The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-09-12

mess. fer the sake Of momentary po-
litical expediency to abandon the
principles upon which they have in
sisted as essential, conspire 70 puzzle
MS as to whether they do or do not
intend in good faith 70 carry snt this
promise If they are given control OF
The evernmont. in their platform they
declare tor independence, apparently
for tlein language is a little obscure
without qualification as to time;
ara indeed qualification as to time
is an a5surdity. for we have nei her
right nor power to bind our successors
when it Is impossible to foretell the
conditions which may confront them.
while IL there is any principle hnvolv-
ed in the mater, il is jus. as wrong
to deny independence for few years
as to deny t for an indefinite period.
But IN later and equally Official utter
ances =. our opponents the term self
government was substituted for IT,.
dependence: the words used being so
chosen that in their natural construc-
tion they described precisely the pol
icy now being carried on. The lan-
guage of the platform indicated rad
icai change OF poliCy; the la'er utter
aBces indicated continuance OF the
present policy. But this caused trouble
in their own ranks and in a still,
la.er, although less formal ut erance.
the self government promise was re
canted, and independence at some fll-
ture time was promised in its place.
They have occupied three entirely diff.
ferent positions within fifty days.
Which Is he promise they really III
tend to keep?
SO far from having "sapped the
foundations" Of free popular govern
ment at home by the course taken in
the Philippines, we have been spread
ing its knowledge, ard teaching ITS
practice, snobs people TO whom IL
had never before been more than an
empty name. Cur action represents
a great stride forward in spreading
the principles of orderly liberty
throughout the world. "Our flag has
not lost its gift OF benedictlon in its
world wide journey to their shores. "
We have treated the power We have
,r,f,,a oe a -11o.,-v - lfooff.p opH
have used 81 in the interest Of man
kind; aud the peoples of the worlc
and especially the weaker peoples OF
the word. are better of because Of
the position We have assumed. To re
trace our steps would be % give prc5f
Of an inhrm and unstable national pur-
pose
Alarm has been professed les the
Filipinos should not receive all the
benefits guaranteed to our people at
home by the fourteenth amendment to
the constitution. AS a matter Of fact,
the Fniplpos have already secured
the substance OF these benefits This
government has been true 10 the
spir.t Of the fourteenth s.mendment IL
the Philippines Can our opponents
deny that here at home the principles
of the fourteenth and fifteenth amend
mems have been in erecs nullihcd.
In this. as in many other matters, we
at home can well profit by the eN-
ample Of those responsible for the
actual management OF affairs in the
Philippines. In our several oommoH
wealths here In he United States we
as a people now face the complex
problem OF securing fair treatment to
) each man regardless Of his race ol
color We can DO so only II we ap
proach the problem in the spirit ol
courage, common sense. and higs
minded deviation 10 the right. which
has enabled Governor Tat. Governor