Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-12-06

that these conventions should coa-
sist not Of delegates chosen for this
single purpose. but Of the nominees
for Congress, the nominees for va
cant seals IN the Senate Of the INF
TED states. the Senators whose
terms have not vel closed, the ma.
tional committees and the candidates
for the Presidency themselves, in or
der that platforms may be framed by
those responsible to the people for
carrying them into effect.
Trustees for islands
These ore all mat ers Of vital do
mestlc concern. ard beside them,
outside the charmed circle Of our
own national life b which orr affec-
tions command rs. as well as our
eonsciences, there stand out our oh
legations toward our territories over
sea. Here we are rustees Porto
Rico, hawaii. the Philippines, are
ours. indeed, but not ours to do
what we please with Such terri
tories. once regarded as mere posses
sion, are no longer to be selishly
exploited; they are part Of the do
main Of public conscience and Of
serYiceable and enlightened states
manshfp. We mus administer them
for the people who live in them and
with the same sense Of responsible
ity to them as toward our own poo
pie In our domestic affairs. No
doubt we shall successfully enough
bind Porto Rico and the Hawaiian
Islands to ourselves by ties of jus.
tice and interest and affection, bu
the performance of our duty toward
the Philippines in more difficult
and debatable matter We can sat
sly the obligations of generous JUS
tiee toward the people of Porto Rico
by giving them the ample and famil-
lar rights and privileges aecorded
Ir own citizens in our own terri-
tories and our obligations toward
the people Of Hawaii by perfecting
the provisions of self-government
already granted them, but in the
Philippines we must 90 further. We
must hold steadily in view their IL
innate independence and we must
move toward the time of that indie
pendence as steadily as the way can
be cleared and the foundation
thoughtfully and permanently laid,
Gave Filipinos Power.
Acting under the authority con
ferred upon the President by Con.
gress ! have already accorded the
people of the islands a majority in
boh houses of their legislative body
by appointing FIVE instead of four
native citizens to the membership
of the commission ] believe that in
this way we shall make proof of their
capacity in counsel and their sense
Of responsibility in the exercise of
political power ana that the sue
cess of this step will be sure to clear
our view for the steps which are to
follow. Step by step we should ex-
tend and perfect the system of self
government in the islands, making
test of them and modifying them as
experience discloses their successes
ana tAeir failures; that we should
more and more put under the control
Of the native citizens of the archipel-
ago the essential Instruments of
their life. their local instrumental
ties of government. their schools, all
tho common interests of their COM
munities. and 50 by counsel and eX-
oerienee set up a government which
all the world will see to be suitable
t. a people whose affairs are under
their own control AT last, / hope
and believe, We are beginning 10 gain
the confidence Of the Filipino peo-
pies By their counsel and expert
ence. rather than by our own, we
shall learn how best to serve them
and how soon it will be possible and
wise 10 withdraw our supervision
Let MS once find the path and set
out with firm and confident tread
upou it ard we shall not wander from
1t or linger upon it
Dry to Alaska.
"a duty faces us with regard %
Alaska which seems to me vsry
pressing and very imperative; per
haps l Should say a double duty. For
it concerns 10th the political and he
material development of the Terri
tory The people of Alaska shonid
be given the full territorial form OF