The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-12
IN THE MATTER OF -
THE PHILIPPINES

! Our opponents promise independence to
the Philippine islands. Here again we
are confronted by the fact that their
irreconeilable differences of opinion among
themselves, their proved inability to create
constructive policy when in power, and
their readiness, for the sake of momen-
tary political expediency to abandon the
principles. upon which they have. insisted
as essential, conSpire.stoi puzzle us as to
whether " it4 they do or DC not intend in good
are given control of the government. In
their platform they declare for inde;
pendence, apparentlyn!for their language
is little obscure-without qualification
as to time; and indeed a qualification as
to time is an absurdity,, for We have nett
ther right nor power to bind our sue,
the conditions which may confront them;
while II there is any principle involved
in the matter, it is just as wrong to
deny it for an indefinite period But in
later and equally official utterances by
our opponents the term self-governnent
was substituted for. independence; ,sthe
natural construction they described pre-
cisely the policy now being carried on.
The' language of the platform Indicated a
radical change of policy; the later ut
terances indicated a continuance of the
present policy. utnthis. caused, trouble
in their own ranks; and in a still later,
although less formal utteranee, the self
government promise was recanted and
independence at some future time was
promised in its place. They have occu-
pied three entirely different positions
within fifty days. Which is the promise,
they really intend to keep?
They do not know their own minds; and
no one can tell how long they would keep
of the same mind, should they by any
chance come to a working agreement
among themselves. If such ambiguity af-.
fected only the American people it would
not so greatly matter; for the American
people can take are of themselves. But
the Filipinos are in no such condition.
Confidence is with them a plant Of slow
growth. They have been taught to trust
the word of this government because this
government has promised nothing which it
did not perform. If promised indepen-
dence, they will expect Independence; not
in the remote future, for their descend
the promise thus made is not Immediately
fulfilled they will regard it as broken,
and will not again trust to American
faith; and it would be indeed a wicked
thing to deceive them in such fashion.
Moreover, even if the promise were made
to take effect only in the distant future,
the FIllp1nos would be thrown into con-
fusion thereby. Instead of continuing to
endeayor to fit themselves for moral and
material advancement in the present, they
would abandon all effort at progress and
begin fractional intrigueS for future power.
To promise to give them independence
when it is prudent, to do SO. OF. when
that they are not fit for it now and that
it would be imprudent to give it to them
now. But as we must ourselves be the
judges as to when they become eft" and
when it would be prudent to keep such
a promise if, it were made lit necessar-
lily follows that to make such a promise
now would amount to deception. upon
tbp Ei1ininoS