The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1904-02-12
OUR WASHINGTON LITTER
WASHINGTON, D. G., February 9Th.

ed from the Philippines to be Secretary
of war, is a godsepd to Washington cor
respondents. 1t isn't every public man
who is SO accessible. 1t is not always
easy to get frank expression of opinion
from Secretary Hitchcock, Attorney Gen
eral Knox, or Postmaster Gen eral Payne;
from Senators Lodge, Beverid sc or Bailey.
Some of them are always in too much bur
ry and ONE have stand off manner in
timidating to an interviewer The new
Secretary is easily accessible. frankly
responsive and his head has not under
gone any material enlargement on &C
count of accu mulating honors.
found him at his desk yesterday and
had a good talk with him. They say
you are in favor of Independence for the
Fhilipinos," said your correspondent.
"Protection- projections; they are not
fit for independence at present" he re-
piled.
He was reminded that auti-imperialists
insist that self government is natural
sight, like personal freedom, and that any
pc o2le, for instance the Kaffirs and Hot
tentots of South Africa, know their own
wants and can govern themselves better
than even the wisest nation can govern
them.
Eyes, know" he said, 1.-The anti i'm
perialists are all at sea about that. The
English and Germans can teac h the say
ages that civilization is both profitable
and agreeable
Then you hold, of course, that Daniel
Webster was wrong in opposing the Mex
lean war, war of contest. He was nick
named the Mexican for 1t ly those who,
know that California was valuable as
set, and insisted that we had Il right Il
steal it,"
Yes, Webster was mistaken in some
things that he said" rel 'ined the Secre
tary Your persevering correspondents
produced some memoranda -Floude' 5
declaration that "a free country cannot
govern subject provi noes" Lincoln's.
that mo man was ever good enough to
govern another man without that mans
consent" and sundry morsels from the
Declaration of Indepeude The Sec
rotary said, Il cannot enter upon po-
lemical discussion concerning the proper
basis of government and the principle
which should control nation; even If
you and could settle it," he continued
with a laugh, Il have hardly time to 60
into it."
Your correspondent explained that his
reason for bringing up such questions
was that Governor Taft had opposed the
acquisition of the PHILIPPINES in the be-
ginning.
"But now" said the Secretary, 1--WE face
the status quo, the prevailing conditions,
and it is only with them that | can deal.
l have disengaged myself from many
merchants, promoters. and editors in the
Philippines, who believed that affairs there
should be administered primarily for tn
profit of Americans, and now l com
home and find myself confronted with
the anti-imperialists' Is this fair?'
Your correspondent inquired how far
| the hostility of these promoters went in
opposition to his humane shibboleth, 1.-The
Philippines for the Filipinos.'
"They delay the triumph of prosperity
and justice in the Philippines he an,
swered. "They want to get rich imme-
| diately. Some Of them insist that. as the
archipelgo belongs to the Americans, the
feelings, ambitions, and wishes of the ma
tives should not be at all regarded or re
spected. They despise them. and fire.
quently insult and abuse them. Unless
their rancor can be allayed, and the hos
tility of commercial adventures in the
United States diminished, the solution OF
the problem will be delayed. The doc
trine which we have announced and striv-
en- to realize was McKinley's; it involves
high moral principle which this natio n
is bound to enforce in spite of all obsta'
cles. Every law and every measure must
be construed in the light of it. If it will
help the Filipinos, it must be adopted and
executed; if it tends to the injury of the
Filipinos, it must be discarded and defeat
ed, whomsoever else it profits. You have
called this humane policy. 1t is much
more than that. 1t is commercially
wise policy. We will never get much
profit out of those rich dependencies un-
less we make ourselves the friends of their
people and abide by the principles of JUS
tice. Avarice without justice will be our
ruin, and if we are not just, our admins
tration in those islands will be failure
But do not expect this. l expect that
under Governor Luke Wright all schemes
| for loot will be abandoned and justice
will be so firmly established and dispens,
ed that the people will unanimously re-
| quest our continued protection and
prefer our government to their own.
| "You ask about sanitary conditions;
am a living testimonial to the healthful
ness of the Philippines" With com.
prehesive gesture he displayed his three
hundred pounds of avoirdupois. manila
is the healthiest city in all the tropics.
An American who respects the laws of
hygiene, does not persist in hard labor
too many hours in day, lets hot liquors
alone, exercises enough to keep his liver
active. and generally takes care of him
self, may live there as comfortable as
here. The death rate of Manila has been
reduced one quarter un Ter American oc-
cupation. 1t has not yet a sewerage sys-
tenn, but there are laws for the disposal
of garbage which are rigidly enforced, in