The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-08

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lished. The creation of such steam
ship lines should be the natural corol-
larry of the voyage of the battle fleet.
1t should precede the opening of the
Panama canal. Even under favorable
conditions several years must elapse
before such lines can be put into oper-
alton. Accordingly 1 urge that the
congress act promptly where foresight
already shows that action sooner or
later will be inevitable.
Hawaii.
l call particular attention to the
territory of Hawaii. The Importance
of those islands is apparent, and the
need of improving their condition and
developing their resources is urgent.
In recent years Industrial conditions
upon the islands have radically chang
ed. The importation of cody labor
has practically ceased, and there is
now developing such diversity in
agricultural products as to make posi-
BILE change in the land conditions of
the territory so that an opportunity
may be given to the small landowner
similar to that ON the mainland. To
aid these changes the national govern
ment must provide the necessary har-
Dor improvements on each island so
that the agricultural products can be
carried to the markets of the world.
The coastwise shipping laws should be
amended to meet the special needs of
the islands, and the alien contract Ia
Dor law should be so modified in its
application to Hawaii as to enable
American and European labor to be
brought thither.
We have begun to improve Pearl
harbor for a naval base and to pro-
vide the necessary military fortifica-
lions for the protection of the islands,
but l cannot too strongly emphasize
the need of appropriations for these
purposes of such an amount as will
within the shortest possible time make
those islands practically impregnable.
1t is useless to develop the industrial
conditions of the islands and estab-
lish there bases of supply for our ma
val and merchant fleets unless we in
sure, as far as human ingenuity can,
their safety from foreign seizure.
One thing to be remembered with all
our Notifications is that it is almost
useless to make them impregnable
from the sea if they are left open to
land attack. This is true even of our
own coast, but it is doubly true of our
insular possessions. In Hawaii, for
instance, it is worse than useless to
establish a naval station unless we
establish it behind Notifications so
strong that no landing force can take
them save by regular and long con-
tinued siege operations.
The Philippines.
Real progress toward self govern
ment is being made in the Philippine
Islands The gathering of a Philippine
legislative body and Philippine assem-
bly, marks a process absolutely new in
Asia, not only as regards Asiatic colo
MES of European powers, but as re-
CARDS Asiatic possessions of other Ash
attic powers. and indeed, always .eX-
cepting the striking and wonderful eX-
ample afforded by he great empire of
Japan, it opens an entirely new de-
parture when compared with anything
which has happened among Asiatic
powers which are their own masters.
Hitherto this Philippine legislature
has acted with moderation and self re-
straint and has seemed in practical
fashion to realize the eternal truth
that there must always be government
and that the only way in which any
body of individuals can escape the ne
cessity of being governed by outsiders
is to show that they are able to re-
strain themselves, to keep down
wrongdoing and disorder The Filipi-
no people, through their officials, are
therefore making real steps in the di-
rectioE of self government. 1 hope
and believe that these steps mark the
beginning of a course which will con-
tinue till the Filipinos became fit to
decide for themselves whether they
desire to be an independent nation.
But it is well for them, and well also
for those Americans who during the
past decade have done so much dam
age to the Filipinos by agitation for
an immediate independence for which
they were totally unfit, to remember
that self government depends and
must depend upon the FiIipinos them
selves. All we can do is to give them
the opportunity to develop the capaci-
ty for self government. If we had fol
lowed the advice sof the foolish doe
trinaires who wished US at any time
during the last ten years to turn the
Filipino people adrift we should have
shirked the plainest possible duty and
have inflicted a lasting wrong upon
the Filipino people. We have acted in
exactly the opposite spirit. We have
given the F'ilipinOs constitutional gov
eminent, a government based upon
justice, and we have shown that we
have governed them for their good and
not for our aggrandizement.
At the present time, as during the
past ten years, the memorable logic of
facts shows that this government must
be supplied by US and not by them.