Courier Democrat., 1904-12-22

OtouO luA0 SAlkSSSAO0s ~ uuy cNon0
the United States has taken for the
last half century has subjected it to
indignity in the eyes Of any one of
the world powers. or IL the attitude of
q single one Of them could be con-
strued into a menace because Of our
poverty in military "force." the occa-
sion is not ut present In our memory.
II anything Of the sort is now immi-
nent the president himself or his ad-
visers are the only men conscious of
it sss
The president makes himself very
plain regarding the Philippines. Not
content with the positive declaration
that the natives are totally unfit" for
independence. he does not offer them
the slim hope Of eventually attaining
1t. This is at least discouraging since
there are great many conscientious
people in this country who believe 1t
would be wise and just to express
this intention toward the Philippines,
thus opening the door Of hope and aspi-
ration to a people who have proved
themselves unusually apt at learning
the lessons Of civilization. After ascrib-
ing to this country mixed motives Of
self interest and benevolence in the
Philippines the president proceeds to
demonstrate that the colonial idea is to
the forefront in his mind by stating
that our work there strongly resembles
''the work which is being done by the
British in India and Egypt, by the
French in Algiers, by the Dutch in
Java. by the Russians in Turkestan and
by the Japanese in Formosa."
In other words, we are building up
a colonial oligarchy, and our presence
in the Philippines is due to the same
benign motives which actuate the colo.
MIXING powers to which he makes such
apt reference.
In handling the trusts, or ''great cor.
porations," as the president designates
them. there is the glitter Of many gen.
eralities. but no specific remedy or
promise or recommendation. In this
wise the president apparently pays
more attention to the relations be-
tween the employer and employee
than to the effect on the general pub.
lie. go
The tariff question is disposed Of in
a single sentence, in which the presi-
dent announces he will Communicate
with congress later ON this subject.
It is thus evident that Mr.. Roosevelt
Is impressed by the cry for revision
which has arisen within Republican
az we'll as Democratic ranks. It is
further manifest that in his intention
Of making the tariff the subject Of a
special message is revealed the purpose
to devote the better part Of his admin.
istration toward legislation concerning
this phase Of our government. Just
what stand he will take or whether he
will handle those children Of the tariff,
the trusts, any more vigorously than
in his message is problematical. It is
certain that whatever tentative plans
he may have formed are held in abey-
ance until he can sound the sentiment
Of the Republican congressional ma
gority.
The whole message evinces clearly
the abandonment Of the old Jeffer-
sonian simplicity which 50 well and
truly blazed the trails along which we
have advanced to our present great
ness. It is not enlivening to consider
how the men who. with democratic
lack of ostentation, laid the founda-
tion stones Of the republic would re-
gard this radical departure from those
fundamental principles.