ing business in them and every encour-
aeement be given 10 the Incoming Of
business men of every kind. 1t Is ur
gently necessary TO enact suitable laws
i QeulluS Will ScutTdl
mining, banking. currency. homesteads
and the use and ownership of the lands
and timber. These laws win give free
| play to Industrial enterprise. and the
commercial development which will
surely follow will afford to the people
of the islands the best proofs of the
sincerity of our desire TO AID them.
The Cable and the Canal.
call your attention most earnestly
| to the crying need of cable to Hawaii
and the Philippines TO be continued
| from the Philippines to points in Asia.
| We should not defer day longer than
necessary the construction Of srch a
cable. 1t is demanded not merely fc,
commercial but for political and mill
tary considerations. Either the con
gress should Immediately provide for
the construction of a government ca
BILE or else an arrangement should h',
made by which like advantages tr
those accrlling from "a government ca
BILE may be secured to the government
| by contract with a private cable com
pany.
No single great material work whiel
remains to be undertaken ON this con-
tinent is of such consequence to th.
American people as the building of a
canal across the isthmus connecting
. North and South America. Its impor-
lance to the nation Is by no means linn
tted merely to its material effects upon
? our business prosperity, and yet with 9
2 view to these effects alone II would be
! to the last degree important for us i'm
mediately to begin 1t. While its bene
fetal effects would perhaps be mos,
: marked upon the Pacific coast and the
e gulf and South Atlantic states, it would
e also greatly benefit other sections. II
Is emphatically work which 1t is fol
! the interest of the entire country to be
Z gin and complete as soon as possible.
am glad to be able to announce tt
= you that our negotiations on this sub
3 ject with Great Britain. conducted OF
r mutual good will, have resulted Il
: my being able to lay before the sen
;, ate a treaty which. il ratified. viii en-
e able US to begin preparations for al
: isthmian canal at any time and which
q guarantees to this nation every righ
e that 1t has ever asked In connection
8 with the canal. 1t specifically pro
+ vides that the United States alone shal
q do the work Of building and assume
I the responsibility Of safeguarding thu
+ canal and shall regulate Its neutral us'
e by all nations on terms Of equality
J. without the guarantee or interference
+ Of any outside nation from any quarter
u The Monroe Doctrine.
The Monroe doctrine should be tn,
l. cardinal feature of the foreign polio,
II of all the nations of the two Americas
as 1t is of the United States. The Mon
e roe doctrine is a declaration that ther
r must be no territorial aggrandizemen
# by any non-AmericaD power at the ex
pense of any American power on Amer
+ lean soil Ii is in nowise Intended a
It hostile to any nation in tie old world
Still less is il intended 10 give cover t
any aggression 10y one new world powe
l. at the expense OF any other. Ii is sim
n ply step. and a long step. toward as
r suring the universal peace Of the worl
,c by securing the possibility of pcrIna
4. nent peace on this hemisphere.
If During the past century other iniir
b. ences have established the permanenc
# and independence Of the smaller state
d of Europe. Through the Monroe doc
If trine we hope 10 be able to safeguar
Is like independence and secure like PEI
m manence for the lesser among the ne,
ut world nations.
This doctrine has nothing to do wit