Evening journal., 1904-09-12

money ror TINS service? They can
it only by destroying the usefulness O
the service itself
The Philippines.
Our opponents promise independent
to the Philippine Islands. Here agai'
we are confronted by their irreconcilr
bic differences of opinion among them
selves, their proved inability to Great
a constructive policy when in powe
and their readiness for the sake OF
momentary political expediency e.
abandon the principles upon which thel
have insisted as essential. In thei
platform they declare for independence
without qualification as to time. anc
indeed n qualification as to time is ar
absurdity, for we have neither right
nor power to bind our successors,
while if there is any principle involved
in the matter it is just as wrong to
deny independence for few years as
to deny IL for an indefinite period. Bur
in later ana equally official utterances
by our opponents tile term self govern
ment was substituted for independ-
ence. the words used being so chosen
that I'm their natural construction they
described precisely the policy now be
ing carried on. The language of the
platform indicated a radical change Of
policy; the later utterances indicated a
continuance of the present policy. But
this caused trouble in their own ranks,
and in still later although less formal
utterance the self government promise
was recanted and independence at
some future time was promised in its
place They have occupied three en-
tirely different positions within fifty
days. Which is the promise they really
intend to keep? If such ambiguity af-
| fected only the American people il
would not so greatly matter, for the
! american people can take care OF
! themselves. But the FilpinOs are in nc
such condition. Confidence is with
/ them q plant OF slow growth. They
have been taught 10 trust the word OF
this government because this govern
ment has promised nothing which II
l AAAAA AUA IlfA ANl AAls IL HAAAAAANNtA AAANAN
pendence they will expect independ
ence not in the remote future, for theii
descendants, but Immediately for them
selves. If the promise thus made is moi
Immediately fulfilled they will regard
| it as broken and will not again trust e
American faith. and it would be indeed
: a wicked thing to deceive them in sucl
fashion. Moreover, even if the promis,
We're made to take effect only in the
distant future, the Filipinos would be
thrown into confusion thereby. In
stead of continuing to endeavor to fiji
themselves for moral and material ad
vancement in the present they would
abandon all effort at progress and be
gin factiOnal intrigues.
If, on the other hand, our opponents
came into power and attempted to car
| ry out their promises to the Filipino
by giving them independence AM
Withdrawing American control from
| the islands, the result would be
frightful calamity TO the Filipino
l and in its larger aspect would amOun
/ to an international crime.
During the last 1--WE years more ha
been done for the material and mora
well being Of the Filipinos than eve
before since the islands first cam
within the ken Of civilized man. W
have opened before them a vista Of OF
derly development in their own inter
est and not a policy Of exploitation
Every effort is being made to fit tn
islanders for self government, an
they have already in large measure r'
ceived IT, while for the first time i
their history their personal rights an
civil liberties have been guaranteed
They are being educated, they hav
been given schools, they have bee
given Libraries, roads are being buil
for their use, their health is bein
cared for, they have been given court
in which they receive justice MS al
solute as It is in our power to guarai
tee. Their individual rights of lif'
liberty and the pursuit of happines
are now by act Of congress jealousl
safeguarded under the American fial
and If the protection of the flag wei
withdrawn their rights would be los
and the islands would be plunged bac
under some form of vicious tyrann
Surely we had better await the r
} suits of this experimentation 1t Is
wholly new experiment in Asia-b
/. fore we make promises which as n