New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-20
PHILIPPINE PROMISES.

PHILIPPINE PROMISES.
President Tafts solemn warning
against the making of a hard and last
promise TO the Philippines Of 1ull III
dependence in eight years Should
arouse citizens who realize the danger
To active measures of opposition I" th'
proposed plan. It i tu he feared thal
otherwise the scheme may 90 through
lv default. on the assumption that II
l., a settled feature Of Democratic
policy 10 which objection i useless.
Vet there j. no reason 10 hcll"v" tha'
the dcScrtim Of the Philippines Win
our task half done is favored 10y i
majority Of the American people. Or
even 10y a majority of thoughtful Dem
OcratS.
Twice ha> the issue OF "auti-inI'-
riali>m' been submitted to the pee
Pie and rejected. once ia 1900 when IL
was the chief issue 10 many and when
our difficulties in the Philippines were
most acute aud prOv"oativ" ~ desire
f. withdraw. The Democrats have
now won. hut with large majority oil
the people against them. Their pat
form contains plank which i widely.
though not necessarily. interpreted ~
an Endorsement Of IN immcdia," prom
iSc Of Independence At fixed dalc.
But Mr. Wilson's election was really
no mandate for such q policy. The
people paid NO attention to the sun
iect. nobodv'S vote WAS determined by
il. The platform i not explicit ana
even if it were written as II was III
,rivatc by one on two men ana adopted
hv the convention without discussion
after the nomination. When every pody
was thinking of adjournment. II mas
no such sacred character n 10 preclude
Democratic. statesmen from conSld"ra-
ton of the dangers 0f the promise 10
withdraw 10 the FilipinoS. 10 ~"
United states and To- the whole world.
Congress is not SET 10 carry out bind
Is campaign pronunciamcnt"S lightly
adopted with shout. bat 10 lcgiSlat"
with sense OF responsibility I" CIVIL
cation.
The time may come when the FIJI
Tinos will Ice competent to MAINTAIN
q civilized Independent nation. dealing
Justly with the mixed races "f the Isl
ands amd performing lis international
obligations But practically every
hody comedies that il has not Yet Ar
rived. 4 solemn promise made now
would have 10 be- kept or this country
would he diShOnOred. Advocates Of II
say that we can rctracc our Steps u
We find mistake has been made. we
Could do that II We simply acted from
time 10 time rs conditions warranted.
INT not if we make promises in ad-
vance. Then the only recourse is 10
let the mistake stand till conditions be-
come 50 bad that we are forced 10 IN
trrvene. II indeed some other country
has NOT already been forced 10 inter
Ncne and take up our abandoned task.
The Philippines are not like an area
~ Savaecry in mid-Africa which can
conceivablv he left 10 struggle rs best
il may. II il in the highway Of com
mcrce aud all the great nations have
interests there. There are sparks there
"a involve half the powers Of IN" world
if the civilized tribes yet to warning
or the harbarouS tribes run amuck.
We cannot guarantee their indcpen-
dcncc unless We can also guarantee"
tteir order and Justice We arc the
trustees Of all the Inhabitants of the
islands and have n" right 10 turn
Them over 10 the comparatively small
body Of politically ambitions TagaiogS.
We are the trustees Of civilization
and have no right 10 turn them adr'il
Ike snip loaded with dynamite.
Nor have we right to make prom
i>r> for the future i'm response to a
theory. when We can have no GER
rainty HAT actual conditions when that
promise falls due will not render its
u'flment menace 10 the order ana
haupincS> Of the Philippine peoples
and 10 the peace Of the civilized world.