The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-08-23

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ed upon its shore. We brought moral and physic-
al cleanliness into the Government.
We stamped out yellow fever-in itself in
estimable service both TO the Cuban people and
to the people OF our own southern States
We established school system. We made
life and property secure, that industry could
again begin to thrive Then. when We had laid
deep and broad the foundations upon which civil
liberty and national independence must rest. we
turned the island over TO the hands of those
whom the pecp,e had chosen the founders of
the Republic.
1t is a Republic with which our own great
Republic must be closely knit by the ties
OF common interest and common aspirations.
Cuba always be peculiarly related to us
in international politics. She must in interna-
tional affairs be- to degree, a part Of our po-
litical s-sten.
Economical Relations Peculiar.
In return. she must have peculiar relations
with economically. She must be. in a sense,
part Of economic system
We expect her to accept a political attitude
toward which think wisest both for her
and us. In return, we must be prepared to put
her in economic position as regards our tar
If system. which will give her some measure OF
the prosperity enjoy.
We canrot in my Judgment. avoid taking this
attitude II to perscNDS in the course
which we have outlined for ourselves as ma
tion in the last four years: and. therefore. be
trust, only Il matter OF very short tme-be-
fore We enter into reciprocal trade relations with
Cuba
The Isthmian Canal represents what is prob
ably to be the greatest engineering feat-the
greatest feat OF the kind-of the Twentieth Cen
tury. Before start upon the construction OF
the canal certain questions Of detail and OF our
relations with the people owning the soil have
to be settled When this has been done, the
first question will come upon choosing the COM
mission. which is 10 supervise the building OF
the canal.
Canal Enterprise Far-Reachfng.
Here again. We have to deal with an enter
prise vast and 80 far-reaching in its effects
that but one thought Is permissible-how TO get
the very best men in the nation; the men of the
highest engineering, business and administrative
skill, who will consent TO undertake the work.
II possible 1 should like 10 these men rep
resent different sections and different political
parties.
But these questions are secondary. The pri-
mary aim must be to get men who, though able
to control much greater salaries than the ma
ton is able to pay. nevertheless, possess the
patriotism and the healthy ambition which will
make them willing to put their talents at the
Governments service.
So much for what has been done in the Occi-
dent. In the Orient the labor was more difficult.
Work In Orient More Difficult.
It Is rare indeed that great work. q work
supremely worth doing. can be done at the
cost not only OF labor and toll, but OF much
puzzling worry during the time OF the perform
ance. Normally. the nation that achieves great
ness. like the individual who achieves greatness,
can do so only at the cost OF anxiety and be-
wilderment and heart-wearing effort.
Timid people. people scant OF faith and hope.
and good people who are not accustomed to the
roughness OF the life Of effort. almost
TO be disheartened and disrnayed by the work
and the worry and overmuch cast down by the
shortcomings. actual or seeming, which. in real
life always accompany the first stages even of
victories.
All this is true Of what has happened in the
last four years in the Philippine Islands.
The Spanish war itself was easy task. but It
left certain other tasks which were much
more difficult One OF these tasks that OF
dealing with the Philippines The easy thing to
do-the thing which appealed not only to lazy
and selfish men, but very many good men
whose thought did not drive them down to the
root Of things-was to leave the islands.
Country Might Have Left Islands.
Had We done this period OF wild chaos would
have supervened and then some stronger Power
would have stepped in and seized the Islands and
have taken up the task which We. in such a
case. would have fiinched from performing.
A less easy but infinitely more absurd course
would have been to leave the islands ourselves
and at the time to assert that we would
not permit any else to interfere with them.
This particular course would have combined all
the possible disadvantages Of every other course
which was advocated.
1t would have placed In a humiliatinR posi-
tion because, when the actual test came il
would have been quite out OF the question for
US. after striking deeds Of savagery had occurred
in the islands. TO stand by and prevent the
entry OF civilization into them. while the mere
fact Of our having threatened thus to guarantee
the local tyrants and wrong6oers against out
side interference. by ourselves or Others would
have put a premium upon every species OF
tyranny and anarchy within the Islands.
Course Taken Full of Difficulty.
Finally there was the course which adopted
rot an easy course-one ,fraught with danger
and difficulty. is generally the in this
world when some great feat is to be accom-
plished incident to working out national
destiny.
We made up our minds to stay in the islands.
to put down violence, to establish peace and order
and then to introduce just and wise civil rule,
accompanied by measure OF self-goyerument
showed themselves fit Tor II:
Well It was eegfany cerdabls task bu.
The first and vitality important feat was the |
hag and this had TO be done by the ef.ort. Of |
50 great a debt is due-the officers and .nIIs.ed |
men Of the I'm, United States Army. regulars and |
In a succession of campaigns, carried on in un- |
foe Vastly oasnnmSernr elusive sh and
the most adverse conditions OF climate weather
power Of the inEursents smashed their Grose dss
and harried the broken robber bands into sub
mission. In its latter stages the against our
rule sank into mere brigandsge. and what our
troops had to do was to hunt d0Gn the parties Of
It was not task which 1T was humanity possj-
month by month, year by year. with gaWesried gei
and patient resolution. army In the PhiIiD- i
pines did the task which 1t found ready to hand
until the last yestige Of organized nsurrection
was stamped out.
l do not refer to the Moros with whom We !
have exercised the utmost forbearsnce but who
may force W to chastise them II they persist
Sporadic Outbreaks May Occur.
Among the Philippines proper. however. peace
has come. Doubtless here and there sporadic
outbreaks OF brigandage will from time
10 time. but organized warfare against the Amer |
can nag mas ceased ana there is no reason
10 apprehend its recurrence. Our army in the
Stands has been reduced until II is not fourth
what 1t was at the time. the outbreak was at
ts heshth.
Step by step ss tine army conquered. the rule
II the military was supplanted by the rule of |
he civil authorities-the so'dier succeeded
seen exercised in choosing the best type OF Amer
cans for the high civil positions and the actual
work of administration has been done so far as
possible by native Filipino officials. serving ]
The success OF the effort has been wonderful
Never has this country had more upright
Governor Taft. Vice Governor Wright and their |
associates and suoordinates in the Philippine
Stands.
1t is a very difficult matter practically to ap-
,ly the principles of orderly free government
o an Oriental people.
1t is a task requiring Infinite frmness pa
ience. tact. observation-disclosures. All these quail
les and the countless other necessaries have
'een found in the civil and military officials who
ave been sent to administer the islands
It was. OF course. inevitable that there should
,e occasional failures; but 1t is astonishing how
ew these have been.
General Amnesty Proclaimed.
Here and there the civil government which had
zen established in a given district had to be
emporariIy withdrawn because of some out
,assed-on the hundred and twenty-sixth an
,tyersary Of our independence-lt was possible