The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1905-11-09

We have now owned the Philippine
Islands long enough to be able to
know whether or not this nation was
right In paying Spain $40, 600, 900 for
them. 1t must be apparent now to
pretty nearly all thinking Americans
that at no time since this nation be-
gun its onward march has such a gi-
gantic mistake been made.
The recent trip made by Secretary
Taft and his party has brought this
fact more clearly before the people
than ever. One of the most prom :
inent senators In the party stated
upon his arrival in this country that
there was but one man In the party
who was not sorry that we owned
the Islands, and that was Secretary
Taft himself. the. former Governor
General.
The reasons for ac uiring the Is
lands was discussed freely at the
time OF the ratification OF the treaty
OF peace with Spain, great majority
Of the republican senators favoring
the treaty while the democratic SEN
ators we're almust unanimous In their
opposition.
W. j. Bryan, the then and nov rec
ognized leader OF the democratic
party, made trip to Washington
and urged the party TO defeat the
treaty, prophesying the exact condi-
tion which has come about.
Our own Henry IIeitfeld, a brainy
and unpretentious Western farmer,
took a firm stand against the treaty,
and the sequel has proven that he
saw farther ahead than some OF the
statesmen OF the etfete East. Idaho
can always feel proud that Henry
Heitfeld was in the senate at this try
ing time in our country's affairs
The time has already arrived when
the most unthinking person can see
that the ratification OF that treaty
was step which should never have
been taken.
1t is well enough to review the
reasons urged by the administration
and its supporters for taking this
step. Two principal reasons were
urged. One was that we owed this
duty as matter of Christianity, and
this received the support OF all those
who had induced themselves to be.
lieye that 1t was our duty to Chris.
tianize and civilize the world The
other reason urged most strenuously
was that the Islands would be a pay
ing investment. This reason appeal
ed very strongly to many capitalists
OF the country. Strange as It may
seem, these two reasons-one appeal
ing to the unseltishness OF Christian.
ity; the other, to the seltishness OF
greed-carried the country of It's feet.
To those who urged that the United
States could not afford to enter upon
a colonial policy, and that to do SC
meant violation OF every sacred na
tional principle, the reply was made
! by one or the other OF the ad-
ministrations supporters as stated.
1t is hard 10 understand what any
person who favored taking the Islands
would have said had he been living at
the time OF the Revolutionary wal
when the natives of this country re-
piled against the British government.
We have taught the children OF this
country that Great Britain was op.
pressing us on every hand and that
we bad about lost our liberties under
the tyranleal rule Of King George.
We have always believed this our
selves. But when we today look into
our reasons for thinking this and ap-
ply those reasons to our colonial rule
in the Philippine Islands We can not
find one that We are not openly VIC.
lating. We did not need the Islands
for our own protection or for any
other purpose.
They have not and never will prove
a paying investment; for this nation
Is paying millions OF dollars every
year more than the profit.
1t is safe to say that there Is not
one rancher out Of a hundred who
would not have refused tC have takeE
the Islands on any terms. This al
goes to remind us that the RESPONSE.
biiity Ct carrying on this government
is upon our shoulders: that we must
permit no man or set or men to DE-
our thinking for us and avoid sucl
mistakes in the future.