The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-09-13
Continued From Second Page.)

other hand, the debt of the farmers
to the manufacturers is equally
heavy, and the future of American
agriculture is bound up in the future
OF American manufactures. The two
industries have become, under the
economic policy Of our government,
so closely interviewer, SO mutually in
ter-dependent. that neither can hope
t, maintain itself as the high-water
mark of progress without the other
Whatever makes to the advantage of
one is equally to the advantage of
the other.
Our opponents promise indepen-
dence to the Philippine islands.
Here again we are confronted by the
fact that their irreconcilable differ
ences Of opinion among themselves.
their inability to create construc~
tive policy when in power, and their
readiness, for the sake of momen-
tary political expediency, to abandon
the principles upon which they have
insisted as essential. conspire to puz-
zle us as to whether they DO or do
not intend in good faith to carry out
this promise if they are given control
of the government. In their plat
form they declare for independence,
apparently their language is a
little obscure-withou qualifications
as to time: and indeed a qualihca-
ton as to time is an absurdity, for
we have neither right nor power. to
bind our successors when it is I'M
possible to foretell the conditions
which may confront them: while if
there is any principle involved in the
matter, it is just as wrong to deny in
dependence for a few years as to
deny it for an indefinite period. But
in later and equally official utterances
by our opponents the term self-gov-
ernment was substituted for indepen-
dence; the words used being so chos-
en- that in their mutual construction
they described precisely the policy
now being carried on. The language
of the platform indicated a radical
change of policy; the later utterances
indicated a continuance of the pres
ent policy. But this caused trouble
in their own ranks; and in a still
later, although less formal, utterance,
the self-government promise was re-
canted, and independence at some fu-
ture time was promised in its place.
They have occupied three entirely
different positions within fifty days.
Which is the promise they really IN
tend to keep? They do not know
their own minds; and no one can tell
how long they would keep of the
same mind, should they by any chance
come to a working agreement among
themselves. II such ambiguity af-
fected only the American people it
would not so greatly matter; for the
American people can take care OF
themselves. But the Filipinos are
in no such condition. Confidence is
with them a plant of slow growth.
They have been taught to trust the
word of this government because this
government has promised nothing
which it did not perform. If it prom
ised independence they will expect
independence: not in the remote tu-
ture, for their descendants, but i'm
mediately, for themselves. If the
promise thus made is not Immediate
1y fulfilled they will regard' it as
broken. and will not again trust to
American faith; and it would be IN
deed a wicked thing to deceive them
in such fashion. Moreover. even if
the promise was made to take effect
only in the distant future, the Filipi-
NOS would be thrown in confusion
thereby. Instead of continuing to
endeavor to fit themselves for moral
and material advancement in the pres
ent, they would abandon all effort at
progress and begin factional in
trio,1es for f11t11re nOWer