Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-02-20
ROOSEVELT'S MEANING.
Azti-AnnexationIsts Pretend to Mis-
understand Him on the phil
ippine Question.
President schurman in his reply to

President Schurman in his reply to
the criticism of Gen. Wheaton said:
president Roosevelt said in his mes
sage to congress that we were to DO for
the Filpiros far more than any other Da-
tion has done for a tropical people, and
that we were to fit them for self-govern-
ment after the fashion of the really free
nations. l am with President Roosevelt
ana against Gen. Wheaton. And | go
further, and say that as the American
people have not yet passed upon the ques-
ton OF a final Philippine policy, it is as
proper for me to advocate eventual inGe-
pendcnce as for Gen. Wheaton TO recon-
mend colonial servitude like that of Java
or India"
Mr.. Schurman in this statement
did not express the opinion that
President Roosevelt had intimated he
was in favor of the ultimate indepen-
dence of the Philippines. In fact, he
said explicitly that he went further
than the president and advocated
eventual independence.
But some of the anti-eXpansionist
newspapers, says the Chicago Inter
Ocean, have found in Mr.. Schurman's
statement warrant for believing that
President Roosevelt in his message
expressed views favo~T bic to the
ultimate independence of the Philip
pines. What the president really did
say follows:
IN dealing with the Philippine people
We must show both patience and strength,
forbearance and steadfast resolution. our
aim is high. We do not desire to do for
the islanders merely what has elsewhere
been done for tropic peoples by even the
best foreign governments We hope to
do for them what has never before been
done for any peoples of the tropics-to
make them fit for self-goyernment."
Commenting on this, Chicago
newspaper asks:
What do the presidents words mean ?
They are utterly Inconsistent with the
Interpretation of the anneXatiunists. The
president Goes not say that we hope to
Americanize and assImiate the Filipnos,
to give them self-governmeEt and freedom
under the flag after the fashion Of, say,
Hawaii and New Mexico. lie does not
say that we hope to give them a terri
torial status and the prospect of statehood.
His words have no such meaning. What,
then do they mean? Exactly what MIR.
Schurman cOnstrues them to convey-ulti-
mate independence; perhaps under some
form of protectorate, some sort of Plat
amendment.
If there is a plain spoken man in
the world, that man is President
Roosevelt. Never before has an anti
anneXatfonist pretended to misunder-
stand him. But here is Chicago
newspaper which has opposed all the
Roosevelt policies, seriously contend
ing that when the president said:
"We hope to make the Philippine
people fit for self-government after
the fashion of the really free ma
tions," he meant that we were to sur
render the islands and grant them in
dependence.
OF course the people know that
Mr.. Roosevelt from the first has been
most strenuous advocate of the an
neXation of the Philippines. He was
in advance of President Mckinley and
more positive in his utterances. He
was nominated for vice president
largely because of his boIdness in
this respect. and as if to remove all
doubts he said in his letter of ac-
ceptance:
"The question now is not whether we
shall eXpand-we have already expanded ::
but whether we shall contract; to-surren-
der the Philippines would be to surrender
American territory"
Defending the annexation of the
Philippines, Mr.. Roosevelt said:
Louisiana territory was acquired by
treaty and purchased exactly and precise
ly as the Philippines were acquired. The
consent of the governed was not asked
in the case of Louisiana; the great majori-
ty of the inhabitants were bitterly opposed
TO the transfer and United States soldiers
had to be sent into the territory to pre-
vent insurrection; years lapsCd before the
right of self-government was granted
them. As soon as order is eStab-
lshed, ii will be possible to give the Phil
lppinCs a larger measure of self-gOvern-
ment than jefferson gave to Louisiana"
No one could have misunderstood
Mr.. Roosevelt at that time as to
what he meant by self-government.
lie used the case of Louisiana to
make clear his meaning, and when
he said in his message that 1--WE
hoped to make the Filipinos fit for
government after the fashion of
the really free nations" he meant
just exactly what he meant when he
used the same words in his letter of
acceptance, and in his subsequent
speeches of the campaign. Certainly
no one misunderstood him when he
said that he looked forward to the
time when Filipnos, Porto Ricans,
and HaWaiians would he found in the
American army, serving as Loyalty
under the flag as the people of the
several states in the war of 1898.
PRESS OPINIONS.