Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1904-12-09

milan canal We iAve undertaken to Sc
cure for ourselves our Just share in the
trade OF the Orient We have under
taken 10 protect our citizens from i'm
proper treatment in foreign lands. We
continue steadily 10 insist the appli-
cation OF the Monroe doctrine to tho
western hemisphere, Unless our attitude
In these and all similar matters is to DO
mere ocas.ful siam we can not AFFORD
to abandon our naval programme. Our
voice is TOW potent for peace. and 3 so
potent because we are not afraid Of war.
But our crotesta tions upon behalf OF
peace would neither receive nor deserve
the slightest attention If we were i'm
potent to make them good.
The Army.
Within the last three years the United
States has set an example in disarma-
ment where disarmament was proper.
By law our army Is fixed at a maximum
of one hundred thousand and a minimum
OF sixty thousand men. When there was
insurrection In the Philippines we kept
the army at the maximum. Peace came
In the Philippines. and now our army
has been reduced to the minimum -
which II Is possible to keep 1t with due
regard to its efficiency. The guns now
mounted require twenty eight thousand
men. II the coast Notifications are to b.
adequately manned Relatively to the
nation. II Is not now large the po-
lice force OF New York or Chicago rela-
lively to the population OF either city.
We need more officers; there are not
enough to perform the regular army
work. 1t Is very important that the ON
GERS Of the army should be accustomed
TO handle their men in ma ses as 1t Is
also important that the national guard
OF the several states should be accus-
TONED to actual field maneuvering. espe-
cially In connection with the regulars.
The Philippines.
In the Philippine Islands there has
been during the past year continuation
OF the steady progress which has OBJ
tained ever since our troops definitely
got the upper hand of the Insurgents
The Philippine people. or. to speak more
accurately. the many tribes. and even
races. sundered from one another more
or less sharply who go to make up the
people OF the Philippine islands. contain
many elements of good. and some eie-
ments which we have a right to hope
stand for progress At present they are
utterly incapable OF existing In inde-
pendence at all or OF building up a CIV
iization of their own. firmly believe
that we can help them to rise higher and
higher in the scale Of civilization and
of capacity for self government. and
most earnestly hope that in the end they
win be able to stand II not entirely alone.
yet in some such relation to the United
States as Cuba now stands. This end
is not yet In sight. and 1t may be in
definitely postponed II our people are
foolish enough to turn the attention of
the Filipinos away from the problems of
achieving moral and material prosperity.
of working for a stable. orderly. and just
government. and toward foolish and dam
gerous intrigues for complete independ-
H..
unfit
On the other hand our people must
keep steadily before their minds the fact
that the justification for our stay In tho
must ultimately rest chiefly
upon the good we are able to do In The
islands. l Go not overlook the fact that
In the development OF our interests in
the Pacific ocean and along its coasts.
the Philippines have played and will play
an important part. and that our interests
have been served in more than one way
the possession OF the Islands. But
our chief reason for continuing to hold
them must be that we ought In good
faith to try to do our share OF the
worlds work. and this particular piece
of work has been imposed upon us by
the results OF the war with Spain. The
problem presented to US in the Philip
pine islands is akin to. but not exactly
Ike. the problems presented to the other
great civilized powers which have pos
sessions in the Orient. More distinctly
han any OF the powers we are endeav-
BRING to develop the natives themselves
80 thar they shall take an eyer-increas-
ne share in their own government. arA
IS far as Is prudent we are already adj
hitting their representa- tives to a gov
equality with our own There
ire commissioners. judges. and governors
n the Islands who are Filipinos and who
AVE exactly the same share in the gov
Of the Islands as have their COLI
eagues who are Americans. while in the
over ranks OF course. the great major
ty of the public servants are Filipinos
Within TWO years we shall be trying the
experiment. OF an elective lower house .
he Philippine legislature.
Meanwhile our own people should re-
member that there is need for the higr
st standard OF conduct among the Amer.
cans sent to the Philippine Islands. not
My among the public servants but
mong the private individuals who go
O them. 1t is because feel this so
eeply that in the administration OF these
stands | have positively refused to per-
nit any discrimination whatsoever for
olitical reasons and have insisted that
n choosing the public servants consid-
ration should be paid solely to the
rorth of the men chosen and to the
eeds OF the Islands. There Is no high
r body OF men in our public servics
han we have In the Philippine islands
nder Gov. Wright and his associates.
o far as possible these men should be
iven a free hand. and their suggestions
hould receive the hearty backing both
I the Executive and of the Congress.
here Is need OF vigilant and disinter-
sted support of our public servants in
ne Philippines by good citizens here in
lie United States. Unfortunately hither-
those OF our people here at home who
ave specially claimed TO be the cham
Ions of the Filipinos have In reality
cen their worst enemies. This will
,ntinue tc he the case as long as they
rive to make the FilIpinos independent.
nd stop ali Industrial development Of
70 islands bv CRYING out against the