The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1913-10-31


within the last two weeks. But that
position also compels the United States
to look after and to a certain extent con-
troll the other independent governments
Tor lack of government) in all parts of
this hemisphere.
Common sence is sufficient proof that
the people of the United States do not
desire this burden as official guardians
of lot of turbulent, alien peoples of an
other blood. We have no desire either
to protect them from aggressions of
European powers or yet to interfere with
their internecine quarrels, but this is not
question of our desires, but of facts,
present facts and facts of the future.
We have conditions not theories to face.
If we interfere,'as we must interfere
if we are guardians. how shall we dc it,?
No parent desires to spank his own child
but the spanking is necessary sometimes.
But when you come to spanking the
child of neighbor or a waif who has
no parents, there comes question of
authority that compl1cates the situation.
The necessity is there, but any child will
resent the spanking of a person who has
not the natural authority to do the job.
The child will never love the castigator.
We licked the Philippines into shape
and have spent millions of money trying
ever since to benefit them and make them
good citizens of their own country. but
there is no love there for this conntry;
there is not even a sign of gratitude.
Accepting the benefits of our association
with them they are still aliens.
But the PHILIPPINES are, at least at
present, ours. They are our subjects.
We can do with them as we choose and
can compel obedience, because they are
ours. But the fact that we have prom
ised them future independence has done
more to complicate matters there than
anything else. BY this we do not mean
to argue that they should not ultimately
have independence, but only to show
that this neutrality-suspicious. of theirs
only Injuries and hlnders their real pro-
gress.
Just now we have the Mexican. 1t is
apparently up to us in the near future to
settle matters there. 1t is going to be
dirty. disagreeable job. There isn't one
single recompense to us in sight. We
might use the country but never the
people, there are too many to assimilate.
They would make situation worse than
the negro problem that we already have.
They could never form real part of this
country. On the other hand how shall
We handle them? Can we make any
thing like permanent peace there with
out taking permanent charge of that
government? That is real issue. Not
what we would like to do, but what we
must do.
No man can pitch hay successfully
with fork having handle fifteen feet
long. You have to get close to the work
and that is just as true IN government as
in pitching hay.
We are not attempting at this time to
provide a remedy for these complications.
That is where we differ from The Presi.
dent. His theory seems to be, to inter-
fere with countries but exert no real
authority. That sort of government we
believe will be failure, at least in Mex
leo. The only possible government of
Mexico for time at least, is that of force
which implies possession.
The better theory to our mind is to
face the facts as they come to US. The.
ories before facts are dangerous and lead
to rather awkward situations.
70 repeat, we do not desire any inter-
ference with other country governments
whatever, we do not desire any addition.
al territory, now; but if circumstances
do occur when such measures may seem
desirable, necessary or inevitable, then
the United States should not be hinder.
ed by declared policy made before
such facts occur.
&kake TeaehAese p Rv.u1n,eono.