Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-06-13
rHE RIGHT Way our OF IT.
Should DO Away with oppres-
aion and Terrorism.

1t pleases the spokesman of the ad-
ministration to represent that the
only alternative to the existing con-
ditions in the Philippines is a scuttle
and, unfortunately, in this they are
aided to some extent by those demo
Gratis who fail to suggest any other
remedy.
= The true alternative to the present
system of conquest, terrorism and
silence is the introduction of .enlight-
ened ideas of government and the
PRONUNCIATION of the usual guarantees
of freedom, says the Chicago Chron
icle.
In other words. the methods of Rus
STA and Spain, too long practiced il
the name of the people of the United
States without their knowledge
should give place to the measures
which the great republic has adopt e
heretofore in all of>its dealings Will
| newly acquired territory.
There is evidence that most of t1t
resistance which we have met witt
/ in these islands is due to the fact IL at
| we have been attempting to establish
| there an intofera bic despotism. We
| have played the same role that Spain
essayed for hundreds of years. We
| have carried the banner of freedom
in one hald and the weapons of tyran-
| ny in the other. We have demanded
| submission not to the republic, but
| to the empire: not to the constitution
| but to Elihu Root; not to the laws Of
the United States, but to the decrees
| of Mr.. Roots scandalous little bureau
| of insular affairs.
| What can we expect?
| The people of the Philippines as e
whole may or may not be fitted for self
| government, but the fact that con
| siderab numbers of them resist
| tyranny is conclusive proof that they
| are intelligent enough to appreciate
| the fact that the policy which the ad-
ministration is pursuing there in the
name of the American people is in con-
| fiict with the ideas of liberty which
have long been associated with the
| government and people of the United
| States.
Elihu Roots policy in the Philippines
| is a blunder and a crime. 1t is a blum
| der and crime which the political
| party now in power a Washingt on has
shared. Considerations of patronage
and plumber have silenced every mem
| Der of the organization with the eX-
ception of a few men of advanced sc
| who are no longer Influenced by selfish
ambitions. Dragooning in the Philip
| pines has been followed by drag oonin9
in America, and such is the fear of the
usurpers that no republican who looks
to a political future ventures to pro
| test.
1t must be clear enough now to every
| intelligent American that the Philip.
pines were acquired not for the PEG.
pie of the United States, nor for the
purpose of comforting liberty upor
| their inha bitants, but with the sole
object of opening up new and profit
able field for the operations of syndi-
Gates and eXploiters. Despotisn
would favor such policy just as con.
| stitutional government would render
it impossible.
The alternative to a drumh cad des-
potism in the Philippines is not to
| scuttle. 1t is to establish a govern.
ment in accordance with the constitu-
ton and the laws. So far as certain
democrats have indorsed the scutt1e
policy, they have contributed not q
little to the impression that Elihu
Roots tyranny must be accepted as a
choice of evils.