Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-05-19


time to time disposed OF by parliament
toward defraying the necessary expenses
of defending, protecting, and securing
the said colonies and plantations.
There was the plan, all set out in at
tractive phrase. The money, after be-
ing collected, was to be used toward sup
porting "civil government" for the
Filipinos-beg pardon, for the Amer
cans-and, therefore, everybody ought
to be satisfied. Human nature, however
is so perverse!
According to the Gentleman's Maya
zine, published in London in July, 1867,
Benjamin Franklin was examined as to
the effect which the new proposal would
have in the American colonies. The
sturdy old patriot doubted whether it
would tend to quench the fire of inde-
pendence.
"Don't you know" he was asked,
that the moneys arising from the taxes
are to be laid out in American"
The question was asked as though the
fact which it contained ought to settle
the whole matter, but still Franklin was
dubious, 81 know it is appropriated by
the act to the American SERVICE" he
said, "but it will be spent in the con-
quered the colonies where the soldiers
are, not in the colonies that pay for it. "
OF course, Franklin's reply does not
exactly fit the present case. There are
no conquered" colonies in the Philip
pines-only "pacified" provinces.
Finally, on the End of July, 1867, the
king approved the generous plan for re-
turning to the Americans the money
collected from them. but, sadly for Brit
ish craftsmanship, the trouble was not
ended. Certain unregenerate and siren
uous people were writing to papers like
the Pennsylvania Gazette-for Great
Britain had not gone so far as to insist
that to print anthing about Indepen-
dence in newspaper was a reasonable
offense-that freedom was something
greatly to be desired. "We boast of our
freedom and have your example for it,
was said to England by one liberty-lov-
ing soul. If he were alive and able I'd
write the same thing in newspaper in
Manila today, he would be sent to Jail.
Thus does the world move.
And there were other people who were
SO blind in those DAYS that they failed
to see how the benefcent plan of paying
back the money to the Filipinos-no,
the Americans-was going to stifie the
cause of liberty. The London cores
pondent of the Brussels Gazette wrote
the following comment in April. 1857:
We are not without fear lest the meas
ures taken for the establishing OF a tax
in America should give rise to new
troubles in most of our colonies. Pre-
caution, however, will be taken to leave
the repartition and collection OF it to the
assemblies of the different provinces
The spirit of revolt and independence
which reigns in that country gives us
no reason to depend upon any good dis
position on their part.
1t is to be hoped that no evil-disposed
observer will be so mean ana unkind as
to write such things about the Filipinos.
Besides, every assurance is given that
"the spirit of revolt and independency"
in the archipelago has been nearly ex-
tingushed.
In one other instance history has re-
peated itself. There was an American
commission once, just as there is a Phil
ippine commission now. On the End OF
June, 1867, there was introduced in the
house of commons:
a bill to enable his majesty to put the
customs and other duties in America,
and the execution OF laws relating to
trade there. under the management of
commissioners to be resident there.
In due course of time this bill was
passed and received the royal assent.
Then this official notice appeared in the
London Gazette OF Saturday, September
5, 1867.
The king has been pleased to consti-
tute and appoint Henry Hutton, John
Temple, William Burch, Charles Pax
ton, and John Robinson, esquires, to be
commissioners for the receipt and man
agement of his majesty's customs and
other duties in America.
The king has been pleased to grant
unto James Porter, esq, the Office OF
comptroller or the cashier of accounts of
the customs and other duties in Ameri-
ca.
The king has been pleased to grant
unto Charles Stewart, esq.,, the Office of
his majesty's revenues of customs and
other duties in America.
Somehow or other those commission
ers were not received with that spirit of
cordially whidh their appointment war.
ranted. 1t was unfortunate that the
Americans did not have the Filipinos to
set them good example.
Carrying the Message.
The stationery you use conveys mes