The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-26
WHY NOT INEXPERIENCED

Every advice that we get from the
Philippine islands gives a new and
sharper point to the question, why
should we not guarantee to these peo-
not far distant in the future? They
appear to be more intelligent, more
influences and customs than even those
who knew them best had believed.
They are turning themselves to the
new order of things and, like the Japa-
nese, are developing with extraordinary
swiftness qualities that fit them for a
place in modern political as well as
business life. The last report from
Gov. Wright concerning the guberna-
torial elections in the various provinces
declares, that '.the Filipinos showed
themselves adopts in political methods,
and in some respects conducted their
elections better than the people of the
United States"
Possibly this is not the highest
praise, but it is certainly sufficient to
entitle the Filipinos to political con-
sfderation. Every plausible reason why
we should not permit them to work out
their own destiny, unless we confess to
the mere lust of power or the greed of
commercial exploitation, has vanished
into thin air. That the Filipino as a
man has infinitely greater possibilities
than the Cuban is universally admitted.
That the Filipino as citizen prom
ises a larger development than the
should we deny to the Filipino, both in
his interest and in our own, that last
measure of justice to which we found
ourselves bound to pledge ourselves
for Cuba before all the world?
Gov. Wright will not deny, Secretary
Taft will not deny, no man will deny.
who has seen the Filipino at close
range and kept track of the progress
made in the last three or four years,
that he is thoroughly capable of self
government. The islands are already,
as far as their local affairs are con-
cerned, in the hands of the natives,
and no one asserts that we could han
die them better or anything like as WELL
There is no need to fear any growth Of
absolutism, for against that we could
guard There is no possibility of in
reference by any other power, for over
the Philippine republic we could throw
the mantle of our protecting care.
Will some representative of the re-
publican theory, will some man who
disbeheves the principle of self-gov-
eminent as established by the fore
fathers, will some man who denies
Lincoln's great statement that no man
is good enough to govern another with
out that others consent, tell us why we
should not do with the Philippines as
we have done with Cuba? Wherein
lies the privilege of the one and the
eternal disability of the other? Why
not fix in the far Eastern archipelago
native republic, as an example and a
seed from which popular liberty,
intelligence and ability for self-goy-
eminent may spread among the alien
| peoples of far distant lands? Why not
guarantee to the people of the Philip
pines, first, absolute freedom from
outside interference; and. second, the
maintenance of republican form Of
government, and then leave them to
| work out their own salvation?
What should we lose except a few
places for off1ceholders and a little ar
bitrary power at variance with the
spirit of our institutions? What should
| we lose except the authority that syn
dicates 'covet, to make money from
concessions and privileges given at the
expense of a helpless people? What
should we not gain by the spread OF
democratic ideas, by the rise of new
republic, by the enduring gratitude and
! friendship of millions Of people, by