The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-05-27

canahlp of self government IMAM th0
ruhans Returning volunteers nave
fold us that some of the Fihplnos are
men of broad culture. we'll versed III
nolitical economy literature, phllos-
only the arts and sciences. 1t Is
! rrna thar there is a great deal OF II
jiteracy among the mass of the popu-
| latiOn. but if is not so dense as the
IGNORANCE among the negroes ana
moor whites of the South and 1t Is
doubtful whether the average was
much better among the American col
onists at the time of the Revolution
airy War.
| The natives of the Philippines are
being given a large share IN their
municipal governments and they are
| proving more capable of governing
themselves than are the citizens OF
some of our boodle-cursed American
cities-such as Philadelphia and st.
| Louis. There is no reason whatever
|
capable of government as the
Cubans, a large majority of whom are
negroes.
The Filipinos fought intermittently
for three hundred years to throw off
the Spanish yoke, and at the time of
Dewey's victory they had the Spanish
2oped up in Manila and had almost
won their independence. Their sac
rifices in the cause of freedom entitle,
hem to the same consideration that
has been given the Cubans. and it
would be given them but for the de
manis Of the greedy syndicates that
wish to exploit the islands for their
own benefit.
1t would be we'll for President
Roosevelt to learn more about the
capabilities and the aspirations of
the FiIipinos before giving final judg-
ment on their petitions for fair treat
ment and a chance to govern them
selves. He should remember the
words of Abraham Lincoln, who said
They who deny the blessings Of lib
erty to others deserve it not them
selves and under just God they shall
not long retain it.
It is not necessary to own a cOun-
try in order to get its trade. We
have given Cuba her freedom and in
return We have received trade con-
cessiOns that are denied to all other
nations. The same decent and just
treatment Of the Filipinos would do
more to promote trade with the arch
ipelago than can ever be done by
holding them in subsection against
their will and herding them in con
centratiOn camps.
Trade follows the flag only when
the flag stands for justice and free
dom. Great Britain's loss Of the Am
erican colonies taught her that trade
is not thing to be forced. Her pres
ent policy is to maintain friendly and
reciprocal relations with her colonies.
not making any of them feel that it
Is held against its will as a source of
profit to the mother country. At
present the larger part Of the trade
OF the Philippines is controlled by
Great Britain and Germany and they
will continue to hold it SO long as We
maintain against the islands prohibit
tive tariff duties on nearly all
their products. The ministers Of
George the Third could not have de
yised a more barbarous and foolish
trade policy than that which the
United States now pursues in dealing
with the Philippines.
The republican party since the
days of Blaine has pr0fessed to be
Heye in the doctrine of reciprocity.
President McKinIey's last speech
strongly advocated this policy. But
50 far it has been all profession and
no performance. 1t might be well to
make a beginning with the Philip
pines by granting the islands free
Grade with the United States.