New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-10
IrIII TIE PHILIPPINES P1FH

..v-ill the Philippines Pay" the title of an
article first published In THE Saturday Even
inc Post " of Philadelphia. by Senator Augustus
a Bacon. of Georgia and afterward reproduced
rs q Senate document, recalls the experience
of a wealthy San Francisco preacher who drlV-
ing I'D 10 Joaquin Miler's home among the foot
hills. observed some olive trees nearby and ac-
costed the poet of the Sierras by asking: ""lil
olives pay here?'
JOAQUIN Miller turned with anger flashing In
his eye and replied:
Pay? Pay? The tree that sheltered IN.
Saviour from the dew IN Gethsemane the night
in which He agonized for you ana me IN 800 80,
breath Of the sweet sea wind that hfss taelr
siivery leaves in the sun am paid; pala IN I'M
perishable silver every day. l see IN tnel
every leaf the olive branch OF the dove OF oiu-
The olive branch and the breast OF the dove
, are of the same subdued silver hue to-day as IN
the DAYS of Noah-as if the olive branch and the
dove had in some sort kept conlpanlohslllp eNei
since the days Of the deluge-
The poet. in speaking of the incident. said:
The clink of the golden chain which bound
that mans neck 10 the golden calf with the
ecloyen hnof was heard 10 rattle on my stony
.'steeps as he spoke. VIII olives pay"
4 ike rehuke should be administered TO
those who would attempt to reduce history,
glory and duty to account of profit and loss
When the cry of bleeding Cuba was wafted
| from the South. and the horrors OF Weylers
/ concentration camps outraged humanity; when
! the destruction of the Maine thrilled the nation;
when the Spanish minister called the now mar
tyred Mckinley "a pothouse politician and
Congress declared by unanimous vote war
against Spain, the question was not raised
"WiIl the war pay?'
| When the glad news of Dewey's May Day
| victory flashed around the world no one was
/ When. in order to evade chaos and to restore
! in Cuba the functions OF government necessary
to protect life and property. the government Of
the United States administered the affairs or
! that war racked island. man North or South
in Congress or out of It. dared TO raise the ques-
ton ''Win it pay?"
When the Philippines were wrested from
Spain, and her saffron flag came down to make
way for the Stars and Stripes; when the In
slrgeuts were straining 10 loot the city or
Manila and had issued orders TO massacre all
foreigners irrespective OF race or sex. the gal
liant officers in the Orient did not stop TO con-
slider whether the performance of their plain
duty would pay. The transports that carried
volunteers and regulars across the Pacific-and
alas. brought many back in their cottins-were
not constructed of dollars and calkedwith bonds.
The price OF blood and precious lives is not TO he
measured with dividends. The high claims OF
duty do not stop 10 count the cost and no adj
ministration since the foundation OF our govern
ment has ever attempted TO save its soul and
winters pork with the least possible outlay of
salt and sanctty.
The sovereignty of the United States in the
Philippines is a condition that is the result Of
no mans planning. The flag is there, and there
10 STAY through the irresistible logic of events
and in obedience to the demands of national
obligation. The flag is there not because it
pavs but because American honor and that
courage which shrinks at task however
hard providing ii is right, placed ii there. 1t
floats over the rice fields OF LuZon and flashes
through the forests of Mindanao not an
emblem of oppression, but the earnest Of
Justice and freedom. 1t is the pledge OF a
broader liberty and more democratic govern
ment than any nation in all history ever prom
ised or granted 10 another people. The peo-
pie of the Philippines under the protecting
pgis of that banner. will learn the arts Of peace
accept the education provided for their children,
use the franchise granted them, and with wis
dom direct the public affairs committed to
their keeping: and then the Philippines will
pay. will pay hundredfold because the United
States will then have kept faith with duty, with
the Philippines and with the world.