The Savannah morning news., 1904-10-16
.FILIPlN0S CRY
FOR THEIR RIGHTS.
Continued from First Page.

VII ~
Continued from First Page.
poses to the great task of arresting the
! extension of human slavery.
The arresting of the extension of
human slavery, that sounds well. But
it speaks of the virtue of another gen.
GRAFTON. All the leaders of the Repub-
lican party of that day have passed
away In their place have come very
different men. We need not point out
that which principally differentiates
them. 1t readily suggests itself. But
we will refer to one of the result of
that difference.
The Price That Was Paid.
after our utter defeat of the Span
iards the Republican administration
paid to the vain oppressor of the I'M
conquered Filipino $40, 600 600 for this
uncertain option on this victims land,
tenements and Entertainments.
In the attempt to bolster the OPP
tion we have wasted over $3.50, 100000
more of the peoples money and sacri-
feed over 100000 lives. And the waste
of money and the sacrifice of lives
are not yet ended if the policy of the
administration is to be continued in
definitely. That policy refuses to prom
Use independence for the islanders now,
or at any time, or upon any command.
1t does not even leave open the door
of hone.
Perpetual Bondage for FiIipinOs.
'The administration rails at the Dem
ocratic proposal to promise them indie
pendence as soon as they are prepared
for it. Indeed, it suggests to eighty
millions of intelligent people that such
a promise would stimulate the vicious
to be more vicious. instead of encOur-r
aging the improvement which would
secure them what they most desire on
earth--freedom.
Il but state the proposition. 1t ar
CUES itself. If our people agree that
the administration is wrong in threat
ening by its silence that which it I'M
doubtedly intends, namely, perpetual
bondage for the FilipInos. the remedy
is in their hands We could have do
mated to Spain a number of millions
and annexed Cuba with equal justice
and less suspicion of imbecility than
we displayed in acquiring the Philip
pines.
Did Duty to Cuba.
"But we have done our duty to Cuba.
We have left her to work out her own
salvation-to take her place in the
march of civilized nations. Shall we
forbid the Filipinos to hope for indie
pendence? Shall we prevent their
building up their own civilization and
try to force ours upon them? Civiliza-
tion is a growth, not a disguise. Every
race must work out it's civilization in
it's own way.
"Our duty to the Filipinos demands
promise of independence. But if it
did not our own interest demands that
we be relieved of the Filipinos just as
soon as they are reasonably prepared
for self government. A colony hold
ing nation is ever subject to. expensive
wars with other nations, and with it's
colonies. This necessitates strong gar
risons and powerful navies and draws
heavily upon the treasury.
And history records no instance of
a nation receiving from her colonies
anything like an adequate return for
the blood and treasure spent. Eng
lands national debt was doubled by
the revolt of the thirteen colonies it
had cost her so much to secure.
Money Has Been Wasted.
1.-THE American expansionist, follow
ing European argument, alleges that
annexation of the Philippines must pro-
mote progress, foster commerce and
industry and introduce the leaVen of
| civilization into backward and infer
Tor race. The evidence of history is
to the contrary.
Certainly the claim will not be made
that we can ever get back the money
that has been taken from the pockets
of our tax payers and wasted on the
Philippines. And it is alike certain
that but two classes of our people can
hope to be benefited by our holding
the Philippines, the class which is
always hunting for special government
| privileges, and the class which seeks
to make of otficeholding a means of
livelihood.
Corrupt and DespOtfc OmciaIs.
'"rhe latter class in the Philippines
comprise some officials of whom a
student of conditions there recently
said: OF the character of many in
office too little cannot be said. At the
best they have been inefficient, at the
worst dishonest, corrupt and despotic
| The islands seem to have succeeded in
| getting the very dregs of our people.
He also said: The situation i'm the
| Philippines to-day is so terrible that
it passes the comprehension of people
at home
Il ask of the Republican party
whether, if the administration of the
| United States should be continued in
its hands. it proposes to undertake ia
apply any remedy. Will IL enact fol-
| the Philippines proper statutes regll-
! lating their affairs with some view &c
their interest? VIII it give their per-
ishing shipping relief? viii it give
them tariff regulations under which
they can exist?
Their Hands Are Tied.
1--WE hold the Philippine Islands
Have we taken proper steps to fulfil
| the obligations therein assumed? Are
the Philippine Islands to-day a self.
supporting community? Are their ef.
| forts toward acquiring such position
embarrassed at every turn by the leg.
islation we have forced upon them
Had we left them to their own devices
they might have dealt with foreign ma.
tions Had we brought them within
the United States of America they
might have dealt with us. To-day they
can do neither.
Where are the Philippine markets
Where the development of their nat.
ural resources? Why should not those
islands asserted by all. and conceded
by all. to have great natural resource,
be self-supporting? ] warn the Repub
lican party that II is not an unhearc
OF proposition that an oppressed-T us,
the term advisedly, an oppressed peo
pie, should be FESTIVE.
People Are Oppressed.
1.-THE true questions which have con.
cerned our relations with the Philip.
pine Islands from the moment Of our
taking them and which remain to-day
utterly untouched for any good to tbs
islands themselves. and the questions
| which will regulate their future-ir