The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-31

humanity and justice as the supreme aim
OF our Philippine policy is eminently true.
He cannot emphasize this truth too strongly
But when he goes beyond and infers that
the President looked forward TO Philippine
independence he speaks without warrant.
President Mckinley was good listener.
He did not always carry his heart on his
sleeve. He wanted DR.. Schurman for the
immediate coca sion, and DR.. Schurman met
II with admirable skill and ability. The
statesman was dealing practically with the
exigent problem: the scholar may have
been theorizing and dreaming OF the re-
mote future: and If he read his own con-
ception in the smile Of the gracious but
wary and reserved President II was not
the first time such mistakes have been
made.
futed when IL comes TO his Interpretation of
President Roosevelt, for he appeals to
words which are OF the public record. He
saws: ION this fundamental point THAT is
of the ultimate aim of independently Pres
ident Roosevelt is not less explicit than
President Mckinley" Exactly mot less,
and certainly not more And what are his
message to which DR.. Schurman refers:
I'VE are extremely anxious that the ma
tives shall share the power Of governing
themselves. We hope To do for them what
has never before been done for any people
of the trOpics-tO make them fit for self
government after the fashion of the really
free nations" And this DR.. Schurman ac-
cepts as an explicit declaration for SOW
ereign independence How easy it is to see
how he misunderstood President Mckinley :
He confOunds liberty-ample. complete, in
spring Hberty-with sovereignty. He con-
POUNDS autonomous self-government with
independence.
As if we were denying liberty to the peo-
pie of Porto Rico because we do not grant
them independent sovereignty AS If the
people of the new Australia did not have
the largest freedom because they have not
a distinct flag of their own, Are the citi-
ZenS OF Arizona and New Mexico oppressed
and down-trodden because they are not set
OF in a nation by themselves? If the Fill
pinos snail, when they fit for it, have
the same measure of self-government as
Americans have under the American flag,
will it not fulfill President Roosevelt S
hope of real liberty after the fashion OF
the really free natiOns?"
In DR.. Schurmans present teaching there
Is mistake more serious than mere con-
fusion of thought and mere misunderstanding
ing OF the two Presidents. When the Fill
pinos shall be ready for independence ac-
cOrdfng to his idea, does he propose to cast
them adrift? If so how is their independ-
ence to be maintained? How are they TO be
guarded against absorption by one or more
or the nations that would be eager to seize
upon them? Is this to be secured by an
American protectOrate? Are we then to
take responsibility without power? Are we
TO incur the unknown risks and plunge into
the unmeasured difficulties of guaranteeing
a government over whose domestic tur-
mOils and foreign complications we should
have no cOntrOl2 And what is this but the
poor. limping. self-stultfying proposition
of unbaked Organism in the overwhelming
defeat of 1900?
DIR. Schurman owes much to his own
great and deserved reputation; he owes
much TO his country where through his
honorable service he has gained an intlu-
entail voice; he owes much TO the Filipinos
whom he is in danger of imbuing with false
ideas is he just to these obligations in
this latest utterance?