New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-03
One Step Nearer Dishonor.

Senate brutal reputation OF all inc oDIl-
cations which the United States Govern
mcnt assumed when it ratified the Treaty
Of Paris.
We arc now ono step nearer to dis
graceful announcement of our adventure in
the Philippines There is little hope that
the House itself will refuse 20 sanction
the striking Of our flag, the cession. with
cut condition or equivalent, Of territory OF
vast present and still yastcr prospective
value, and the abandonment OF mission
which we had undertaken not IN the spirit
of ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, but in fuliilment OF
our duty as ciylizing power. II inc
division in the committee reflects the opin-
ion of the House. only the veto OF the
President stands between the country and
piece of pauic-strickcn legislation which
will undo all the good work that has
already been done in the Philippines, make
= mockcry of our benevolent professions TO
the Filipinos and push them back into
condition of anarchy more hopeless than
that Of Hayti or Mexico.
rhe veto Of the President is frail de
Dendence. There was a time when the
Wilson Administration did not stand for a
BETRAYAL Of our duty in the Philippines
Its programme was-at the least-to con-
,inue American control until the tlllpnos
could fit themselves for self-goyernment
MIR. Garrison. who as Secretary of War
was charged with general supervision OF
Philippine affairs. aimed at very gradual
extension of autonomy in the islands. lie
saw that with two apparently irreconclla-
bic clements in the population, the Chris
tanned Tagalogs and the Mahometan
Moros. no satisfactory plan of union and
.self-goyernment could be worked out FOR
many wears to come. He recognized that
Gradual education under a benefcent pro-
tectorate held out the only hope of creating
a stable society aud stable government in
the archipelago.
Mr.. Garrison therefore looked with
\ something like horror on the cynical pro-
posal to give the people of the islands four
or five years notice Of our purpose TO
depart. and thereafter to turn them loose
TO work out their own salvation. In the
correspondence with Mr.. Wilson preceding
his resignation as Secretary of War he
wrote: IL consider the principle embodied
in the Clarke amendment an abandonment
OF the duty Of this nation and breach OF
trust with the Filipinos, and, so belicv-
ing. | cannot accept it or acquiesce IN Its
acceptance
lie had reason to think that he had
\. the President with him in this honorable
Nemonstrance against what he considered
a\political crime. Mr.. Wilson may have
leen with him at the beginning, just as he
was with him for time on the continental
army scheme. But political eXpediency
has played far weighter role than con
sistency in the Presidents recent decisions
on matters of policy. He was not willing
10 stand firm on what had been the Ad-
ministration's original Philippine pro
cramme. All he was ready to concede
10 Mr.. Garrison was this: ut IS my ludg-
ment that the action embodied IN the
Clarke amendment to the bill extending
further sclf-governmcnt TO the Philippine
is unwisc at this time, but 1t would clearly
he most inadvisable for me TO take the
nosition that ! must dissent from that
action should both houses Of Congress
concur in bin cmbodying that amend
mcut."
Just where Mr.. Wilson now stands IT
would be hard to say. But 1t Is worth
noting that the supporters Of the Senate
bin i'm the House Committee on lnsular
Affairs urged rs the chief argument
acainst amending the measure that the
President wished it to go through IN
exactly the form in which it left the
Senate.
The bill could not get a majority in
The House if it lacked the support, active
or passive, Of Mr.. Wilson. If 1t. comes TO
him and he signs it, against the judgmcn,
which he expressed in his letter 70 Mr..
Garrison. the country's prestige viii again
be lowered and its highest interests
subordnated to the eXgencies o. Mr.. vii
sons campaign for reelection. Our gov
crnment will commit breach of trust
against its Filipino wards solely because
the President fears 10 antagonlze rcck-
less and vehement element IN his own
party. TO make smoother his relations with
Mr.. Clarke, a very powerful leader in the
Senate. Mr. Wilson will have blackened
this nations reputation for fair-dealing
and high-mindedness and have consigned
the deserted Filipinos 70 misery and suffer
ing which they haze done nothing 70
deserve.
The country has become accustomed
under this Administration 20 sec princi-
rle ard national prestige sacrificed to
rolitical advantage. In many instances
The consequences Of that sacrifice have
feen irreparabe. Fortunately, under the
terms of the philippine bill-bad as it i'