The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1908-12-17

! tlOnal government must provide the neceS-
! sary harbor improvements on each isand
! so that the agricultural products can be
! carried to the markets of the world. The
/ coastwise shipping needs of the islands,
| and the alien contracts laoor law should
/ be modified in its application to Hawaii
as to enable American and European labor
| to he brought thither.
! We have begun to improve Pearl Harbor
| for a naval base and to provide the neces-
! sary military forttications for the protec-
I ton of the islands. but | can not too
strongly emphasize the need of appropria-
/ lions 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 con-
/ ditions of the islands and establish there
/ bases of supply for our naval and mer-
! chant fleets unless we insure, as far as
/ human ingenuity can, their safety from
foreign seizure.
One thing to be remembered with all our
forthcationS Is that II Is almost useless
/ to make them impregnable from the sea IL
| they are left open to land attack. This
i Is true even of own coast, but 1t Is
| doubly true of our insular possessions In
Hawaii, for instance, 1t Is worse than use
less to establish naval station unless we
| establish it behind fortiGcatiQps SO strong
| that no landing force can take them save
| by regular and long continued siege opera
! tons.
| The Philippines.
Real progress toward self gov eminent is
! being made in the Philippine Islands. The
gathering of Philippine legislative body
ana Ihilippine assembly marks process
! absolutely new in Asia. not only as regards
| ASiatic colonies of European powers but as
regards Asiatic possessions of other Asiatc
powers and, indeed, always excepting the
striking and wonderful example afforded by
! the great Empire of Japan, Ii opens
! entirely new departure when compared with
anE, mn ov which NIB, has happened among
! tiers. Hitherto this Philippine legislature
| has acted with moderation and self
restraint, and has seemed in practical
- hn or tl,at
| there must always be government. and that
the only way in which any body of indi-
governed by outsiders Is to show that they
are able to restrain themselves. to keep
down wrongdong and disorder. The Fill
! Pine people. through their officials are
! therefore making real steps in the direction
| of sclf-governmcnt. | hope and believe that
| these steps mark the beginning of a course
which Will continue till the Filipnos be-
come fit to decide for themselves whether
| they desire to be an independent nation.
| iiut 1t is well for them tand well also for
| those Americans who during the past decade
! have done 50 much damage to the Flipinos
| by agitation for an immediate independence
! for which they were totally unhD to re-
/ member that sclf-goycrnment depends, and
must depend, upon the filtpinoS themselves.
| All we can do is to give them the oppor-
| tunIty to develop the capacity for self
government If we had followed the adj
| vice of the foolish dOctrinaires who wished
us at any time during the last ten years
| TO turn the Filipino people adrtft, we
| should have sh.rked the plaincst possible
duty and nave inflicted a lasting wrong
! upon the Filipino people. We have acted
/ in exactly the opposite spirit. We have
! given the EiipinOS constitutional govern
mcnt a government based upon Justice
! and we have shown that we have governed
/ them for their good and not for our ag-
| grand2ement. At the present time, as dur
| ing the past ten years. the incNorablc logic
J of facts shows that this government must
! be supplied by us and not by them. We
| must be wise ana generous we must help
/ the FilipinOS TO master the difficult art or
! ScltcontrOl, which is simply another name
! for Self-gOvcrnmcnt. But we can not give
them self government save in the sense or
| governing them so that gradually they may,
| if they are able, learn TO govern themselves
! Under the present system OF Just laws ana
| sympathetic administration, we have every
! reason to believe that they are gradually
| acquiring the character which lies at the
! basis of Scf-goycrnment, and for which, II
! il be lacking, no system of laws, no paper
! constitution, Will in any wise serve as
! have achieved what may lcgitimatrly be
| called a marvellous success in giving to
| them a government which marks on the
! part of those in authority both the neceS-
/ sary understanding of the people aud the
J necessary purpose to serve them diNlntrr-
c~tcdly and in good faith. | trust that
within a generation the time viii arrive
4 when the Philippines can decide for them
/ selves whether It is well for them TO be-
come independent, or to continue under the
| protection of Il strong anu dlNniereStGd
I
order at home and protection from foreign
| invasion. But not one can prophesy the
exact date when it will be wise to consider
adepGndepce as 7sS n4 df z ry P TO SS
| down such Il date in adyafrr". Tor II must
! depend upon the way In which the ihlllp-
pine people themselves develop the power
| of self mastery.
Porto Rico.
again recommend that American citi.
| zenShip be conferred upon the people Oh
/ Porto Rico.
In Cuba our occupancy will cease In
about two months time the Cubahs nave
| In orderly manner elected their own govern
! mental authorities, and the island VIII pe
! turned over to them Our occupation on
| this occasion has lasted little over Two
| years. and Cuba has thriven ana prospereo
| under it, Our earnest hope and one desire
! is that the people of the island shall now
govern themselves with justice, SO that
peace and order may he secure. we WI,
gladly help them to this end but | would
! solemnly warn them TO remember the great
truth that the only way people can per
! manently avoid being governed from WIN,
| ont is to show that they both can ana VIII
govern themselves from within.
National Guard.
Now that the organized militia, the Ma
| tional Guard, has been Incorporated WIN
the army as part of the national forces 1t
! behooyeS the government to do every rea-
souable thing in its power TO perfect It's
| efficiency 1t should be assisted In ltS IN
struction and otherwise aided more llDeraly
! than heretofore. The continuous services
| of MANY wel-trained regular officers VIII be
essential in this connection. Such ollcers
| must be specially trained at service schoois
best to qualify them as INSTRUCTORS or the
| National Guard. But the detailing or ON,
GERS for training at the service schools ana
for duty with the National Guard entails
| detaching them from their regiments which
are already greatly depleted by detachment
of officers for assignment to duties pre-
scrbed by acts of the Congress-.
A bill Is now pending before the congress
creating number Of extra officers IN the
army, which If passed as it ought to be,
| will enable more officers TO be trained as
Instructors of National Guard and assigned
10 that duty. In case of war 1t VIII De Oh
the utmost Importance to have large mum
her of trained officers to use 1or turning
raw levies into good troops .
| There should be legislation to provide a
complete plan for organizing the great BODY
| of volunteers behind the regular army anu
| national guard when war has come. Con
| gressiOnal assistance should be given those
| who are endeavoring to promote rlhe prac.
tlce so that our men, in the services or out
! of them may know how to use the rlne.
| While teams representing the United states
! won the rifle and revolver championships or
the world against all corners in Englanu
this year, 1t is unfortunately true tllat un5 9
| great body Of our citizens shoot less ana
, less as time goes on To meet TINS we
| should encourage rifle practice among
| schooboys and indeed among all classes, as
we'll as in the military services, by every
means in our power Thus, ana not olnel
the peace of the world. Fit to hold our
own against the strong nations or the
earth. our voice for peace Will carry TO the
ends of the earth. Unprepared; ana there