The Oskaloosa herald., 1902-08-28


OF emciency and integrity. But after
an, mere at home we always have in
our own hands the remedy for any fail
ure TO provide such qualities. In a far
en- Island things are different. There
wrongdoing Is more easy, and those who
suner from II are more helpless; while
there Is less efficient check in the way
OF tnat public opinion to which public
men are sensitive. In consequence, the
administration of those islands is. be-
yond all other kinds of administration in
our country, the one in which the high
est standard must be demanded. In
making appointments to the insular sery-
Ice, 1t Is necessary to disregard any
question OF mere party expediency, and
10 look at the matter solely from the
STANDPOINT OF the honor of our own nation
ano OF the welfare of the island itself.
ihis mas been the standpoint adhered to
In selecting the men who represent our
government in Porto Rico-governor.
treasurer, attorney general, judges, su-
perlntendent of education-eyery one.
In consequence, all Americans should
feel real pride in the way in which
their compatriots who are responsible
for the government of the island have
administered 1t. Moreover. in shaping
the government of the island we have
acted with good sense as well as with
gooo 1alth. We have not been fright
ened or mislead into giving the people of
the island form of government I'M
suitable TO them; and while providing
tnat they should govern themselves SO
lar as possible, we have not hesitated in
their own interest to keep the power of
shaping their destiny.
The Cuban Problem.
In Cuba the problem was larger, more
complicated and more difficult. Here,
again, We kept our promise absolutely
After having delivered the island from its
oppressors, We refused to turn 1t loose
onhand with the certainty that II would
SINK INTO chaos and savagery. For over
three years We administered It on a plane
higher than 1t had ever reached during the
four centuries since the Spaniards first
landed upon It's shore. We brought moral
and physical cleanliness into the govern
ment. We stamped out yellow feyer-in
Itself an ineStimable service both to the
cuban people and to the people Of our own
southern states. We established a school
system. We made life and property secure.
SO that INDUSTRY could again begin to
thrive. Then, when we had laid deep and
broad the foundations upon which civil
liberty and national independence must
rest, We turn ed the island over to the hands
OF those whom the people had chosen as
the founders of the new republic It is a
republic with which our own great republic
must ever be closely knit by the ties of
lions.
Must Have Reciprocity.
Cuba must always be peculiarly re-
lated to US in international politics. She
must In international affairs be to a degree
a part OF our political system. In return,
she must have peculiar relations with us
economically. She must be. in a sense, part
or our economic system. We expect her
to accept political attitude toward us
which we think wisest both for her and
US. In return, we must be prepared TO
put her In an economic position as regards
our tariff system which will give her soma
measure of the prosperity which we entoy
We cannot, In my judgment, avoid taking
this attitude If we are to perseyera IN thr
course which We have outlined for o,,r.
selves as nation during the past for4
years; and, therefore, 1 believe that II is
only matter of time-and, trust, only a
matter of a very short time-before we en-
ter into reciprocal trade relations with
Cuba.
The Isthmian Canal.
The isthmian canal represents what
is probably to be the greatest engineer
ing feat-the greatest feat of the kind
OF the twentieth century. Before we
start uoon the construction of the canal
certain questions of detail and of our re-
iadons with the people owning the soil
nave to be settled. When this has been
done. the first question will come upon
choosing the commission which Is to SUI
pervise the building of the canal Here.
again, we have to deal with an enter
prize so vast and so far reaching In its
effects that but one thought is permits
sible-how to get the very best men in
the nation, the men Of the highest en-
cheering and business and administra-
tive skill, who will consent to under
take the work. If possible. should like
hnCn N
tons and different political parties But
these questions are secondary. The pri-
mary aim must be to get men who
though able to control much greater
salaries than the nation is AIDE to paw,
nevertheless possess the patriotism and
the healthy ambition which will make
them willing to put their talents at the
governments service.
The Philippines.
80 much for what has been done in
the occident. In the orient the labor was
more difficult
at is rare. indeed, that a great work,
work supremacy worth doing, can be
done save at the cost not only of labor
and toll, but of much puzzlng worry
during the time of the performances.
Normally, the nation that achieves
greatness, like the Individual who
achieves greatness, can do SO only at the
heart wearing effort. Timid people, peo-
pie scant of faith and hope, and good
people who are not accustomed to the
roughness Of the life OF effort are al
most sure to be disheartened and dis
mayed by the work and the worry, and
overmuch cast down by the shortcom-
Ings. actual or seeming, which In real
life always accompany the first stages
even Of what eventually turn out to be
the most brilliant victories.
"All this Is true of what has happened
during the last four years in the Phil
lppine islands. The Spanish war itself
was an easy task, but it left us certain
other tasks which were much more diff
dcult. One of these tasks was that of
dealing with the Philippines. The easy
thing to do-the thing which appealed
not only to lazy and selfish men but to
very many good men whose thought did
not drive them down to the root of
things-was to leave the islands. Had
We done this, period of wild chaos
would have supervened and then some
stronger power would have stepped in
and seized the islands and have taken
up the task which we in such a case
would have fiinched from performing. A
less easy but infinitely more absurd
course, would have been to leave the
Islands ourselves and at the same time
10 assert that we would not permit any
one else to interfere with them. This
particular course would have combined
all the possible disadvantages OF every
other course which was advocated. II
would have placed us in a humlliating
position, because when the actual test
came 1t would have been quite out of
the question for US. after some striking
deed Of savagery had occurred in the
Islands to stand by and prevent the re-
entry of civilization into them; while
the mere fact of our having threatened
thus to guarantee the local tyrants and
wrongdoers against outside interferences
by ourselves or others, would have put
q premium upon every species Of tyranny
and anarchy within the islands.