The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-09-13

Il that IN their natural construction they
4 described precisely the policy now be-
ing carried on. The language Of the
! platform indicated a radical change OF
policy; the later utterances indicated d
continuance Of the present policy But
this caused trouble In their own ranks
and in still later although less formal
utterance the self government promise
was recanted, and independence at
some future time was promised III It's
| place They have occupied three en-
| tirely different positions within fifty
| days. Which is the promise they really
intend to keep II such ambiguity at.
fected only the American people II
| would not SO greatly matter. for the
| American people can take care OF
themselves. But the Filipinos are Ia no
such condition. Confidence is with
them plant of slow growth They
have been taught to trust the word OF
this government because this govern
ment has promised nothing which It
/ did not perform. If promised indie
| pendence they viii expect independ.
ence not IN the remote future, FOR their
descendants, but Immediately for them
selves. IL the promise thus made liz not
Immediately fulfilled they will regard
1 1t as broken and will not again trust to
American faith, and 1t would be indeed
| q wicked thing to deceive them in such
fashion. Moreover, even II the promise
were made to take effect only ii the
distant future, the Filipinos would be
| thrown into confusion thereby. In
1 stead OF continuing to endeavor to fit
themselves for moral and material ad-
| vaacement in the present they would
| abandon all effort at progress and be-
gin fractional intrigues.
| III, on the other hand, our opponents
came into power and attempted to car
4 nv out their promises to the Filipinos
| by giving them independence and
! withdrawing American control from
the islands, the result would be a
frightful calamity to the Ftlipinos
and In its larger aspect would amount
to an international crime.
| During the last FIVE years more has
been done for the material and moral
well being Of the Filipinos than ever
before since the islands first came
within the ken Of civilized man. We
have opened before them vista Of or
derby development In their own inter-
est and not policy Of exploitation.
Every effort Is being made to fit the
islanders for self government. and
they have already in large measure re-
ceived 1t, while for the first time IN
their history their personal rights and
civil liberties have been guaranteed.
They are being educated, they have
been given schools, they have been
given libraries. roads are being built
for their use, their health Is being
cared for. they have been given courts
in which they receive justice as abb
solute as 1t Is In our power to guaran-
tee. Their individual rights Of life,
liberty and the pursuit OF happiness
are now by act Of congress jealousy
safeguarded under the American dag,
!, and II the protection OF the flag were
withdrawn their rights would be lost,
and the islands would be plunged back
! under some form Of vicious tyranny.
Surely we had better await the re-
suits Of this experiment. for it is a
wholly new experiment In Asia--be-
fore we make promises which as ma
ton we might be forced to break or
which they might interpret one way
and we in another.
The Fourteenth Amendment.
Alarm has been protested lest the
Filipinos should not receive all the ben
efits guaranteed to our people at home
by the fourteenth amendment to the
constitution. AS a matter OF fact, the
Filipinos have already secured the sub
stance Of these benefits. This govern
ment has been true to the spirit Of the
fourteenth amendment In the Philip
pines. Can our opponents deny that
here at home the principles Of the four
teenth and fifteenth amendments have
been in effect nullihed7 In this. as in
many other matters, we at home can
well profit by the example OF those re-
sponsible for the actual management
of affairs in the Philippines. In our
several commonwealth here in the
United States we as people now face
the complex problem Of securing fair
treatment to each man regardless OF
his race or color. We can do so only If
we approach the problem In the spirit
Of courage. common sense and high
minded devotion to the right, which
has enabled Governor Taft. Governor
Wright and their associates to do so
noble a work in giving to the Philip
pine people the benefit Of the true prin-
ciples Of American liberty.
Our appeal is made to all good citi-
zens who hold the honor and the inter
est OF the nation close to their hearts.
The great issues which are at stake
and upon which l have touched are
more than mere partisan issues. for
they involve much that comes home to
the individual pride and Individual
well being Of our people. Under condi-
tons as they actually are good Amerl-
cans should refuse for the sake OF the
welfare OF the nation to change the
national policy. We who are RESPONSE
BILE for the administration and legisla-
ton under which this country during
the last seven years has grown so
greatly Ia well being at home and in
honorable repute among the nations of
the earth abroad, do not stand inert
iy upon this record. do not use this rec