Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-03-12
0 My J JUSTICE
THE PORTLAND OREGONIAN ON
COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
Possession Entails Duties to the Islands.
Justice Must Be Done. Says the Leading
Republican Paper Of the Northwest Pacific
Coast.

The Portland Oregonian of March 10
contained leading editorial, with the de-
ductions of which we cannot agree, but
the declarations Of principles therein are
worth the study Of every American
citizen.
Says the Oregonian:
That nothing was done for relief of the
Philippines was the most depiorabe Of
the omissions or failures OF the recent
congress. No other boon we could offer
them would be worth naming in CON-
parison with that which would be con-
fer-ed by allowing them free trade with
the United States. We cannot hold
these islands permanently, and yet deny
them the one advantage Of their allegi-
ance to US; nor ought we if we could. In
denying them national independence we
have not denied them freedom but we
do deny them all the main benefits OF
union with us and of freedom itself, when
we refuse them the boon of open trade.
This is tyranny, this is oppression. We
command their allegiance, yet treat them
as aliens. 1t is amazing. For the con-
sequence OF such or similar policy let our
statesmen in congress recall the history
OF the British settlements in America and
the causes that led up to the American
Revolution; and for the great philosophy
that underles it all and stands for a
perpetual lesson to the world. let them
consult the pages OF Burke, passim.
Ii we 60 on in this way we shall make
an irresistible argument against our re-
naming in the Philippines. If we can.
not do them good, ii our selfshness and
greed be permitted to obstruct the way
to justice IN dealing with them, we can
have no right to be there 1t is not, as
our "autis" assert, that our "ideal," of
the early time forbids u.s. for these ideals
formed on conditions OF that time when
our people occupied but a narrow fringe
on the Atlantic seaboard and had no
| thought OF expansion, even west OF the
Alleghenies, cannot be held to limit or
restrict the purposes OF great nation
now. What we ought to do is to carry
our ideals othe Philippines and wherever
our flag floats. The criticism is that we
allow our ideals to be supplanted in the
Philippines by selfshness and greed at
home. We shall not get free and
rational consent rf the governed" so
long as we pursue course Of unfairness
and injustice toward them.
We are in the Philippine Islands as a
consequence OF the war with Spain. The
course OF things has made that war as
inevitable as any event Of nature. That
it should result in territorial expansion
Of the United States was as certain as
any great event in the progress of ma
ton. A nation that has arrived at great.
ness never stands still. 1t makes prog
ress or falls backwards. Further expan-
sion OF the territorial dominion of the
United States is to be expected, with
utmost certanity-unless We make it i'm.
possible by our injustice and folly now.
This protest against the treatment &C.
corded the Philippines is not an arraign-
ment Of territorial expansion. 1t is 8
protest against narrow and unjust policy
in dealing with people under the SOY.
ereignity of the United States and en-.
titled to the fruits Of their industry under
our laws.
Naturally or inherently democracy is
not unfit for empire. But through the
narrowness and selfshness of those who
direct its destinies, democracy may be
as unfit for empire as tyranny in any
other form. Democracy has an equal
right with any other form government
to desire extension of commercial and
political opportunities. Our American
population of nearly one hundred
millions is the most stupendous reser-
voir Of energy to be found today en- the
globe. 1t is for the good of mankind
that it shall discharge itself in enter
prise, in investigation and discovery,
and even in war upon just and suffi-
cent cause. 1t is not pretended that
this volume of human energy is made
up altogether Of reasonable motives,
guided by perfect morality. But the
dominant spirit in it is moral one,
subject indeed to lapses, as in this case
of dealing with the Philippines, yet sure
in the long run to yield to the demands
OF an enlightened justice.
The appeal to the people Of America
for justice to the Philippines will yet be
heard, over the clamor Of selfish inter-
ests and the roar Of greedy monopolists.
If not, we must get out of the islands;
and our departure will be confession
against our national character, at once
proclaiming our shame to the world and