The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1908-07-18
gnats and making mountains of mole.
PHILIPPINE NEUTRALIZATIoN

What shall we do with the PhiIippines2
Like ghost, that question will
question of p~rofounder interest has en-
gagged the attention OF the American peo-
dency in 1900 ragged around that question
as a paramount issue. The Democrats con-
tended, for reasons with which the coun-
try is familiar. that independence should
be granted to the Filipinos, reserving Ger
tain important privileges and rights to
this country. What the Republicans stood
clearly or definitely known About all we
know is that they opposed the Democratic
policy, ana even now no ma can tell
what their ultimate policy is with regard
to the Islands and their people. Nothing
serves better to illustrate the incompe-
structive organization than the indie
cision and uncertainty with which 1t sur
rounds this question. In fact. it has no
policy it is simply drifting like a rud-
derless ship. True, an insular government
has been established. education promoted.
sanitary conditions improved and Indus
trial enterprises in a small way encour-
aged. But all that relates to current and
necessary ADMINISTRATION AS long as we
retain lurlsulcIon we must ADMINISTER
their affairs with decency. The point I
make is that the Republican party has
never definitely declared an ultimate pol
icy with respect to the islands. There Is
no c~oncensus OF opinion among the Re-
publican leaders on the subject; on the
vided. Secretary Taft has declared that
the United States should retain jurisdic-
NAOA4 OhEA az A1ALAAAD a. AEaot nAlAA LAO
rising generation shall be old enough to
direct their destiny. He leaves the inn
preston by what he says that after that
period the question OF Philippine auton-
omy may be considered. Other eminent
Republicans, like Senator Hale of Maine,
are anxious to sever our political connec-
ton with them as speedily as possible.
The Chicago convention of last month DID
not outline or foreshadow a policy for the
party. All the platform says on the sub
ject is that insurrection has been sup
pressed, law established, life and prop
practical experience are advancing the
capacity of the people for government,
That. however, at the best, is only a
declaration Of things done. The aggre-
gated wisdom of the Republican party,
massed in the Chicago convention, was
that. Upon the all-important question of
the ultimate disposition OF the islands,
the convention was silent. I assert with
out fear that the Republican party is
without a policy in that particular. They
are simply drifting. Nevertheless, the
question is ever present: What shall we
do with the ~islands2"
I visited the Philippines IN 1907. I trav-
eled over and became tairiy la1nr q Man
them from ,personal onServalon. icy
are beautiful islands, with great natural
resources. The bulk Of the population,
the Filipinos, are ar amiable, Intelligent,
Christian people, in whose hearts burn
the fires of an intense patriotism IN
some of the Islands there are tribes
more or less numerous, who are primitive
and half-civilized. But the great MAORI
ty of the natives. the Filipinos proper
are, as I have said. not only civilized,
but have been devout Christians for CEN
turtles. They are the Christian people OF
tate to affirm that the average OF intel
ligence among the FilipinoS Is superior 70
that of the people of Cuba, and equaI 70
that of the people OF Mexico and other
countries to the south The Chief Justice
of the Philippine supreme Court Is a ma
tive Filipino, and I was told by some OF
his American associates on the bench,
and by the Governor-General OF the
Islands, that in dignity or CHARACTER ana
range of learning. as well as IN native
force and ability, he would grace the ~
AttornevIGeneral is a Filipino, and is
one of the most accomplished young men
tfsas an The Supreme bench. and a ma
jority of the trial judges are also Fiji,
pinos. The provincial governments, ana
ties outside of Manila, are ADMINISTERED
the natives. elect their owl
governors, mayors an6 otne Is pp1bbiic
affairs with fine intelligence and high IN
tegrity. They nave successful bankers;
manufacturers, miners, ana
Inc learned professions are adorned by
Deopie are qualified for seIf-government I
no shadow of doubt. / am not sure
hat a government modelled AFTER ours
would be best suited to their con9ltohs
md temperament, but neither would 1t be
-o the Japanese or to others who success
'ulIy maintain governments or their own
hings is national independence. upon
hat proposition there is practical una
Unity. We are holding these people,
,apable of establishing and administering
/ government of their own, and with an {
desire for such a government {
ubject to our jurisdiction against their {
vim and protest. The present status of
Islands is so anomalous as TO be
They are under our authority. {
nd vet not n Definite part or our terri !
ot on t E he priviieges of american citi- {
oS en1TTy6 They are neither home folks nor J
oreigners. neither domestic nor atiSI =
nd this has been going on Ior nsarl{ {bese +
'Tands in this way, and opposed to TINS s
oIcy of non-action; Those RResesPytesn and i
IL aost men and we ought TO give a
ONE answer to them, and we ouSHe ~ :
~ f,tsnd tn hold them forever IN the y
of our stronger hand, lnTH y
11vht TO say so and end the agony. y
~ sav that for us to 90 thdl HOuiA y
OF Sas soafnsf our own Institutions, our q
vvn ideals, and all the nigh tnHiSS #
stood for before the NoIluJ ~ Il
Yer. as a mere vulgar proposinon 4
na1onrciaf investment, It Wouiu De ~
osflv mistake. What are we solns ~ n
OF My countrymen, What we orrssntine D
n is TO fix a definite cate Tor LIS a
70 the Filipinos, ana men. n
9 \ part of the scheme, open nesota end IL
With the leading powers OF .rhnreby, tbe r
,5enendence of the Islands shaH pc as n
by making them neutral terrLSIly Il
Of omen to the occupation OF any vt II
alton. as the independence o1 u
md has long been secured IN EuTopei p
ave no kind of doubt that the iTaulI5 II
overs. including Japan, would WllihstS
ofer into conventions Of that eharacteI b
,tcb treaties would remove all rear OF b
scraa chment from other nations after g,
he TTniteC States had Withdrawn, W. a
to declare for some dennite an9 p
n=asne noliov of tina character ana d
romntIv ~fnaugurate the work OF Drlng- o.
about. But the Republican party G.
. novr organized, is incapable OF deaAmB 4
,itb the question. It's utter failure 70 S,
with il i~nteligently demonstrates - d
1capacity. If the American people wan a
Grant to the Filipinos the boon OF no Il
nv for which they so devoutly pray y
he work of developing a poncy 70 tnat e;
M must be entrusted to some other par 81
= TO have liberated these generous a
nd gentle people from Spanish thraldom, n
= have helned them along for years at Il
Dormous expense. to have ~estanhsheo e
cbooIs and aided them to promote INDUS "
rial development, and then nnaIy 10 y
rown them with the high dignity OF ma !.
Ional Independence, with protecuIs -
one of the most glorious chab- I,
RS in the history of men, II would MT q
he american republic high up as a =
eaeon light among the nations OF the Il
GRID And now / close this subject by -
a significant statement maze py -
resident Diaz of Mexico in Marcn last n
, Parsons Magazine; II
.sWhen the United States gives in n
dependence TO Cuba and the Phlip- VI
pines" he said, "she VIII take her fl
place at the head Of the nations, ana Il
am fear and distrust will disappear Il
from the American ~pubhc II
STATE POLITICS. n
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