The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-28
CAN WE AMBRrcANrzE THE

The question of Americanizing the Phil
ippines is more serious than is suspected
by the casual observer We have be-
come so accustomed to the belief that
we can take in, digest and assimilate
anything that comes our way that all
American flag over any old island or
continent, give to the inhabitants our
laws and they Will embrace both, becom-
ing thoroughly civilized within a twelve
month. For this belief we have some
excuse. Have we not admitted from all
the nations of Europe their worst as
well as their best and within a genera
ton eradicated every trace Of their orig
inal national characteristics? Have we
not, like a big national ostrich, devoured
every scrap. from the subjects of the
czar with hereditary instincts toward
imperialism to the democratic English
man and the nihilistic Hungarian? Do
not all these men who come here with
violent rrejudices against this social
usage and that form Of government, at
once lay them aside and evolve into full
fedged Americans in one generation?
This is all very true, but we have been
taking our national food to carry out
the Illustration Of the ostrich, from the
Caucasian scrap pile. All these differ
ent types belong to the same race with
our parent stock, tue Anglo-Saxon or
his cousin
We have never made an attempt to
engraft our ideas and institutions upon
the stem OF the Malay race. The few
who seek our shores remain distinct in
their racial individuality. Not bad citi-
zens, do they make if we may be allow
ed that name, but they never become
American ard show no wish to so be-
&C me.
Wherever European nations have at
tempted to force European civilization
upon Oriental colonies they have failed.
England remains in India and profits by
her trade, only through the 'Iet alone"
policy which she was compelled to adopt
after repeated failures to Anglicize the
native
The Dutch have preserved their
power in Java and other colonies
by giving the rein of government fully
into the hands of the natives, pretending
to offer advice only. Complete assimila-
ton must take place or colonization will
be failure. In India, the land of caste.
the English add but one more caste to
the thousands now existing This fact
Is the secret of the failure of the British
colonies of the vest Indies. The ruling
class is not of the people, and never will
become of the people, and English insti-
tutlons cannot be engrafted upon an aris-
tocracy
The secret of Russian success in Asia
lies In the fact that the Russian is half
Oriental now. He understands the Orien-
tai character and his tastes are tainted
with Orientalsm. The absolutisms OF
the Russian theory TALES well with the
governments of the ancient civilizations
that Western Europe is trying to make
over on the new model
Will the Americans who go to the
philippines assimilate with the mixed
races Of that island fragment of Asia?
VIII they intermarry and bring forth a
half-breed race that will be an improve-
ment on what is there now? We doubt
1t. VIII the Tagals accept the English
language and comprehend the admin
1stration of American law as it will be
administered by mixed tribunal? IT.
has taken Spain three centuries tn IN
trouuce her language into the larger
cities of the larger islands. Can we ex-
pect to accomplish in few years what
SPAN could not do in centuries? We
VIII ma that there is much moonshine
about this talk of the white mans
burden We have tried it with the
American Indian and have succeeded
only when We have exterminated the
race. If the races will not assimilate one
must go to the wall, providing the other
invaded the territory in sufficient num-
bers. This will not be the case with
the philippines. No American is going
to the Philippines for the love of the
thing. He Is going there to make what
he can and return. He is not going RI
mix with the races either socially or
politically. He will govern while there
for the purpose of getting the most out
OF the scheme. Then he will Quit We
might as well settle down to one of two
propositions. To either leave the islands
to the local governments formed bv the
people, or keep a sufficient military force
In the island to back UP a foreign civil
carpet bag machine To expect the Fill
Pine to adopt our institutions and run
a government modelled on oar own is ab-
solutely foolish He may be able to form
one Of his own and get along very well
but to adopt another and make of it a
success is beyond the experience of the
rest of humanity.
The Republican party fiph+ino +,.,,+