The age-herald., 1901-12-04

national matters, in closer and more friendly relations with us than with any other power; and we are bound by every consideration of honor and expediency to pass commercial measures in the in- terest of her material well-being.
 In the Philippines our problem is larger. They are very rich tropical islands, inhabited by many varying tribes, representing widely different stages of progress toward civilization. Our earnest effort Is to help these people upward along the stony and difficult path that leads to self government. We hope to make our administration of the, islands honorable to our nation by mak- ing 1t of the highest benefit to the Fill pinos themselves; and. as an earnest of what we intend to do. we point to what we have done Already a greater meas ure of material prosperity and of gov ernmental honesty and efficiency has been attained in the Philippines than ever before in their history.
 It is no light task for a nation to achieve the temperamental qualities without which the institutions of free government are but an empty mockery. Our people are now successfully govern ing themselves, because for more than a thousand years they have been slowly fitting themselves, sometimes consciously, sometimes unconsciously. toward this end. What has taken us thirty genera tions to achieve. we cannot expect to see another race accomplish out of hand, es- pecially when large portions of that race start very far behind the point which our ancestors had reached even thirty genera tions ago. In dealing with the Philippine people we must show both patience and strength, forbearance and steadfast reso- lution. Our aim is high We do not de- sire to do for the islanders merely what has elsewhere been done for tropie 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 lf-govern- ment after the fashion of the really free nations.
 History may safely be challenged to show single instance in which a mas terful race such as ours, having been forced by the exigencies of war to take possession of an alien land has behaved to its inhabitants with the disinterested zeal for their progress that our people have shown in the Philippines To leave the islands at this time would mean that they would fall into welter of murder ous anarchy. Such desertion of duty on our part would be a crime against hu- manity. The character of Governor Taft and of his associates and suboroinates is a proof, if such be needed, of the sin cerity 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 government was established not an appointment has been made in the Islands with any reference to consldera- tions of political influence. or to aught else save the fitness of the man and the needs of the service.
 In our anxiety for the welfare and progress of the Philippines, 1t may be that here and there we have gone too rapidly in giving them local self-govern- ment. It is on this side that our error. If any. has been committed No competent observer, sincerely desirous of finding out the facts and influenced only by a desire for the welfare of the natives. can assert that we have not gone far enough. We have gone to the very verge of safety in hastening the process. To have taken a single step farther or faster in ad- vance would have been folly and weak ness and might well have been crime We are extremely anxious that the na- tives shall show the power of governing themselves. We are anxious, first for their sales, and next, because 1t relieves us of great burden. There need not be the slightest fear of our not continuing to give them all the liberty for which they are fit.
 The only fear is lest in. our overanxiety we give them degree of independence for which they are unfit. thereby inviting reaction and disaster As fast as there is any reasonable hope that in a given district the people can govern themselves, elf-governm ent has been given in that district. There is not a locality fitted for self-government which has not received 1t. But 1t may well be that in certain cases 1t 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 failing to show sufficiently humanitarian spirit The danger comes in the opposite di- rection. -a
 There are still troubles ahead in the islands. The insurrection has, become an affair of local banditti and marauders, 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 In- dians in the days when we still had In- dian 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 on the warpath. so we must make it evident. unless we are false to our own traditions and to the demands of civilization and hum anity, that while we will do everything in our power for the Filipino who is peaceful, we will take the stcrnest measures with the Filipino who follows the path of the :n- surrecto and the ladrone
 The heartest praise ia due to large numbers or the natives of the islands for their steadfast loyalty. The Maccabebes have been conspicuous for their courage and devotion to the flag. I recommend that the Secretary of War be empowered to take some systematic action in the way of aiding those of these men who are crippled in the service and the fami- lies of those who are killed.
 The time has come when there should be additional legislation for the Philip pines Nothing better can be done for the islands than to introduce industrial enterprises. Nothing would benefit them so much as throwing them open to in- dustrial development The connection between idleness and m mischief is proverb ial and the opportunity to do remunera tive work Is one of the surest preventiyes of war. Of course no business man will go into the Philippines unless it is to his interest to do so: and it is immensely to the interest of the islands that he should go in It is therefore necessary that the Congress should pass laws by which the resources of the islands can be develoned: so that franchises (for limited terms of years) can be granted to companies doing business in them. and every encourage ment be given to the incoming of business men of every kind.