The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1901-12-12

nestly ask your attention to the wis.,
dom. indeed to the vital need. of pro-
viding for substantial reduction in
the tariff duties OH Cuban imports into
the United States.
In dealing with the Philippine peo.
pie we must show both patience and
strength, forbearance and steadfast res
olution. Our aim is high. We do not
desire to do for the Islanders merely
what has elsewhere been done for trop.
ic peoples by even the best foreign
governments. We hope to do Tor them
what has never before been done for
eny people of the troplcs---to make
them fit for self government after tie
fashion Of the really free nations.
The only fear Is lest In our overanx-
iety we give them Il degree Of inde.
pendeuce 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 self government
has been given In that district. There
Is not locality fitted for self govern
ment which has not received 1t. But 1t
may well be that in certain cases 1t
will have to be withdrawn because the
inhabitants show themselves unfit to
exercise 1t; 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 dlrec-
| tion.
Troubles Ahead Yet.
There are still troubles ahead in the
islands. The insurrect!on has become
| an affair OF local bundltti and maraud.
| ers. who deserve no higher regard
than the brigands Of portions of thu
old world. Encouragement. direct or
| indirect, to these insurrectos stands on
| the same footing as encouragement to
hostile Indians In the days when we
still had Indian wars.
The president declares that the time
has come for additional legislation for
the Philippines. He says:
1t Is necessary that the congress
| should puss laws by which the re-
sources Of the islands can he developed,
so that franchises (for limited terms of
| years. can be granted to companies do
ing business In them and every encour-
| agement be given TO the incoming OF
business men Of every kind. 1t Is ur-
gently necessary to enact suitable laws
dealing with general transportation,
mining. banking. currency. homesteads
and the use and ownership OF the lands
and timber. These laws will give free
play to Industrial enterprise. and the
commercial development which will
surely follow will afford to the people
of the islands the best proofs of the
sincerity of our desire to aid them.
The Cable and the Canal.
call your attention most earnestly
to the crying need Of a cable to Hawaii
and the Philippines, to be continued
from the Philippines to points In Asia.
We should not defer a day longer than
necessary the construction OF such a
cable. 1t is demanded not merely for
commercial but for political and mill
tary considerations. Either the con-
gress should Immediately provide for
the construction OF a government ca
BILE or else an arrangement should be
made by which like advantages to
those accruing from a government ca
BILE may be secured to the government
by contract with privs te cable COM
pany.
No single great material work which
remains to be undertaken on this con-
tinent is of such consequence to the
American people as the building OF
canal across the Isthmus connecting
North and South America. Its impor-
tance to the nation Is by no means lin
tied merely to Its material effects upon
our business prosperity. and yet with a
view to these effects nlone II wonld be
to the last degree important for us i'm
medintely to begin 1t. While its bene-
fetal effects would perhaps be most
marked upon the Puclfic coast ard the
gulf and South Atlantic states, 1t would
also greatly benefit other sections. 1t
is emphatIcally work which 1t 10 for