St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-04-10
THE PRESIDENTS OPPORTUNITY.
What Good Government Can Do for
the Philippines.

What Good Government Can De for
the Philippines.
Are the Philippines to be held by us as
a solemn, sacred trust for their inhabi.
tants, or are they to be regarded by us
as a field for greed and plumber? We
have no doubt what answer the
President would give to this question.
He alone cannot answer it; and vet the
answer depends more upon him than
upon any other one American. Nor can
his answer be given by the expression of
noble sentiments couched in fine phrases
in public speeches. His answer can be
given onlyin his appointments. He NAV
make such appointments, or, by resign
ing his constitutional functions, he NAV
allow Congressman to make such ap-
pointments as will turn the Philippines
for time into field for loot, much as
were the East Indies under the East
India Company. Or learning a lesson
from Englaud's history, he can from the
first adopt system of appointments
which will save the Filipinos from rob-
berry and America from disgrace. And
he is the only one who can do this. We
do not insist on any special method of
appointment. We do not seek to impose
a particular scheme of civil service as a
panacea for political corruption But
we believe that the temper of the Ameri- |
can people demands that in all appoint |
ments to foreign service the principle be |
vigorously applied-a public office is a |
public trust This principle has not been
vigorously applied in dealing with the
Indians. The temper Of the office seek
ing and ofice-holding bureaucracy does
not demand it in dealing with the Phil
ippines. But it is the duty of the states
man to study the temper of the people,
not of the bureaucracy; and the temper
OF the American people is one which de.
mands public integrity with a foreign
and dependent community.
Both the Philippine commissions have
pointed out the way in which to deal
with the problem presented by the fact
that such large sections of land are held
by the friars. This is to purchase these
lands by condemnatory proceedings if
necessary and sell them on favorable {
terms to the Filipnos. That this plan
will solve the problem with satisfaction
IN the Philippines is reasonably certain;
but that it will meet with some vigorous {
opposition at home is probable Some
violent ProtestHnts will denounce any I
scheme which proposes to give money to E
The church OF Rome or to any of its adj !
herentS; some Romanists will object to t
any scheme which appears to weaken c
the power OF the Roman church or of any
ot its adherents in the islands some poll e
licians will oppose any scheme for the n
OF public moneys which does b
lot promise an immediate return to pri.
7ate benefciares-they will prefer to ex- a
bend millions in ship subsidies rather y
han thousands on a plan for securing Il
ustlce and peace to foreign colony; a
ONE conservatives who believe that L.
lothlng can be done in the future which a
las not been done in the past will op-
'ose this plan because there are no pre- "
edents for it. But the bulk of the
american people care more for Justice
han they do for precedents, or for private tv
aims by favored classes, or for denomi- ca
attonal ggrandizement. The President p;
an give to this plan of the wo commits. m
ions which he has appointed the in al
orsement and support of the admins. NJ
he can give it to be understood az
hat he makes it his own PLAN he can us
rge it by special message on Congress. nc
nd those who wish to see the Philip pr
ines relieved of their Old Man of the m
ca, which is not the Roman Catholic ba
lurch, but the friar landlords, will give ar
} him their hearty support in this plan, ST.
r in any better plan if he has a better one pa
} suggest. What Mr. McKinlev's friends oc
ar is that he will let the matter DRIFT blt
1ti the returning friars and the devel- Wi
Oment of factions have made If more tet
ttlcut of solution; what they hope is tn
lat he will now give the weight of his tn
lthority to this or to some solution of w
lie Philippine land problem which will or
We to the Fiipinos peace and to pu
merica honor it
The President has an opportunity tin
hIch has rarely been given to any pre- see
Gus President of the United States. He thi
is III large degree the confidence OF his ter
lrty, and to an unusual Cegree the con- an
Ience of those who are not of his the
Irty. The questions presented by the ine
ccesSful termination of the war with be
'ain are tar greater and more complex an
an those presented by the war itself or
lie American people cannot sponta- RI
ously evolve The correct methods OF the
aling with such problems; they can vie
ly discuss and pass judgment on such
ans as are proposed to them. They
ok to the Presid mt and his advisers 10 =,
their leaders in the solution of the PIC
)blems. Has he the initiative and the Le'
1rage nece -Sary tor such leadership? ~,
is is the question which his preset 'oo
m OF office is to answer-[ The Out