Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1904-12-07


trade OF the Orient We have under
taken 10 protect our citizens from i'm
proper treatment In foreign lands, we
continue steadily TO insist on the appll-
cation Of the Monroe doctrine 10 the
western hemisphere Unless our attitude
in these and all similar matters is to be
a mere boastful sham we can not afford
to abandon our naval programme Our
voice is now potent for peace, and Is 50
potent because we are not afraid OF war.
But our protestatlons upon behalf Of
peace would neither receive nor deserve
tho slightest attention II 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
instruction 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 at
regard to It's efficiency. The guns now
mounted require twenty eight thousand
men, II the coast fortihcations are to be
adequately manned Relatively TO the
nation. 1t is not now so large as the po-
lice force Of New York or Chicago rela-
lively 10 llt DOpulallon VI tlNnel CITY
We need more officers; there are not
enough to perform the regular army
work. 1t is very important that the Off
GERS Of the army should be accustomed
to handle their men in masses. as II 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.
Tn the JobtltppIpa fel ap1g tl,aVo hoo
been during the past year a continuation
of the steady progress which has OBJ
tanned 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 ele-
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
lization Of their own. l firmly believe
that we can help them to rise higher and
higher in the scale OF civilization and
Of capacity for elf-government. and I
most earnestly hope that in the end they
viii 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 If 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 q stable orderly. and just
government. and toward foolish and dan
gerous intrigues for complete independ-
ence for which they are as yet totally
unfit.
on the other hand our people must
qfa bpforp their minds the fact
that the justification for our stay In the
Philippines must ultimately rest chiefly
upon the good we are able to do In the
islands. / do not overlook the fact that
in the development Of our interests in
the Pacific ocean and along its coasts.
the Philippines haye played and VIII play
an important part, and that our interests
have been served In more than one way
by 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
like, the problems presented to the other
great civilized powers which have pos
sessions in the Orient. More distinctly
than any of the powers we are endeav-
oring TO develop the natives themselves
so that they shall take an ever-increas-
ing share in their own government and
as far as is prudent we are already ad-
hitting their representatives to gov
ernmental equality with our own There
are commissioners. judges, and governors
In the islands who are Filipinos and who
have exactly the same share in the gov
eminent of the Islands as have their col
leagues who are Americans, while In the
49,. 4..,.
ity OF the public servants are Filipinos.
Within two years we shall be trying the
experiment of an elective lower house in
the Philippine legislature.
Meanwhile our own people should re-
member that there is need for the hign-
est standard OF conduct among the Amer
leans sent to the Philippine Islands, not
only among the public servants but
among the private individuals who go
to them. 1t is because feel this so
deeply that in the administration OF these
Islands l have positively refused TO per-
nit any discrimination whatsoever for
political reasons and have insisted that
in choosing the public servants consid-
Grafton should be paid solely to the
worth OF the men chosen and to the
needs Of the Islands. There is no high
err body OF men in our public service
than we have in the Philippine islands
under Gov. Wright and his associates,
So far as possible these men should be
given a free hand. and their suggestions
should receive the hearty backing both
OF the Executive and OF the Congress.
There is need OF a vigiant and dlsinter-
| ested support of our public servants IN
the Philippines by good citizens here In
I the United States. Unfortunately hither-
to those OF our people here at home who
have specially claimed TO be the cham
pions Of the Filipinos have in reality
been their worst enemies. This Will
continue to be the case as long as they
strive to make the Fillpnos independent.
and stop ali Industrial development OF
the islands by crying out against the
laws which would bring 1t on the ground
that capitalists must not exploit the
Islands. Such proceedings are not only
unwlse. but are most harmful TO the FL