The Savannah morning news., 1902-05-04
THE PHILIPPINE ISSUE.

Republicans are afraid of the Philip
pine question, and 1t really looks as
if they were. If they dared they would
bring the inquiry that is being made
by the Senate Committee on the Philip
pines to a close at once. The facts
that are being brought out in that in
quiry are not such as to make the
American people proud of American
rule in the Philippine islands.
The real purpose of the inquiry is of
course to make clearer the position of
the Democratic party in regard to the
Philippines. The Mobile Register. one
of the leading Democratic papers of
Alabama, said, the other day, that 1t
would not do for the Democratic party
to simply antagonize the Republican
party in the matter of the Philippines;
that it must say whether or not it
would give them up if it should be in
trusted with power.
There ought to be no question as to
the position of the Democratic party
in regard to the islands. 1t is clearly
stated in its last national platform.
1t is that there shall be an immediate
declaration of the nations purpose,
first, to establish a stable government:
second, to give the Filipinos their in
dependence and, third, to protect them
from outside interference until they
are to capable of taking care of them
selves.
The Republicans refuse to make a
declaration as to their purpose. The
late President Mckinley seemed to
favor giving the F'ilipinos their inde-
pendence as soon as they were. suf-
ficiently advanced to govern them
selves, but his party has never been
ready to make a declaration of that
sort. Indeed, there is no doubt that
it is it's present intention to retain the
islands permanently.
The dictinction between the policy of
the Democratic party and that of the
Republican party in regard to the
Philippines is very clear. There is no
doubt that if the policy of the Dem
ocratic party were adopted there would
be peace at once in the islands. The
Filipinos would be content to wait for
independence until they were prepared
for it. By that time they might be so
well satisfied with American rule that
they would not want a government of
their own.
About all authorities agree that the
Filipinos are not ready for indepen-
dence now. Gen. Macarthur, in his
testimony before the Senate Committee
on the Philippines, said, the other day,
that if the Filippinos were given in
dependence now savage wars would be
waged among the various tribes and
the islands would be made a wilder
ness; and he stated that Auguinaldo
held practically the same opinion.
Those who take the position that the
policy of the Democratic party is to
withdraw from the islands at once are
mistaken. The policy of that party
is to establish a stable government I'M
der the control of the Filipinos before
withdrawing.
AS to whether or not the majority of
permanent possession of the islands
it is impossible to say with any degree
of certainty. 1t must be admitted that
the sentiment of the business men and
cotton growers in the South seems to
be in favor of permanent possession.
We say, seems to be, because the only
organized expression of opinion in re-
gard to the matter has been in that
direction. The cotton manufacturers
think that the islands will be a great
market for their products, and it would
rot be surprising If the cotton plan
tiers were in sympathy, to some extent,
with the manufac turers.
There is not much doubt that the
Philippine bill will be adopted nor that
the Philippine question will be a lead
ing one in the next presidential contest.