The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-01-29


tons which would seriously embarrass
the administration in power. That,
| however, Is not fact peculiar to the
Philippine Issue; it applies to all ques-
| tions and represents the continual diff
| ference between an administrative
party and the party of opposition. In
| meeting 1t the Republicans will simply
be repeating history ana in the end
we have no doubt that they Will meet
1t frankly.
The Republican party stands behind
President Roosevelt, who, in his recent
message, said "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.for-
eign governments. We hope to do for
them what has never before been done
for any people of the troplcs-to make
them fit for government after the
fashion of the really free nations.
The character of Governor Taft
and of his associates and subordinates
is proof, If such be needed, of the sim
cerity of our effort to give the islanders
constantly increasing measure Of
self-government, exactly as fast as they
show themselves fit to exercise it.
We are extremely anxious that
the natives shall show the power of
governing themselves. We are anxious
first for their sakes, and, next, because
it relieves us of great burden. There
need not be the slightest fear of our
not continuing to give them all the lib
erty for which they are fit"
This leaves for determination only
the question: How fit are the F'ilipinos
for liberty? or, rather, how much lib
erty are they now fit for? Upon this
issue the public is quite as likely to ac-
cept the views of men like Judge Taft,
who have placed by this government
in charge of Philippine affairs, as it is
to be led into Endorsement of Demo-
cratic rhetoric. Judge Taft says:
THE only answer have to make to
the ideas of individual observers who
declare that the true condition in the
Philippines is being concealed, or that
we are hugging delusions of peace that
can never be brought about, is that the
government is concealing nothing and
that Its conclusions are not based on
wild theories, but substantial facts.
AS a matter Of fact the embers of dis
trust are being kept alive by sensation
alists who seize on every petty point
and seek to twist it into some horrible
barbarity of our government in the
islands. Take, for instance, the talk
about concentration camps. AS u mat
ter OF fact there has never been any
thought Of establishing concentration
camps in the ordinary acceptation of
the term. All that. has been proposed
is an insurgent Gordon, the establish
ment of Il dead line into which will
gradually be drawn all the remnants of
insurrection that exist. The noncom-
batants on the islands have never,
even at the hardest period of the war,
received anything but the utmost kind
ness and consideration at our hands,
and it is hardly probable that this
policy viii be reversed now that the
opposition is fast drawing to Il close"
The governor believes that the on-y
existing opposition to the authority of
the United States is being fomented by
the men who form the Hongkong junta,
most Of whom were formerly residents
Of the rich coffee growing province of
Batangas. 1T is in this province" he
says, that we are now meeting with
our only difficulty, and the day ] ar
rived at San Francisco l received a
telegram from the war department an
nouncing that several hundred rifles
had been surrendered from towns in
this department. My statements con-
cerning the close Of the rebellion are
not optimistic in the sense that they
are overdrawn. They are based on
are rapidly developing an affection for
our institutions, and a large number of
former insurgents have become valu-
able members of the community, fully
worthy of any trust that may be re-
posed in them. The coming elections
will develop the real progress in this
direction, and l am certain that the re-
suit will be gratifying. l have found
that the Filipino is much like any 9TH
er man in one respect--fair treatment
will have it's effect on him, ana we are
seeking to show him that the only
qualification required from him in Or
der that he may receive the most lib
eral usage is loyalty and good citizen
ship"
In Il recent speech, made in Boston,
President Schurman, head of the first
Philippine commission, was reported TO
have said that congress should now de-
clare the nations purpose to give event
ual independence to the Fllipinos. This
has been taken up and made much of
by the Democrats. A dispatch from
Ithaca, n. Y, now says:
President schurman today made a statement
explanatory OF his recent Boston speech Tie
substance Of his late speech was that if the
Christians OF Luzon and the Nsayus wanted indc.
pendence and showed themselves capable of as
surning it this country would eventually give it
TO them President SChulman said today that lie
believed the policy lie advocated would more than
any thing else promote the welfare Of the Fiji,
pinos. President Roosevelt, he said, declared in
his message 10 congress that America was TO do
for the Filipimos lar more than any other nation
had ever done for a tropical people and thmt
this country was to fit them for seItgoyernmcnt
after the fashion OF really free races lie said
he stood with President Roosevelt in his policy
and was against the policy advocated by Gen
elal Wheaton, which would mean colonial sery.
itude like that OF Java and India; and that it
was Just ms proper fur one to advocate a policy
Of eventual independence at the present time
as it would be TO urge the adoption OF General