Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-04-28
What Should Be Done With the Phil
ippines7

ipplnesT
ITO be or not to be" was a puzzle TO
Hamlet. but whether TO let go or hold on
Is the puzzle to the American government
with the Filipinos.
The present contract seems to be more
than our people bargained for and like
! the boy that had the goat by the horns
IL is impossible 20 turn loose. and II Is
even more difficult TO hold on-with the
ever increasing troubles.
Cuba Is TO be allowed some privileges
very sOon-if the present programme is
carried out. but Cuba was never rated so
low in civilization as the Philippine Is
lands.
The Spanish dons could afford to reside
a part OF the time in Cuba. They could
raise children there, when the opportunity
was good for increasing wealth and for
exercising official authority.
But they were never so favorable TO the
Filipino country. II was only considered
good enough to raise revenue. but hardly
valuable for anything. II these Spaniards
must adopt the islands as a residence
locality.
II not popular with Spain the chances
are less favorable for American emigrants
TO make a home in the archipelago. The
climate. is unfavorable. and the distance
great. Very few people would find those
islands attractive unless they were we'll
paid 20 so there and the payment was
made sure by checks on the L. S. treas
ury.
But It is a question as to how long this
country can stand a drain of a million
OF dollars per week. as we are now assured
Is the payroll OF the government in Ma
Mia. When there is no more in sight than
is currently reported. and no probable
decrease OF the army, until the Filipinos
are conquered or crushed out, why should
we keep these islands7
Hawaii is far from being satisfied with
its condition. II complains loudly. The
election for delegate to L. s. congress de-
veloped the fact that the present admins
tration is exceedingly unpopular The del
egate won his race by fighting the pres
ent ministry.
The situation is generally unharmonious.
When Hawaii became a territory of this
country. then the Chinese exclusion act
operated; and the farmers and sugar
labor in obedience to the law. The sugar
tariff is unpopu pr. The complaints are
loud. that the islands are not prospecting
as formerly. that they are failing in bust
ness.
Cuba's appeal is pathetic for a reduc-
ton OF the sugar tariff Congress Is striv
ing now to devise plans of relief. Gen.
eral Wood says the planters will be bank
rupt without a change in the tariff
schedules. and he tells it in plain words.
The F1lipinos are also duly miserable.
They are killed. "water-cured' and robbed
without mercy. They are worse of than
all.
At a distance OF 1000 miles from the
American mainland, 1t is never going to
be easy management over in the Philip
pine Islands. When we least expect trou-
bic. we may be plunged into a foreign
WARMTH some OF the world powers-and
IL is the habit of ambitious nations as
well as the nature OF ambitious rulers to
pick a quarrel when they are each ready
for the fuss.
So long as the United States government
kept inside our recognized boundaries
there was no chance for a quarrel, as we
all understand. We kept to this policy of
LET me alone and I'll let you alone" for
full one hundred years OF peace and pro-
gress; so far as outside nations were con-
cerned.
But we are dabbling in experiments at
this present time-we are clutching at all
in sight. We took Cuba and Porto Rico
at the end of the bayonet. but we are buy
ing the Danish West Indies, and for some
occult reason. not yet publicly explained.
we captured the Philippines and. then
volunteered to pay an extravagant price
for the same.
A standing army OF large proportions
was always dreaded by our forefathers.
but We have 5000 soldiers in the Phil
ippines alone-at a minimum cost of 81, 500
each per annum for the plain private.
The civil commission is even more expen-
sive than the military. only there are not
so many OF them.
Truly the boy has the butting goat by
the horns-but the goat Is the animal that
has the fun-if there is any fun in the
episode.
What a pity. the boy ran afoul of the
goat! IL he dares TO let go. he is sure to
be butted down. and II he holds on he is
sure TO be racked and jerked about TO
desperation without relief What shall be
done with these troublesome possessions
on the other side of this globe we inha bit?
Spain might a tale unfold on this in
quiry? Spain held on TO her islands until
she was obliged 70 let go. What was
sauce for the goose may be applied as
dressing for the gander!