The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-09-30

political training or experience, on the
instant have assumed the garb and sub
stance of an organized government, have
stood alone as a nation, capable of pre-
serving law and order within and aggreS-
sion from abroad. Any one who is fair,
and has given a decent conslderation 10
their case can see how utterly futile a
self-government would have been at that
time. 1t would have led to chaos, dlsor-
der and tribal governments, and Atrlpe
warning against tribe. And TINS Woulu
have been seized upon by some OF the
great and greedy nations as an excuse
for their seizure and partition. 1t Is TO
the glory of our people and our govern
ment that we have taken sun people IN
such condition, and have succeeded IN es-
tablishing law and order among them,
in educating and putting them in the way
prosperous farmers, in training them, by
a mass OF object lessons, and by enta1llng
the task upon themselves, in the leading
elements of self-government
Progress in Philippines.
Their political development has gone
hand in hand with their industrial devel-
opment They are gradually being welded
just central government, good and liberal
provincial governments and simple and
liberal local municipal governments.
They have fair share In the central
government, and the major and controll-
ing share in the provincial and municipal
governments. They are gradually learn
ing to govern themselves with success.
We have provided them with stable cur
rency, on sound basis-something they
were without before. We have relieved
them of the land ownership, and its re-
sulting servitude of the friarS. We are
providing them with roads and transpor-
tation facilities, and are improving their
harbors and their coasts. We have eStab-
lished and put in successful operation,
for the first time, an educational system
among them We have provided a free
and easy way for them to become land
owners. And we have provided for leg
iSlature Of their own in the near future.
all these advantages, and many more
that could be named, the expenses of the
same are met directly or indirectly by
their own revenues. Aside from the main
tenance of the small army among them
and if the soldiers were not there we
would have to maintain most of them at
home-they are in no wise now financial
burden to us. And 1T is great satlsfac-
cheerfulness and alacrity, awaiting them
selves of all the privileges and advan-
tages we have accorded them. They
eagerly and truStfully travel the roads
blazed for them by American civilization
and American spirit. They are fully real
izing the advantage and glory of living
under the American flag, and have sense
enough to see that they need its aid and
protection at home and abroad.
We have indeed acquitted, and are ac-
quitting, ourselves, as becomes a great
by the Spanish war. The sun of America
has cast it's beneffcent rays in the dis
tant Orient, and brought in it's wake
prosperity and growth, happiness and Joy
nations and for all times. And all this
grand and noble work for a helpless and
downtrodden people the besotted Democ-
racy cannot appreciate, and continue to
call imperialism. Yes, 1t is indeed impe-
riaHsm but not in the Democratic sense
1t is the Imperialism of high moral duty,