Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1907-09-18
HANGING ~ a THREAD.

The tendeney Of machine. made pa
trsotism or enthusiasm to melt away
like SNOW before the hot blast Of the
vanishing dollar. says The Atlanta
Coustitusion. was never more wildly
illustrated than In the rapid veering
Of American sentiment as regards
our proprietary interest in the Phil.
ipvine archipelago. The New York
Herald has recently been feeling the
Congressional pulse on this subject.
and it, Investigations reveal the as
tounding fact that there are sufficient
Republican representatives weary Of
cur Par Eastern burden to out.vote
the sxpansiouiss element. xere they
willing to make common cause with
the Democrats.
And II seems just yesterday that
the man who timidly ventured the
suggestion that the Philippines we're
q senseless and costly incumbrance
vas branded with sufficient epithets
70 make him feel like exiting himself
forever from the land Of the free
and the home OF the brave"
90 far a. The Herald's poll pro-
creased only - out Of 1873 representa-.
tives Of all parties approached favored
the retention Of the archipelago.
Moro than half Of the Republicans
~>>A %~vr. A. abandonment ~ thu
islands. and Speaker Cannon Is re-
parted to have expressed an anxiety
TO get out tomorrow" II any hon.
ossbSe way" suggested itself.
There can BE- no question that these
members Of the party Of Imperialism
are speaking their true sentiments.
fvee fFo0 the gas Of political expedi.
eney and restraint Otherwise, there
h no explanation for the fact that
Congressional measures. looking ten.
tatively toward the loosenins Of our
ho,d In the archipelago. receive 50
sparse . Republican support.
Il 10 evident. therefore. that admin.
istratjon influences in conjunction
With the habit Of following estab-
hshed procedure. even II proved er.
roaeoas. u the slender thread by
which the Philippine appendix hangs
to the American Government.
How long these bonds win prove
q e0cacy. or what sudden trans
formation may BE- wrought BY . change
q IL political complexion Of the ad-
1inistsstion. supply material for in
speculation.
Two. three. Ave years hence there
nay b . different rule In Manila.
For the frankly avowed sentiment
u these Republican Representatives.
asA 1saaeoss express more than their
personal standpoints. They reflect
Nasioaal sp1nioa which Of recent years
hAs becone iuereasinsly irrespousive
10 Aigh-soanding appeals regarding
~ene duty to civilization or the fol-
lowings Of manifest destiny"
The luxury o. overseas possessions
has hong ago hit the nation in one OF
IT, vital spots-its pocketbook 1t has
been an 0utSo. and no income. with
the prospect all in favor Of an indefi-
mite coatinuation Of this unprofitab bic
OAsiness.
A country whose predominant char
acteristic 10 commonsense soon
wearSes Of such q program. more es-
peetally ~ little progress seems to be
making In the purely benevolent
phases Of the undertaking.
Sooner a. later our colonial policy
win experience . decided change. It
may b abrupt or It may. with the
laudable object Of saving the National
face. Be indicted by gradual steps.
The point OF importance is that It
10 inevitably scheduled.
vice-President Fairbanks Is being
let down easy by his entertainers. in
Difference to the strong prohibition
sentiment In Indiana. At San Fran
cisco white wine punch" vas served
and cocktails and Teddy straights"
were cut out.
-
There 70 more CatArrh In this sec
ton OF the country than all other
diseases put together. and until the