The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-02-22
ROOSEVELT ON COLONIES.
What He Said Before Reaching the
White House.

Theodore Roosevelt. now president
of the United States, once issued IL
book entitled, american Ideas and
Other Essays" says VIM. j. Bryan i'm
the Commoner. In this book Mr.
Roosevelt had considerable to say con-
may he obtained ut any book sellers
counter today. 1f any one is interested
in obtaining the opinion of Mr.. Roosc-
Welt. the citizen. let him read the book
referred to and he will find therein the
following:
AT best the Inhabitants OF colony
are in Il cinmpcd and unnatural state.
At the worst. the establishment of II
colony prevents amy healthy popular
gronth. Sometime in the dim future
it may be that I'LL the English-sppak-
ing peoples will be able to unite in
some kind of confcdcracy. However
desirable this would he, it is. under OK
listing circumstances, only a dream. AT
present. the only hope for Il colony
that wishes to attain full moral and
mental growth, is to become an indie
pendent state. on part Of an indcpend-
cnt state. No English colony now
stands on a footing of genuine equality
with the parent state. AS long as the
Canadian remains :: colonist. he re-
mains in a position which is distinct!
inferior to that of his cousins. both in
England and in the United States. The
Englislman looks down on the Cana
dian. as lie does on amy one who adj
mits his infcriority. and quite properly,
too. Under the best of circumstances.
therefore. Il colony is in Il false posi-
ton, but if the colony is in Il region
where the coloniZing race HAS to do
it's work Ivy means of other inferior
races the condition is much worse.
From the standpoint OF the race little
or nothing has been gained by the
English conquest and colonization of
jamaica. jamaica has merely been
A&ti liSSt INV Al IN-lo Will d iu-
ture, seemingly, much like that Of San
Domingo: and British Guiana however
we'll administered, is nothing but a
colony where n few hundred or few
thousand white men hold the superior
positions. while the bulk of the popr-
lation Is composed Of Indians. negroes
and Asiatics. Looked at through the
vista of the centuries such colony
contains less promise of true growth
Ecuador. The history of most of the
South American republics has been
both mean and bloody. but there is
at least q chance that they may de.
velop. after infinite fluctuations and
| sufferings, into Il civilization quite rs
high and stable as that Of such Il
European power as Portugal. But
there is no such chance for any trop
ical American colony owned by a
northern European race"
What has happened to change Mr.
ROOsevelt's opinion? The policy Of III
administration contcmplates keeping
the inhabitants of the Philippines ii
an unnatural state" According tt
the policy of his administration, the
Philippine colony must continue in it.
present position until the time whel
republican leaders shall conclude tina
it has obtained the "moral and menta
growth essential to self-govcrnment
But how different this is from TIN
position which Mr.. Roosevelt TIL
author. took! Mr.. Roosevelt, the au
thor, said "the only hope for colon!
that wishes to obtain full moral an,
mental growth is to become an indie
pendent state"
According to Mr.. Roosevelt. the au
thor, the Philippine colony "is in
false position" Mr.. Roosevelt, the ar
thor, knew that in order to becom
capable Of self government, men mus
\ undergo practical experience. H
knew that, although nation assertin