Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-21

pacificat ton of Cuba was accomplished we
should leave the government and control
or the island to It's people. The new policy
toward Cuba which should follow the full
lillment of that pledge was uniformed. Dur
ing the four years 1t has been worked out
in detail and has received effect.
The Philippine Question.
When the last national convention met
the Philippines also were under military
rule. The insurrectos from the mountains
spread terror among the peaceful people
by midnight foray and secret ssassination
Aguinaldo bided his time in a secret re-
treat. Over seventy thousand American
soldiers from more than five hundred sta
tons held a still vigorous enemy in check.
The Philippine commission had not yet be-
gun its work.
The last vestige Of instruction has been
swept away. With their work accomplish
ed, over So, 600 American troops have been
brought back across the Pacific. Civil gov
eminent has been established throughout
the archipelago. Peace and order and JUS
tice prevail. The Philippine commission,
guided at first by executive order and then
by the wise legislation of Congress in the
Philippine government act of July l, 1902,
has established and conducted a govern
ment which has been a credit to the coun-
try and blessing to the people of the is
lands.
None can foretell the future: but there
seems no reasonable cause to doubt that
rated, the institutions already implanted,
and the processes already begun, in the
Philippine Islands, If these be not repressed
and interrupted, the Philippine people will
follow in the footsteps Of the people Of Gu
ba; that more slowly, indeed, because they
are not as advanced, yet as surely, they
will grow in capacity for self-government,
and receiving power as they grow in capac-
ity will come to bear substantially such
relations to the people of the United States
as do now the people of Cuba. differing
in details as conditions and needs differ,
but the same in principle and the same in
beneficent results.
The Panama Canal.
In 1900 the project OF an isthmian canal
stood where it was left by the Clayton-Bul-
wer treaty Of $50. For half century it
had halted, with Great Britain resting upon
joint right of control, and the great I'M
dertaking Of De Lesseps struggling against
the doom of failure imposed by extrava-
gance and corruption. On the 18th of Nov
with Great Britain relieved the enterprise
of the right of British control and left that
right exclusively in the United States
Then followed swiftly the negotiations
canal act Of June %, 1902; the just agree
ment with the French Canal Company to
pay 1t the value Of the work 1t had
done: the negotiation and ratification of the
treaty with Colombia; the rejection of that
treaty by Colombia in violation of our
rights and the world right to the passage
of the tsthmus: the seizure by Panama of
the opportunity. to renew her oft-repeated
effort to throw off the hateful and oppres-
sive yoke of Colombia and resume the in
dependence which once had been hers, and
of which she had been deprived by fraud
and force; the success Of the revolution;
our recognition of the new republic, followed
by recognition from substantially all the
civilized powers Of the world; the treaty
with Panama recognizing and confirming
our right to construct the canal; the ratif-
cation of the treaty by the Senate; con-
firmatory legislation by Congress; the pay
ment of the $50 600, 600 to the French COM
pany and to Panama; the appointment of
the canal commission in accordance with
law; and it's organization to begin the work.
Diplomatic Powers.
Throughout the world the diplomacy of
the present administration has made for
peace and justice among nations. Clear
sighted to perceive and prompt to maintain
American interests, 1t has been sagacious
and simple and direct In its methods, and
considerable of the rights and Of the feel
ings of others.
High evidence Of that enviable position Of
our country Is furnished by the fact that
when all Europe was in apprehension lest
the field Of war between Russia and Japan
should so spread as to involve China's ruin
and universal conflict. it was to the
American government that the able and
far-sighted German emperor appealed. to
take the lead again in bringing about an
agreement for the Limitation Of the field Of
action. and the preservation Of the admins
trative entity OF China outside Of Man
churia; and that was accomplished.
Upon our own continent dispute with
Canada over the boundary of Alaska had.
been growing more acute for thirty years.
A multitude of miners swift to defend their
own rights by force were locating mining
claims under the laws of both countries in
the disputed territory. At any moment
fatal ARRAY between Canadian and Ameri-
can miners was liable to begin conflict
in which all British Columbia would be ar
rayed on one side and all our northwest
upon the other. Agreement was impossible
But the Alaskan boundary treaty of Janu-
airy "A, 1908. provided a tribunal for the de-
cision of the controversy; and upon legal
proofs and reasoned argument an appeal