New-York tribune., 1916-02-17

over the world 20 tho dignity and rights
Of American citizenship. With cold.
cruel facts staring them in the face
they have no plan for the adequate
military defence OF the country, and
while they arc attempting 20 reach
some conclusion on this great question
their leader Is displaying his agitation.
his uncertainty, blowing hot and blow
ing cold The mon in power AZ Wash
ington to-day who arc responsible for
what has taken place and what bids
fair to take place seem unwilling or
unable TO look ahead. They seem ut
tcrly lacking m vision and compre-
hension.
Incompetence Of Democrats.
As an example. let us consider what
tho Democratic Senate has done and
what the Democratic House and the
Democratic President apparently in
'end 90 do.
After almost four years Of patient
and courageous effort and At a great
cost IN lives and money peace and or
der were finally established in the
Philippines in the year 1902. For al
most fourteen years now We have de
voted our efforts toward educating and
training the inhabitants OF these ISL
ands 20 q higher conception of liberty
and sclf-govcrnment. with a view that
eventually they might be able 70 stand
on their own feet rs q nation. No stu
dent Of the evolution Of races and So
cial institutions will deny the asser-
tion that the time required 70 elevate
comparatively uncivilized and illlt-
crate people 90 the point at which they
can govern themselves without sus-
tanning hand must be measured not
Icy years or decades. but by genera
tions.
NO person familiar with the history
and habit Of thought Of the Philippine
people will dare TO assert that they
can survive MS a separate nationality
to-day. The whole would knows that
such a thing is impossible, and the
whole world has applauded the gener-
Gus and unselfsh purpose Of the Amer
lean people 70 stand by the helpless
Filipino until he can stand alone. Thor
ough and unselfsh as our work has
been up 10 date. we cannot assert that
We have done anything more than 20
start them upon the road. To leave |
them now 20 their own devices amounts /
TO sacrifice Of everything we have !
done there and must result not only IN /,
their destruction as a potential nation, |
but also in bringing down upon our |
heads the derision and contempt Of the |
world. And Yet il is this very thing
that the present Democratic Admins
trstion is about TO do.
"ln less than four years, 90 their /
hill, which has already passed the SEN /
ate. reads. the Philippine people, large /
ly ilhterste. divided into many tribes, /
speaking many dialects. utterly lacking
i'll common language or literature,
poor in purse, defenceless against ag-
gression this Philippine people is to
be turned adrift without guiding
hand or protecting influence. We be-
lieve that the American people will .
stand aghast at this heartless and Gym
icai proposal Of the Democratic Admin
istration.
Philippine Error Shown.
when one considers the reputation
Of the United States among the ma
tions Of the world one is the more dis
mayed al what the government Is cor
templating at this time. Il is not /
pleasant thing 20 admit but 1t should
be admitted and thoroughly understood .
that America does not ENJOY IN the .
foreign mind that degree OF respect
and admiration TO which she Is enu-
tied Rightly or wrongly. other people !
regard US to-day as lacking in deter
lacking in virility, shrinking
from those responsibilities and Obiga-
tons which must come 70 every great
nation.
"The foreigner finds il difficult to
read the heart of the American people;
he can only Judge from surface indlca-
tiOns lie has witnessed what 10 him
seems the utter indifference Of the
American government toward The kill
ing Of Americans by the score and de-
struction Of their property at whole
sale in Mexico. And now, as II TO con-
firm this unjust and wicked estimate
of our national spirit. this Democratic
is about 70 notify the
world that our great task in the Phil
ippines is 20 be abandoned; that we DO
not care what happens 20 the Filipino
people Furthermore, this Democratic
is about TO serve notice
that the American soldiers who died
for the liberties Of The Philippine peo-
pie, Just as their brothers who died
for the liberties Of the people Of Cuba.
gave their lives III vain. The spirit Of
the American people is not in accord
with such a cruel and cowardly procc-
durc and il Will impel them 10 resent
this act
The supporters of the present Ad-
are attempting TO delude
tho people into belief that whatever
we are enjoying to-day IS
due 10 the wisdom OF their enactments
affecting the industries OF the country.
"The people. however, are not de-
ceived in the matter. They remember
well the state Of affairs which existed
all over the land just prior TO August
|. 1914. They remember well the great
number of unemployed applying for
lelp and for work al the Offices Of every
charity organization in the land. They
remember well the factories that were
.lcsed. the wages that were reduced and
tho consequent decrease in the pur-
chasing power Of the people as result
Of the Underwood tariff law. which
subjected our industries TO the destruc-
tive competition Of cheap foreign labor.
No man. be he manufacturer farmer or
has forgotten that situa-
tiOn.
Country Saved by War.
IN an equal degree too. they realize
that that situation would have CON
tinued with constantly increasing in
tensity had it not been for the out
break and continuance or the great war
IN Europe. which forced the belliger-
euts 10 call upon the United States for
an enormous volume OF exports far ex-
cceding our highest records in that re-
spect
THE farmer to-day, who is receiving
81 50 bushel for his wheat, as con
trasted with so cents a bushel in June
and July. 1914; the artisan, who is re-
ceiving the highest wages known in the
history of business. realize perfectly
we'll that the great impetus which has
come 20 many Of our industries is
caused by this export trade. The his