The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-06-20
AN EXAMPLE
TO FILIPINOS.

The conclusion of peace In South At
rics naturally awskens thoughts OF the
possibility of peace in the Philippines.
The Beers, after long fight for inde-
pendent sovereignty, have accepted
British dominion, under the most lib
eral guarantees, which insure them
against taxes for the cost Of the war,
place them once more on their farms,
with help toward the repair OF their
shattered fortunes, preserve to them
their own language and promise them
local self-government as soon as condi-
tions warrant. These terms are every
where regarded as conciliatOry in the
extreme. The Beers have made good
bargain In accepting them, and there
is every reason to hope for the growth
of free, contented and prosperous BOer
communities in the Trsnsvsal and
Orange River Colony under the British
flag.
The example ought not to be lost on
the world. Why should not our diff
culties be settled 10 substantially the
same way? Our problem is in many
respects like that of England, and the
wisdom of the course adopted by the
English is so patent that il is impossible
to suppose that the Americans would
fail to conclude peace on terms equally
favorable TO the Filipinos II the latter
would meet them half way. In fact,
from the beginning the Americans
have offered such terms to the Fill
pinos. Back In 1899 conferences were
held with the Filipino leaders, and they
were asked to state what terms they
wanted. They could formulate none,
except an impossible demand for alb
sOlute national independence, accom-
panied by an objection to being left by
the United States to their own resour-
ces. In other words, with characteris-
tic childishness they wanted the United
States to take the responsibility for
protecting them without reserving any
power TO control them. Even while
they have been at war with US the
United States has gone on to give free
ly to all the Filipinos among whom II
could exercise peaceful Jurisdiction
privileges as great as those which the
British have conceded to the Beers ss
the price of peace. Wherever 1t is
possible We have established civil gov.
erments with Fllipinos In Office, some.
times, In our anxiety to be conciliatory,
going too fast and giving power tc
treacherous enemies. We have re-
spected Filipino property, have beer
trying TO secure for the people the
lands held to their disadvantage by the
friars, have given them schools ir
which their language was taught, have
perpetuated that language In courts
have guaranteed the fundamental per
sOnsl rights of the inhabitants, and
have stood ready at any time to provide
whatever was necessary TO put the Fill
pinos on the road to prosperity II they
would only returE to the vOcstions o
peace.
There Is not q concession given u
the Beers the correspondent of which
the United States does not now, and
has not for q long time stood ready u
give to the Filippinos. Like the Brit
ish, we have made the one essential re
quirement acceptance of sovereignty q
necessary step to the establishment
OF lasting peace and good order; an(
our title Is better. Great Britain hal
destroyed the existance OF one absO
lutely independent and one semi-inde
pendent nation as q punishment fo
making war upon her. She has estab
lished title by conquest. The United
States was, In international law. tn,
unquestioned sovereign of the Philip
pines, having acquired title from tn,
former sovereign by treaty, just exactl.
as 1t acquired title 10 Louisiana or Cali
fornia. The FilipinOs have been fight
| ing TO establish new. not to maintain
an old, nation. II terms are liberia
and conciliatory which deprive tn
Beers OF their sovereign indepen
dence, the same terms ought h
be liberal and conciliatory whel
they merely hold Filipinos to thei
allegiance according to the Ia,
of nations. Subject to that allie
glance the FilipinOs can have tn
utmost personal freedom, self-govern
ment and assistance TO regain prosperi
ty merely for the taking. We stan
ready to consult native feeling, adsp
our measures to local requirements
All we ask is that the Filipinos accep
American sovereignty. as the Boer
have accepted English sovereignty
Then only will it be possible for ther
to show by progress in peace such I'll
ness for nationality as would jus .ify th
United States in promising even ult
IN ately to free them from control, 10
we are responsible to the world fo
them and bound not to let those island:
taken from a civilized power, revert
the rule of barbarism and piracy. Th
example OF the Beers should not b
lost on the Filipinos.-N. Y. Tribun,
To secure nutrition for the body, tn
blood must carry sustenance to muscle