New-York tribune., 1916-02-18

II not the outright slaves OF the Chris
tisn Filipinos.
The Malay tribes, on the other hand.
are of fine mentality and physique. The
hill tribes especially are probably, on
the whole, superior to the Fillpinos OF
the lowands. Foremost among them
are the MOros, of whom we have
heard much. They are devout and
fanatical Mahometans; partly inclined
20 propagate their faith with the
sword in good old Mahometan fash
ion. and wholly resolved never 10 sub
NIT TO the rule OF the Christian Full
pnos, who for centuries have been
their enemies. The United States they
respect and obey; the Filipinos they
deSpise and detest. Ever since the be-
ginning of the campaign for American
abandonment of the islands the Moros
have been making it plain in the most
direct and emphatic manner that they
give their allegiance to the United
States and will give il TO no other
authority, and that. particularly, they
will resist TO the uttermOst any at
tempt to subject them to Filipino rule.
With American sovereignty removed,
conflict between the MOros and the
Filipnos would be inevitable, and II
would be marked with all the horrors
of mingled religious fanaticism and
uncivilized savagery.
That is what enactment and execu-
tion of the pending bill would mean.
For the United States to make itself
responsible for such an occurrence. in
addition to its wsnton breach Of faith
and treaty-scrapping, woull be intol-
cradle. But even that would not be
the worst Of il. There would be in
volved another breach of faith COM
pared with which even making a treaty
a mere "scrap of oaper' seems not the
nadir Of iniCuity. For a treaty is a
contract between equals. into which
both enter voluntarily and with their
eyes open. Hut when a superior power
imposes its will upon an inferior and
/ demands that the latter shall coniide
| in its benevolence and integrity. re-
pudiat,on of faith involves a far great
er degree of turpitude than does mere
treaty-breaking.
II must be remembered that some
years ago we disarmed the Moros.
| They had been a warrior tribe, both
aggressive and defensive. Our admin
: istraton in the islands issued an or
| der for them 70 disarm; and If any did
| not voluntarily obey, we constrained
/ them. Sometimes We succeeded with
moral suasion; sometimes we had TO
use force, even TO the extent of blood
| shed. In Zamboanga, 1t is said, Colo
mel Finley, working after the fashion
/ of Chinese" Gordon, did the work
with comparatively little difficulty,
| though az times even he had 10 en-
ploy strenuous measures. Elsewhere
/ General Pershing's part OF the work
was done only at the expense of much
violence and loss of life.
But the work was done, and was
/ thoroughly done. The Moros were
/ disarmed. They were told-and this
was the justification of our act-that
I it was contrary TO American principles
I for them to use the sword as d means
of propagating their faith and OF I'M
] posing it upon others; while as for
self-defence, their arms would no
longer be needed, since the United
| States would guarantee them protec-
ton against the Filipinos. In word
and deed we thus pledged ourselves
/ TO maintain peace in the archipelago.
and to give the Moros whom we had
disarmed complete defence against
their hereditary foes.
Now, however, it is purposed, by an
administration which vaunts itself
upon its mission of service to human
ity, to repudiate that pledge. 1t is
purposed 10 withdraw that protection.
II is purposed to deliver into the hands
of their bitterest and most unrelent-
ing blood-enemies the people whom We
have dsarmed and whom we have thus
rendered helpless TO defend them
selves. Does it seem possible to con-
ceive a deeper depth of moral turpl-
tude than that would reach?
That is just one of the monstroslties
which is involved in 'he proposition
which is being so bllthely and careless
" made to scuttle from the Philip
pines; as one might say: Come, let us
20 on picnic! II is part, but part
only, of the disregard of facts, OF logic
and OF equity which is involved III con-
sidering the Philippines and the tlil-
pinos as coextensive and accordant
terms. IL is as though one were to re-
gard. let US say, Europe and Germany
as one and the same, and to assume
that a German government at Berlin
would be quit acceptable and profit
able TO the entire continent. For leu
ton and Latin and Slav are not more
different, nor more autagonistic, than
the races which dwell in our Asian
archipelago; no. would II be more un-
reasonable TO expect France and Eng
land TO surrender themselves to the
rule of German government at Berlin
than to demand that the Moros should
accept the sovereignty OF Filipino
government at Manila.
The sooner men purge out OF their
minds the notion that the Philippines
are occupied solely by Filipinos, and
that the wishes of few of the latter
are all we are required to respect, the
better it will be not only for their
geographical and chronological knowl-
edge. but also for their sense of justice
and for the honor OF the nation so far
as they have il in their keeping.