Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-08-29
THE PHILIPPINE SITUATION.


of home rule, as has been asserted but
the manner in which they RETAINED from
participation in the election of their Leg
islativo body would hardly tend to sub
stantiate that claim. IF onl,' two Amer
leans ont Of every 100 entitled TO vote
took part IN the election of Congress. me
public would be likely to conclude they
did not care who represented them in the
halls of legislation. or indeed appreciate
the privilege of self government itself.
When We turn to the Philippine islands
ana apply the same rule to the people of
that archipelago. who we are periodically
| informed. are ready ana anxious for self
| rule. We find that not even two ont OF
every 100 voted in the recent election of
members Of the Filipino assembly. As a
matter of fact only fourteen out of every
1000 Filipino yearners after popular home
local legislation to take the trouble to
go to the polls to vote.
Under these circumstances it is worth
while for the American people to serious
ly consider the wisest disposition that
can be made of the Philippine islands by
the United States. In view of the exhibl.
| ton made by the Filiplnos in connection
with the progress of our project to teach
| them self-government. 1t would he worse
! n h..,, lrIs {,
| by giving them their independence. In
deed such step on our part woulG be
almost cruel We're the r'lipinos to be
made absolutely independent, the differ
ent tribes represented on the various isl
ands would be in constant warfare, and
in all human probability the archipelay %
| sooner or later would be subjugated bN
some Asiatic power like Japan, with all
which such a fate would imply as regard:
civilization and development. If we re-
tain possession of the Philippines, gen
erations must come and go before It vii
be possible for this country to avoid the
maintenance of "A considerable force or
sembanCe OF law and order to say moth
ing of keeping in state of preparedness
for possible conflict with some neighbor
ing power in the Far East that may thlnl
it wants the Islands more than do We
The only alternative Is the sale of the
Philippines The considerations involve,
! II, f,l T ii,
not be consistent for our country to dis
pose of the archipelago to nation tina
would fail to DO for the Filpinos what W,
have undertaken to. accomplish for them
We could not sell them to China, for ex
ample, or Russia or Germany. or ever
japan. Where then must we turn?
Looking at the subject from broai
and phlanthropic standpoint, there Is bu
one nation to which we could sell tn,
Philippines consistently with an idea o
liberty, human progress and civilization
and that one is England. At first sigh
ii might not appear In accordance with
the fitness OF things for a republic to DIS
bring them under monarchal rule
When ono stops to consider, however
that Great Britain has been truly Gale,
more truly democratic as regards tn
prompt expression OF public opinion il
laws and acts of government, 1t become
manifest that we could not easily put on
wards in safer hands than in those of gu
English cousins
The time may not have arrived for an,
step aside from the policy we have
mapped out with reference to the Philip
pines, but in view of all the facts in tn
case and the disadvantages and handicap
under which our possession OF the archl
pelago continues. 1t may he profitable 70
us to consider some proposition like tina
recently made by an English writer, VIII
suggested an exchange of the Philippine
for the British West Indies.
The only possible gain we can reason
ably expect from continued control OF tn
philippines IL commercial Retention O
: the Philippines would unquestionably ten
, to promote the growth of our trade no
only in the Philippines, but also in China
IL not in Japan and elsewhere, Possibl.