The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-16

the vicious. to be more vicious, in- stead of encouraging the improvement which would secure them what they most desire on earth--freedom.
 ts Proposition ArEues Itself.
 q but state the proposition. It ar gues itself. If our people agree that the administration Is wropg in threat eniue by it's silence that which 1t un- doubtedly intends. namely. perpetual bondage for the Filipinos. the remedy is in their hands. We could have donated to Spain number of millions and annexed Cuba with equal justice and less suspicion of imbecility than we displayed in acquiring the Philip pines. But we have done our duty to Cuba. We have left her to work out her own saivation--to take her place in the march of civilized nations. Shall we forbid the Filipinos to hope for in- dependence7 Shall we prevent their building up their own civilization and try to force ours on then2 Civilization is a growth. not a disguise; every race must work out its civilization in It's own way.
 sour duty to the Filipinos demands a promise of independence. But if 1t did not, our own interest demands that we be relieved of the Fiiipinos just as soon as they are reasonably prepared for self government. A colcny.holding nation is ever subject to expen- give wars with other nations and with It's colonies. This necessi- tates strong garrisons and powerful na- vies and draws heavily upon the treas ury. And history records no instance of a nation receiving from her colonies anything like an adequate return for the blood and treasure spent. The Eng Hsh national debt was doubled by the revolt of the thirteen colonies 1t had cost her so much to secure.
 Two Glasses Benefted.
 .sThe American expansionist. follow ing European argument alleges that annexation of the Philippines must pro- mote progress. foster commerce and in- dustry and introduce the leaven of civ ilization Into a backward and inferior race The evidence of history is to the contrary. Certainly the claim will not be made that we can ever get back the money that has been taken from
 the pockets of our tax payers and vast ed on the Philippines. And 1t alike is certain that butstwo classes of our peo-
 ple can hope to be benefited by our
 holding the Philippines, the class which is always hunting for special Govern
 ment privileges, and the class which
 seeks to make of office holding : means
 of livelihood.
 'Hrne latter class in iac Philippines comprises some of those whom tho stu-
 dent of conditions there recently said
 Of the character of many In office too
 little can not be said. At the best they
 have been inefficient, at the worst dis
 honest, corrupt and despotic. The is- lands seem to have succeeded In get
 ting the very dregs of our people. He also said the situation In the Philip- pines today is so terrible that 1t passes
 the comprehension of people at home.
 "Agriculturally, the country is Tor
 the time ruined. Land IS going out or cultivation, the population Is Ill red
 and in some places unable to get work'
 The country Is overburdened with tax ation. disease Is prevalent, the farm
 animals are dead: the towns in many places in ruins; whole districts in the
 hands of ladrones, the price of products
 poor and unremunerative.
 Conditions in the Philippines. "'Public opinion has no free express sion; newspapers are bought up or are
 browbeaten into silence; men of infiu- ence who criticise the Commission are
 ostracised, the plays produced In the theatres are censored. there Is not an
 organ of expression of the popular voice that Is not controlled. In private | life men are subject to complete, Tar reaching. thorough system of espion- age.'
 "Detectives appear In the guise of servants and the antipathy of a single one Is enough to destroy a mans repu-
 tation, property, liberty or even life It. self.
 "'Thfs country should hasten to the | relief of the situation. l ask or the
 Republican Party whether, if the ad- | ministration of the United States should l nA | toiundertake to apply any remedy? Will | it enact for the Philippines proper
 statutes regulating their affairs with
 some view to their interest? Will Ii give their perishing prompt relief? win 1t give them tariff regulations un-
 der which they can exist?
 ''We hold the Philippines. Have we | taken proper steps to fulfill the obliga- tions therein assumed? Are the Philip l pines today a self-supporting communt- | ty? Are not their efforts towards ac- curing such positions embarrassed at every turn by the legislation we have | forced upon them? Had we left them to their own devices they might have
 dealt with us. Today they can do neither.
 Where the Development where are the Philippine markets Where the development of their natural resources? Why should not those is-
 lands, asserted by all and conceded by all to have great natural resources, be self-supporting?
 "I warn the Republican party that 1t Is not an unheard proposition that an oppressed-I use the term advisedly- an oppressed people should be restive. The true questions which have con- cerned our relations with the Philip pines from the moment of our taking them and which remain today utterly | untouched for any good to the islands | themselves and the questions which will regulate their future--in other l words, the real basis on which the l Philippines interest US politically are: "The Philippine tariff, Philippine taxation and encouragement to their Ihipping interests. These matters
 regulated to the advantage of these is-
 lands, Philippine independence will ap- | pear on the immediate horizon. Gen. | tinue as we are doing to oppress these | people and one of the most vexed ques- | tions that this nation has ever been l called upon to deal with will confront
 us interminably
 But aside from the duty we owe the 1 Philippines in preparation for the en- l joyment of the blessed privileges we l possess. we should guard carefully | against the danger to ourselves of an 1 imperlalistic policy. History teaches | that from Republication to imperial 1 ism the movement is gradual and un- observed by the people. Its orninous presence. when discovered. leaves open | but two courses. submission or resort to | violence.