Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-01
A War-PromOtfnx Peace PROPOSAL.

Professor Mangasarian, Chicago clergy
man of the Congregational Church, in lee
ture delivered in that city Sunday night,
said:
Let the American people celebrate the
birth of the twentieth century by a mem
orable act-give liberty to the Philippines.
Victor Hugo used to say that no festival or
celebration was complete which did not
bring amnesty or pardon to some people.
Let us pardon the Fiiipnos for rebellion
against our sovereignty. If that is the crime
we charge them with. and. in addition. let
US confer upon them liberty. Let America
establish divine precedent-that of giving
freedom freely and without price to a peo-
pie who prefer liberty to life. Liberty has
hitherto been wrested from rulers at the
point of the bayonet; let us have liberty in
the twentieth century without the bayonet
Our example, l am hopeful, will become a
noble epidemic. Russia, Turkey and Great
Britain will go and do likewise, and Poland,
Armenia and South Africa will once more
know the sweets of liberty. Such act
on our part will deal the deathblow to war,
which a great American has called hell
and will usher in the thousand years of
peace"
Here we have the case stated purely
from the sentimental viewpoint, and with
all the recklessness that characterizes the
man of dreams. 1t is assumed not only
that the Filipinos are worthy of liberty,
but that they are now prepared to establish
an independent government. We alone pre-
vent the inauguration of peace and happi-
ness in the archipelago. The natives are
thirsting for an of good will. But the
Americans are or the scene, with guns
charged and bayonets fixed, and are pur-
suing policy of bloody aggression. Just
let them call OFF the dogs Of war and retire
from the islands. and all will be well with
a people whose only desire is for control of
their country and whose capacity to give
it good government is past all dispute.
II but the half of this were true our po-
sition would be an uncomfortable one. But
no part of it correctly describes the situa-
ton. We are on the ground in honor and
we cannot withdraw in honor in the cir
cumstances that exist. The fighting now
in progress is unfortunate enough, and
surely the American people are taking no
delight in it. But were the American
| troops to be withdrawn, and the archi-
| pelago handed over to the natives, anarchy
would speedily set up and wholesale
slaughter and devastation begin. This is
| the opinion of all who have investigated the
| conditions at first hand. So that instead
| of contributing to peace by withdrawing
| from the Philippines we should pave the
| way for strife far bloodier and more widely
! extended than has followed our own occu-
| patton of the islands. We might indeed,
| in that way start a flame which would
sweep over the whole of that part of the
| world, and even light up the continent of
| Europe.
| The Philippine question cannot be settled
| on sentimental lines. 1t is a very practical
| question, and calls for practical, everyday
| means. And we may be sure that If We do
not continue to employ such means, the
| Russian, the Turk and the Englishman will
| be quick to observe 1t, and, instead of fol-
| lowing US into the domain of millenniaiistic
| experiments, will write us down In their
| book of chumps. and prepare to reap ad-
| vantage themselves, somewhere, after ouI
| malady shall have a little further adj
| vanced.