New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-19


novelty fl the phrase Oriental America" for
which we are Indebted to Mr.. Noyes. In the
Philippines we have reached a point where
east and west are strangely mingled and con-
fused. Geographically. those islands are far to
westward OF the United States, and should be
called west instead OF east Astronomically,
they IN the Far East; and the astro-
nomicai universe is greater than the geographi-
cal domain. the latter principle must prevail
Hawaii is in the Far West, but the Philippines,
being beyond the international time MERRIAM
are IN the Far East. So much for the adjective
IN the phrase. The substantive may be open
10 more challenge Geographically. there is no
America in the Orient The Philippines are
Asian. not American But politically. COM
merciany and otherwise they are American.
They are a part Of political and cOmmerclal
America, though OF geographical Asia IN that
view Of the case MT Noyes's phrase is justified.
IT is also justified by the profitable purpose
which Il serves in reminding us Of the far extent
Of our influence, proprietorship, opportunities
responsibilities and duties and in this latter
sense IL is appropriate in the present case, see
sng that the book before is a discussion OF
those opportunities. duties and what not
Mr. Noyes is an expert and successful news
paper man. He u.s. therefore, a shrewd observer
n the present case he has employed his powers
of observation with diligence and discrimination.
II was not enough for him TO visit and travel
xn the Philippines and investigate their con-
cition. He wanted bases for comparison and so
he visited other islands similar TO the Philip
pines in natural circumstances: especially Java
and Ceylon. possessions of the greatest two
colonial powers on the globe. There he got
hints. and something more than hints. concern
ing the capabilities OF Malay and other native
races the government Of them. the Chinese
question and. indeed. almost every problem
that confronts IN the Philippines. In these
columns we long ago discussed the administra-
ZION OF the native States OF the Malay PENN
eula- From such observation of the experience
and achievements Of other powers Mr.. Moves
rightly thinks we ought to be able to learn
much. What we learn is certainly encouraging,
and should aid us in making way to success;
unless. indeed. we are to sit down in the dumps
snd meanly declare that cannot DO what the
English and Dutch have done. We cannot be-
Heve that America Will ever make that con-
1ession.
Mr.. Noyes has a gift for setting forth his
observations and his conclusions from them.
n lucid fsshion-often with caustic epigram. as
where. discussing polygamy in the Sulu Islands,
be says that education and contact with civil
,szation win make polygamy more and more ex-
pensive and will finally abolish the evil Of
many simultaneous wives by driving men our
own superior system Of many wives in sue
cession" The serious view which he takes Of
the peculiar social problems among the Moros
and elsewhere is that Il Will be best for US to
make haste slowly In the reform of objec-
tionable conditions That is the true view.
To attempt forcibly to Americanize the Philip
pines IN a day year would be midsummer
madness and the madness OF the most torTid
midsummer that ever blistered the tropics. Is
It certain anyway. that want to Americanize
-i,a Nal Sc Xarlr nd he
not be transformed into one. We can no more
make Americans out OF the Filipinos than
can cut the Philippine Islands loose from their
mOorings and tow them over and make them
geographically a part Of the continental United
States. The correct policy is to administer the
Philippines for the Fflipinos. and to develop
there the best Philippine civilization possible
instead of trying to develop spurious veneer
Of American civilization in q non-American
land.
In such work it is supremacy important, MI.
Noyes perceives that the American government
shall have and shall keep free hand. A policy
OF promises and programmes cut and dried in
advance would be Ineffective, Injurious, and per-
haps ruinous. It was auspicious hat America
entered the Philippines with free hands. To
that fact is due large measure Of the success
already achieved IN administration Of those
islands. The dictate Of wisdom is that the same
forecast the future, and must not mortgage
St Questions now Unforeseen may arise. Con-
ditions seeming perpetual may change. The
United States must be ready and free to deal
with whatever contingencies the future may
contain. That is one OF the most important con-
sderstions OF present policy and it is the denial
Of Il that has marked with condemnation large
part Of the neutrality-suspicious. utterances. It is
nothing short Of presumptuous folly TO propose
that definite term of probation OF many
years shall be fixed. at the end of which we shall
pledge ourselves to DO thus and SO. We did not
undertake TO do thar in Cuba. even under the
eelf-denying ordinance which we i'll advisedly
adopted on going into that island. It was not
a matter OF staying there two years. or two
months, or two centuries. but Of staying there
Until we had completed the work of pacifying
the island and enabling its people to set up a
stable. competent and satisfactory government
OF their own. We did not get out until that was
done. As soon it was done we got out.
Now. In the Philippines hands are free. It
would be al the greater folly. then. to bind
them and thus fetter ourselves against the doing
Of what might need TO be done. Let it be borne
In mind that the United States has sovereign
rights IN those islands. equal to those OF any
power over any land on the globe. Who shall
demand the abdication Of that sovereignty?
What we know beyond reasonable dispute is
that we entered and acquired those islands law
fully and that holding them lawfully and
benehcently. What more could be desired? We
know OF nothing that would better serve the
present needs and the future prospects Of the
Fiiplnos. Mr.. Noyes sees that He sees too
that the ignoring OF that is the fatal flaw in The
propaganda Of the 'anti-imperialists" The
enti-imperialists," he well says. promise indie
pendence, but DO not facilitate it They
look steadily at an imaginary future of their