Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-12-06
THE COLONIES,


THE COLONIES.
What the Aim of the Government
Should BE in Their Control.
In Hawaii our aim must be to develop
the territory on the traditional American
estates titled by cheap labor. We wish a
who Themselves till the farms they own.
Al gu our legislation for the islands should
being. Of the average homemaker must
afford the true test Of the healthy devel-
opment OF the islands. The land policy
on our homestead system.
1t Is a pleasure to say that it Is hardly
more mt .' necessary to report as to Porto
in our continental limits The island is
thriving as never before, and 1t is being
administered efficiently and honestly. Its
under the protection of the United States,
and upon this fact we congratulate them
and ourselves. Their material welfare
must be as carefully and jealousy consid-
of our country. We have given them the
great gift of free access for their products
r. the markets of the United States. I ask
of legislation concerning the public lands
OF Porto Rico.
Reciprocity with Cuba.
In Cuba such progress has been made
toward putting the independent govern
ment of the island upon firm footing
ongress closes this will be an accomplished
fact. Cuba will then start as her own
mistress, and to the beautiful Queen of
the Antilles as she unfolds this new page
OF her destiny we extend our heartiest
greetings and good wishes. Elsewhere I
have discussed the question of reciproci-
ty: In the case of Cuba, however. there
national interest why the policy should be
held to have a peculiar application, and
most earnestly ask your attention to the
WISDOM indeed to the vital need, of pro-
Vld1ng for substantial reduction in the
tarln duties on Cuban imports into the
United States. Cuba has in her constitu-
ton affirmed what we desired that she
s shon,d stand in international matters in
than with any other power, and we are
bound by every consideration of honor
and expediency to pass commercial meas
ures in the interest of her material well
being.
The Philippines.
In the Philippines our problem is larger.
They are very rich tropical islands, fniab-
lted by many varying tribes, representing
widely ard differsnt stages of progress TO-
help these people upward along the stony
and difficult path that leads to self gov
eminent. We hope to make our admin
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.
1t is no light task for a nation to
achieve the temperamental qualities with
out which the institutions OF free govern
ment are but empty mockery. Our peo-
pie are now successfully governing them
selves, because for more than thousand
years they have been slowly fitting them
selves, sometimes consciously, sometimes
unconsciously, toward this end. What
has taken us thirty generations to achieve
we cannot expect to see another race &C
complish out OF hand, especially when
large portions of that race start very far
behind the point which our ancestors had
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
fashion of the really free nations.
Must Hold the Islands.
History may safely be challenged to
show a single instance In which a master
tul race such as ours, having been forced
by the exigencies OF war to take posses
sion of an alien land, has behaved to its
Inhabitants with the disinterested zeal tor
their progress that our people have shown
this time would mean that they would
fall into a weller of murderous anarchy.
Such desertion of duty on our part
would be crime against rams humanity IN y; me
sociates and subordinates Is a proof, If
such is needed, of the sincerity Of our
effort to give the islanders constantly
increasing measure of self government
exactly as fast as they show themselves
fit to exercise it. Since the civil govern
ment was established not an appointment
reference to considerations of political in
fuence or to aught else save the fitness
of the man and the needs of the service: :,
o. h fGp ses it ay Be
here and there we have gone too rapidly
in giving them local self government. It
is on this side that our ". error, if any
server sincerely DESTROYS of finding out
the facts and Influenced only by de-
sire for the welfare of the natives can
We have gone, to the very verge of safety
In fastening the process. To have taken
single step farther or faster in advance
would have been folly and weakness and
tremely anxious that the natives shall
show the power Of governing themselves.
we are anxious nrSt Tor their SakeS and
next because 1t relieves US of great bur-
Gen. There need not be the slightest fear
of our not continuing to give them all the
liberty for which they are fit.
The Need Of Caution.
The only fear is lest in our overanxiety
we give them a degree of independence
for which they are unfit, thereby inviting
reaction and disaster. AS fast as there is
any reasonable hope that in given dis
trict the people can govern themselves
self government has been given in that
district. There is not a locality fitted for
self government which has not received
it. But it may well be that in certain
cases it will have to be Withdrawn be-
cause the inhabitants show themselves
unfit to exercise it. 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.
lands. The instruction has become an
affair of local banditti and marauders,
who deserve no higher regard than the
brisands of portions of the old world
Encouragement, direct or indirect, to
these insurrectos stands on the same foot
ing as encouragement to hostile Indians
in the days when we still had Indian
wars. Exactly as our aim Is to give to
the Indian who remains peaceful the
fullest and amplest consideration, but. to
have 1t understood that we will show no
weakness If he goes the warpath, so
we. must make It evident, unless we are
false to our own traditions and to the de-
mands of civilization and humanity, that