The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1901-01-04
STAY IN PHILIPPINES
j Leading Democratic Organ
Takes Sensible View.
That Party Helped to Ratify the
Treaty of Peace and Stands
Partly Responsible.


deemed to be unwise or undesirable. II
Is another thing, after the adoption Of
such policy to plan by the enforcing
power to maintain disturbance of public
sentiment concerning such measures, in
the lace OF certainty that no action can
De mad by which the step taken can be
retraced. 1t were better to apply intelli
Rence aud effort to the purpose of secur-
ing the best possible conditions and re-
suits incident to the existing situation,
prominent journal affiliated with the
democratic party, the Chicago Daily
chronicle, comments on the Philippine
question as follows:
II democrats are to play an import
ant part in the politics OF the future if
will be necessary for them to set them
selves right on the subject which has
come to be known popularity as imper-
ialsm.
The policy of extending the power OF
the United States to distant parts of the
earth has been adopted with delibera-
ton and must be regarded as an accom-
plished fact. Great peoples do not move
backwards in these matters. They NAV
pursue policies OF doubtful value, thev
may commit themselves to courses that
seem certain to lead to disaster and they
may adopt measures that many con
slider wrong and even vicious, but, once
entered upon, they must be followed to
the end.
This is not fatalism 1t is not logged
persistency 10 error. 1t is not stupidity.
1t is the recognition of fact patent to
all that nations do not and can not
vacillate. They are supposed to act
only upon mature judgment, and when
they have acted they are supposed to
adhere consistently to the policy which
follows logically upon such action.
There is no baby act in International
law. The nation which sets out to rule
distant peoples must accept all the con-
sequences of its acts or retire Inundated
in the eyes of the world. The first step
is the one that binds nations which do
not intend to maintain colonies or dis
tant possessions must not acquire them.
Ii nations were to act on the theory
that engagements involving the most
serious consequences to themselves and
the remainder of the world could be
lightly abandoned there would soon be
universal war. 1t is one thing for the
United States to raise their flag in the
Philippines. 1t would be a very different
thing for the United States to abandon
tempt to transfer them to another
power. The treaty OF Paris solemnly
entered into and as sOlemnly ratified.
was the end of the matter so far as dis,
cussion OF the main question is con-
cerned.
The time to have defeated the policy
OF expansion was year ago last Febru-
airy, when this treaty was under consid-
GRAFTON in the senate of the United
States. Probably it is true that a good
many people, true even that some of the
senators themselves did not appreciate
the Importance of the question which
was before them, but that does not mat
ter. The die was cast when the treaty
received the sanction of twO-thirds of the
members of the one body in America
which, under the constitution, had the
power to lnaugurate the new policy or
to reject it.
1t is worth while for democrats to re-
member that there was so much repub-
lican opposition to the treaty that it
could not have been ratified without
democratic votes. 1t was the vote of
democratic senators, urged on by Mr.
Bryan himself, which committed the re-
public to the control of the Philippines.
1t is hardly worth while now for any
body to set up the claim that he favor
ed acquiring these islands with the idea
that we are to establish a great Malay
kindergarten 10000 miles away for the
purpose OF instructing millions of people.
most of them uncivilized, in the art of
self-gOvernment.
To carry out such a program and to
assert the determination that no inter
ference from outsiders would be tolerated
would have been to assume infinitely
greater obligations than actual DONNA
ton has involved. The policy laid down
in the Kansas City platform in relation
to the Philippines was absolutely i'm
possible. 1t could not be adopted. 1t
could not be enforced without war in
the islands and probably war elsewhere.
Right or wrong, the United States are
in the Philippines TO stay. Their
authority is unquestioned. No territory
in the world is held by a clearer title.
Resistance to the lawful authority of the
United States in the Philippines is as
righteously to be put down as would be
resistance to the same authority in Ari-
IONA. Gentlemen who imagine that the
American people are to treat with rebels
in arms are strangely forgetful of the
stern lessons inculcated on this CONT
DenI III 1OO1~O. 1UeTe cdu Ue UO 1T
gotiatiOns with banditti who, with pro-
LESSONS of love of liberty on their lips,
sneakingly assassinate the soldiers of
the liberator with their hands. The
government and the army will have the
loyal support of every true American in
every valorous effort that they may
make toward the suppression of a revolt
as unwarranted as it has been costly.
Many young democrats aspire to po-
litical advancement. They may be
assured that there is nothing but po-
litical death and burial for the man who
advocates the retreat of an American
soldier in the face of an enemy or who
urges the taking down of the American
flag under fire.
The insurrection of AguinaIdo has
made American rule in the Philippines
necessary. even if there we're no other
considerations. Every life lost there in
the service of the people and every dol
lar spent there to maintain the authority
OF the republic and to put down it's
enemies is an additional reason, if any
were needed, why there never has been
any surrender else where.
As to the main que stiOn there will be
no great difference OF o pinion among the
American people. The Philippines will
be retained. Ten years from now the
idea that they might have been aban.