La Junta tribune., 1904-09-24
the exception OF Russia. show produe-
ton by countries as follows:
THE PHILIPPINES.
8spablIcaa Policy IL In Liss Ueel
Territorial PrsceAeass.

8epa bltcaa Policy os In Lioo Ueen
Territorial Presidents.
-Four years ego the Democratic par
ty denounced the acquisition OF the eAil-
ippine Islands by the United 6tstes ~
q dangerous form OF national expansaon
and their retention as an applicstica OF
militarism. The only logical conelaaion
Of this position was our immediAte re-
tirement from the Islands, leaving them
to shift for themselves. In his letter &c
cepting the nomination for Vice Presi-
dent in 1900 Mr.. Roosevelt commsnted
OH this position as follows:
The simple truth is that there In moth
ing even remotely resembling imperial
ism or militarism involved in the present
development OF that policy of expansion.
which has been part of the history of
America from the day when she became
. nation. The words mean absolutely
nothing as applied TO our present policy
in the Philippines. for this policy IL only
imperialistic in the sense that Jefferson S
policy in Louisiana was imperialistic: !:
only military in the sense that Jackson 5
policy towards the Scminoles OF Clusters
towards the Sioux embodied militarism;
and there is no more danger Of its pro-
ducing evil results at home now than
there was of its interfering with free
dom under Jefferson or Jackson. or in
the days OF the Indian wars on the
plains.
The only certain way Of rendering
II necessary for our Republic to enter
on a career of 'militarism' would - TO
abandon the Philippines to their own
tribes, and at the same time either to
guarantee q stable government among
these tribes or TO guarantee them agains;
outside interference. A far larger army
would be required to carry out any such
policy than will be required to secure
order under the American flag: while
the presence of this flag on the Islands
is really the only possible security against
outside aggression. Properly
speaking, the question is now not wheth-
er We shall expand-for we have already
cxpanded-but whether we shall con-
tract"
That was the issue four years ago.
Now the Democratic platform says:
ave believe with Jefferson and John
Adams. that no government has right
to make one set of laws for those at
home and another and different set of
laws, absolute in their character, for
those in the colonies. . We insist
that we ought TO do for the Filipinos
what we have already done for the
Cubans."
There has never been time since
the formation of the government that
Congress has not made one set Of laws
for the States and another set for the
territories. The laws enacted by Con
eress for the government OF the Philip
pines are no more absolute than those
which have been enacted during the last
hundred years for our various territories.
The demand that the United States
shall do for the Filipinos what It has
done for the Cubans is unreasonable. We
never claimed to own Cuba, but we pos
sess the Philippines by an undisputed
title. A Republican administration did
entire justice to Cuba az demanded by
the circumstances os the case, and the
Republican party can be depended upon
to do entire justice to the Philippines.