Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1904-12-15

people at present are utterly Incapable Of
existing In independence at all or OF build-
| Ing up civilization OF their own I firmly
! believe that can help them 70 rIss
| higher and higher I'm the sea 10 OF cIvIIization
| and OF capacity for self government qna I
! most earnestly nope that In the end they
| VIII be able to stand. IL not entirely alone.
| yet In some such relation TO the United
| states as Cuba now stands This erd ia
not yet In sight. and Il may he Indefinitely
| postponed II our people are foolish enough
| 10 turn the attention of the FIIIuinos away
! from the problems OF achieving moral and
material prosperity. Of working for n STA
PIE, orderly. ana Just government. and to-
ward foolish and dangerous lntrigucs for a
complete independence for which they are
as vet totally unfit.
On the other hand. our people must keen
steadily before their minds the fact that
the Justification for our STAY i'm the PhiIlD-
pines must ultimately rest chiefly upou the
good we are able To do in the Islands | do
not overlook the fact that In the deveInn-
ment of our interests iu the Pacific Ocean
! and along its coasts the Philippines have
played and VIII play an important part
ana that our Interests have been served In
more than one way by the possession OF the
Islands. But our chief reason for continuing
to hold them must be that we ought in
good faith 10 try to do our share Of the
world work, ana this particular piece Of
work has been Imposed upon US by the re-
suits of the war with spain. We are en-
deavOring 10 develop the natives them
selves 50 that they shall take an ever
and rs far as is prudent we are already ad-
hitting their representatives. to q govern
mental equality with our own. There are
commissioners. judges. and governors In the
islands who are FilipinOs and who have or
actly the same share In the government Of
the islands have their colleagues who
are Americans, while In the lower ranks, Of
course, the great majority of the public
servants are FiiipiuOs. Within two years
we shall he trying the experiment OF an
elective lower house in the Philippine Leg
i.Ia 10, hot +I,
misuse this Legislature, and they certainly
Will misuse 1t IL thcy are misled by foolish
persons here at home into starting an AL
tatiCu for their own independence or into
any factiOuS or improper action. But il
they act with wisdom and self restraint II
they show that they are capable of electing
legislature which in its turn is capable
of taking Il sane and efficient part in the
actual work Of government, they can rest
assured that a full and increasing meas
IRE of recognition win he given them
Above all they should remember that their
prime needs moral and Industrial. not
political. IL is Il good thing To try the ex-
pertinent of giving them legislature; but
it is far better thing to give them schools,
good roads, railroads which will enable
them to get their products 10 market, hon
est courts. an honest and efficient cOnstabu-
larry, and all that tends to produce order,
peace. fair dealing as between man and
man. and habits of intelligent industry and
thrift.
Meanwhile our own people should rcmem-
Der that there Is neeQ Tor the highest stand
ard Of conduct among the Americans sent
to- the Philippine Islands, not only among
the public servants but among the private
individuals who go to them. 1t is because
feel this so deeply that In the admins
tration of these islands | have positively
refused to permit any discrimination what
soevcr for political reasons and have In
sisted that in choosing the public servants
consideration should be paid solely to the
worth of the men chosen and to the needs
of the islands. There is higher body Of
men in public service than we have In
the Philippine Islands under Governor
Wright and his associates. So far as pos
sible these men should be given free
hand and their suggestions should receive
the hearty backing both Of the Executive
and of the Congress.
Every measure taken concerning the ISL
ands should be taken primarily with a
view to their advantage. We should GER
tainly give them lower tariff rates on their
exports to the United States; if this Is not
done it will be II wrong to extend our ship
ming laws to them. / earnestly hope for
the immediate enactment into law OF the
legislation pending to encourage Amer
lean capital to seek investment in the ISL
ands in railroads, in factories, In planta-
lions. and In numbering and mining.