The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-10-18
Our Duty to the Filipinos.

u +. &
:nt Esopus OH Saturday last SAID III SUD
az stance TINT tho difference IN INC avn avn
5s.ude OF the Republican party ana t''e
attitude Of the Democratic party toward
n ,hc Philippine question was n question
~ intent, Quito true. The Republicans
propose to hold those Islands as depend
cnt colonies in perpetual snbjeetlon' whllc
INC Democrats propose to treat the I'll ~ "
,,inos as We treated tho Cubals, INSTRUCT
.hen II, the art Of self-govcrnment, ana
,yhen tlley shall have learned their lesson
set them UP in Il government OF tie'r
!. own and bid them Cod speed. The Gu-l
Il! hans are getting along we'll, and the
time will come, in all human probnbillli,
when the Filipnos will also be ablo 10
lake care of themselves When that time
j comes, it Is our duty to give them oack
n +hcir land IN fee simple and let them
establish for themselves a free and in
K dependent government
No one seriously contends that the I'lii-:
ninos arc vet prepared to take charge Of
= their own affairs of government. Ihcy
4 have been dependent throughout the ages
rhev have not been trained III the art
Of self government. They are not u
e homogeneous people,, and it would be I'M
fair}to them to throw thnm upon their
own resources at this time, probably 70
Fl become victims OF some imDerialistlc pow
er. In taking possession Of the islands
We took upon ourselves q responsibility,
4 5,ye assumed an obligation which we dare
not as an honorable and courageous ma
EsSt!on slliri.
No one cail now safely predict when
the Filipinos will be prepared for self
4 government. There are those who con-
tend that the time will never come BE
that as it may, it is manlfestly our duty
to give them a fair chance, to give them
IL our friendly aid.
A bishop Of the Methodist Church once
remarked that 1t was for the. Christians
10 consider not whether or not the heath
en- could be saved without their aid,
but whether or not the Christians them
selves could be saved without offering
such aid. In other words. that Chris
sttianity must be saturated with the mis-
: sionary- spirit or It could not prosper
I'VE may most appropriately apply this
noble doctrine to ourselves in our deal
sngs with the Fihpinoss~-lt is not SO much
what we soc golng to do for them as
what we.'art going to do for ourselves,
Eflf we discharge our duty faithfully and
y; act toward them the part Of a generous
n friend we may well be content to leave
!. The results with Providence. The God Of
,7lations does not hold us responsible for
= results. We ore responsible to him for
u conduct only. Is
3 But IL we pursue a policy Of SELFISH
ltthem; IL We prey upon them and plumber
Il them for our own profit. It needs no
N prophet to say that in the end We our
+! selves will be debnuched. We cannot do
& Ia wrong without suffering the penalty.
y Whenever an individual injury Is nflct-
4 led there is necessarily reaction upon
Stthe man who inflicts It. and tho same
is true of nations. Leaving out the all
sEtract question OF morals. we cannot af-
4 ford as a republic to rule over de-
ipendent people against their will and
give them form OF oppressive govern
inent which is contrary to the spirit OF
democracy and contrary to the Constl-
stution OF the United States. 1t Is our bust
!ncss as Democratic nation to extend
Democratic form of government wherever
( y Is possible for It TO exist That is
4 The sort of expansion which will exalt
" as as nation.