The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1904-09-23

as, indeed, there is IN all of the
old established governments OF
the world.
elf.GOverument.
Mr.. Roosevelt objects to giving
independence aud self-government
to the FiIipinos on the ground that
they are not qualified for self. gov
ernment. lie says that to give in
dependence aud selfgovernment to
the FiIipinos would result in "A
frightful calamity to thn FilipInos
themselves aud in its larger aspect
would amount TO nn international
crime. y He adds: Anarchy
would follow aud the most violent
anarchic forces would be directed
partly against the civil government,
partly against all forms Of relig.
ious and educational civilization.
Bloody conflicts would inevitably
ensue in the archipelago and just
as inevitably the islands would be-
come the prey of the first power
which in its own selfish interest
took Up the task we had cravcnly
abandoned - He further says,
every effort is being made to fit
the islanders for self government. "
The very best answer to this
proposition made by Candidate
Roosevelt is provided in the state
neuts of Author Roosevelt. The
same man who as Il candidate for
President says that the Fllipinos
must not bc given self government
until they have learned to govern
themselves wisely according to the
view of their master, wrote Il book,
entitled, THE Winning of the
West -. In vol. 4, page 217 of
that work it will be found that
Theo. Roosevelt Said:
The Jeil'erSonans believed in
the acquisition of territory in the
west and the fcdcralists did not.
The JcifersOnans believed that the
wcstencrs should he allowed to gov
ern themselves precisely as other
citizens Of the United States did,
and should bc given their full share
IN the management of national at.
fairs. Too many federaists failed
10 see that these positions were the
only proper ones to take. Ia con.
sequence, Notwithstanding all their
manifold shortcomings, the Jeffer-
sOnIans, and not the fcderalists,
were those to whom the west owed
the most. Whether the western.
crs governed themselves us wisely
as they should have mattered little.
Tie essential point was that they
had to be given the right of self
government They could not be
kept III pupllage. Like other
Americans they had to be left to
strike out for themselves and to
sink or swim according to the meas.
urc of their own capacities. When
this was done, ii vas certain thut
they would commit many blunderS
and that some bluudcrs would work
harm, not only to themselves. but
the whole nation. Nevertheless,
all this had to be accepted as part
of the penalty paid for free gov
ernmeut.
1t will bo seen that in his "Win.
ming of the West" Mr.. Roosevelt
said that it was of little Importance
whether men govern themselves as
wisely AS they shoul; the essential
point is that they must he given
the right Of self government; they
cannot be kept in pupiIage; like
other builders of government they
must strike out for themselves and
sink or swim according to the meas.
ure of their own capacities; of
course they would naturally commit
many b!unders and some of these
blunders would work harm not only
to themselves but to the whole ma
ton; nevertheless all this must he
accepted as pnrt Of the penalty paid
for free government.