New-York tribune., 1902-12-03


on July / last on the one hundred and TWEEN
ty-sxth anniversary of the declaration of our
independence, peace and amnesty were proinui-
gated in the Philippine Islands. Some trouble
has since from time to time threatened with the
Mahometan Moros. but with the late insurrec
tionary FiIipinos the has entirely ceased
Civil government has HOW been introduced Net
only does each Filipino enjoy such rights to life.
liberty and the pursuit of happiness as he has
never before known during the recorded history
of the islands. but the people taken whole
now enjoy a measure of self-government greater
than that granted to any other Orientals by any
foreign power. and greater than that enjoyed
by any other Orientais under their own govern
ments. save the japanese alone We have not
gone too far in granting these rights of liberty
and sef-government; but we have certainly
gone to the limit that in the interests of the
Philippine people themselves it was wise or just
to go. TO hurry matters. to go faster than we
are now going. would entail calamity on the peo
pie of the islands No policy ever entered into
by the American people has vindiCated itself In
more signal manner than the policy of holding
the Philippines The triumph of our arms. above
all the triumph OF our laws ana principles mas
come sooner than we had any right TO expect
Too much praise cannot be given to the army
for what il has done in the Philippines. both In
warfare and from administrative standpoint.
in preparing the way for civil government; AID
similar credit belongs to the civil authorities
for the way in which they have planted the
seeds of selfgovernment in the ground thus
made ready for them. The courage, the un-
flnching endurance. the high sOldieF1y efficiency
and the general kind heartedness and humanity
of our troops nave been strikingly manifested
There now remain only some fifteen thousand
troops in the islands. All told. over one hun
dred thousand have been sent there. of course
there have been individual instances of wrong
doing among them They warred under fearful
Of climate and surroundings; and un-
der the strain of the terrible provocations which
they continually received from their foes occa-
sionaf instances OF cruel retaliation occurred.
Every effort has been made to prevent such
crueltes and finally these efforts have been
completely successful Every effort has also
been made to detect and punish the wrongdoers-
After making all allowance for these misdeeds,
II remains true that few indeed have been the
instances in which war has been waged by
civilized power against semi-civiiiZed or barbar-
Gus forces where there has been little wrong
doing by the victOrs as in the Philippine ISL
ands. On. the other hand. the amount of diff
cult. important and benefleent work which has
been done Is well nigh incalculable.
Taking the work of the army and the civil
together, it may be questioned
whether anywhere else in modern times the
world has seen better example Of real con-
structive craftsmanship than our people have
given in the Philippine Islands. High praise
should also be given those Filipinos. in the ag-
gregate very numerous, who have accepted the
new conditions and Joined with representa-
tfves to work with hearty good will for the
welfare of the islands.