Evening journal., 1901-12-04
THURSDAY. DECEMBER 4. 1901
r11Nas Ar rHE MESSAGE

FILINGS AT THE MbsShSb
The Every Evening continues to
harp on its hobby of the philippines
and finds in the Presidents messa&e
the opportunity for Misrepresentation
We have pacihed most of the hostile
provinces and nearly every inswrec-
ZIONIST in this country, save our cru
dite contemporary. It mixes the re-
marks of the President with unfair
and illogical deductions as follows:
To the situation with respect to the
PHILIPPINES the President gives large
attention. AS a means OF paciiylhs
me people. and bringing forth peace
from the present state of armed resist
ance TO the authority of the United
states he recommends bestoWing I'D
ertv and self-government upon the
people OF the islands by instalments.
q,he only fear, he holds, is lest in our
over-anxiety we give them a degree OF
indenendence for which they are unht'
thereby inviting reaction ana alsas-
ter Here is the stereotyped excuse
of those who attempt TO lustliy cur
cruel course towards the people OF the
PhiHppines-tha these people are
unfit for self-government-the arsu-
ment advanced by Great Britain
AGAINST the people of the American
colonies more than century ago mat
tbe PRESIDENT is apprehensive, how
ever. is evidenced by his statement
that "there are still troubles ahead IN
the islands" He recognizes the fact
that the battle for liberty and inde-
pendence is still going on and there
is evidently a fear on his part that our
present policy is not the right one,
which Is probably the reason why he
recommends the gradual concession OF
the right of self-government "While
we wul do everything in our power Tor
the Filipino who is peaceful, he says,
"we will take the sternest measure
with the Filipino who follows the path
of the insurrecto and the ladrone.
Even to the extent of concentration
and starvation of women and children,
Mr. President
The President is not a dreamer. nut
realizes that the relations Of the Phil
ippines are established. Their control
by the United States is an accomplish
ed fact. and Il is his duty 10 recon-
mend. not retroactive measures. but a
policy locking to the future. He
might have given an interesting chap
ter OF history regarding the causes
leading up TO the present condition,
Just as he might have discussed the
three Punic wars. Articles descriptive
OF the dodo are fascinating, but the spe-
cies is extinct. and it is more to the
point TO discuss the raising of barnyard
fowls.
The President finds the United
states in possession OF the islands un-
der due form Of law. He is aware that
there has been an insurrection which
is now almost subdued. He knows
not as a mere theory. but as fact
that in many of the provinces the ma
tives are no more capable OF self-gOv
eminent than band of savages-fol
that is just what many of the inhabi
tants are. He might wish that the!
we're intelligent, moral and peaceabl.
inclined, yet he knows they are not
What does he recommend? Since n
is not an impractical dreamer who's
Judgment is warped by his prejudice
he suggests that that measure of sell
government compatible with peace an
progress be introduced.
The Every Evening, possibly inat
vertently. insults the President II
garding his statement that in our ov'
anxiety we may thrust upon the il
habitants self-government Tor whiC
they are not prepared, by declarir
that to be 1.-The stereotyped excuse
those who attempt to Justify our cru
course towards the people Of Il
philippines" The intimation is tn
the President is insincsre and disho
est. Those who have been most cru
to the Filipinos, as well as to our oV
soldiers. are those living in this cou
try who have given comfort and e
couragemant to the insurgents, tn
prolonging the strife they knew to
hopeless.
We are told that the President re-
izes that all the inhabitants are I
yet pacihed. "and there is evidently
fear on his part that our policy is !
the right one. which is probably
reason why he recommends the gr'
ual concession Of the right of ST
government" In other words
President Is not honest, and seeks
ealve over his conscience by subt
fuge. How keen our contemporary
in discovering the motives Of menl
The President wisely says: we y
take the sternest measure with
Filipino who follows the path Of
insurgents and the ladrone,' and
Every Evening asks: Even to the