The Washington times., 1901-07-02
MncArthar on the Philippines.

OF the american military officers
who have held the chief command in
the Philippines, the most conspicuous
| ly successful IS General Macarthur. In
/ fact, he is the only one who has been
entirely successful, for he practically
| brought the war to an end. He now
turns over the command of the army
/ to General Chaffee. while the civil
! government passes into the hands of
| the Taft Commission.
General Macarthur has at all times
! been fair and conservative in his state
! ments, and his words should carry
weight with American citizens of every
| shade of political opinion. Referring
! to the future of the islands he ex-
/ presses the belief that I'VE need only
bestOw upon the Filipinos our benefi-
| cent, representative institutions, and
the regenerat ton of the islands, if not
complete will be started on a sure
and certain course. America must be
lrue 10 her traditions. To make a
colony of the Philippines, to follow
British precedent. would be to go back
step in the moral evolution of the
American nation and fatal to its fu-
ture." In this General Macarthur is
not speaking as a politician aiming
blow at the Administration-his utter
ance comes as an expression of the
lofty feeling that should inspire every
true American proud of his country's
past and unselfshly devoted TO its fu-
ture.
This distinguished soldier has never
been connected with "Bryanism," but
neither Mr.. Bryan nor anyone else ever
struck imperialism a harder blow
than is embodied in this blunt, hon
est, soldierly, and thoroughly Amer
lean statement 1t is so palpably true
as TO be literally unanswerable. 1t is
a splendid and compact epitome of all
that has been said in opposition to the
Administrations colonial policy. IN ef-
feet il is a declaration that the Ad-
ministrauon is following British and
not American precedents-a thing
which ought to be as clear as light to
any American who takes the trouble
to think and is independent enough to
form his own opinions regardless of
what his party leaders may think
Let any man ask himself this simple
question: Why should the Adm!nistra-
tion be so anxious to deny to people
who have been brought under the
American flag the priceless boon of
constitutional protection? What salts
factory answer can he find? What rea-
son has ever been given for this new
tangled policy except that it is the
policy Of the Administration? Abso-
lutely none. The only plea ever made
is that if the islands are to be treated
as American territory, their products
may come into the older portion of the
country without paying any duties,
thus injuring TIVE or three trusts. and
benefiting almost everybody else.
1t is said that the doctrine that the
Constitution follows the flag would
make the Porto Ricans and Filipinos
American citizens. So il would; so 1t
should. II can do no possible harm, and
the Supreme Court, despite its contra
dictory decisions on other points, seems
virtually to have decided that the ma
tives Of our new possessions are Amer
ican citizens. If we did not want them
as citizens we should not have taken
their ctuntry and deprived them of
all nationality. General MacAr:hur's
splendid statement rises to an infinite
height above all the contemplate
quibbles by which Imperialism has
been defended. The statement ought
10 be read and pondered by every man
who really loves America and ner in
stitutions.