New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-30
Freeing Philippines Now
Squanders u. 5. Effort,
Says Mclean.
FEAR OF JAPAN
SEEN IN MOVE
independence Would Only In
yite Acquisition by Some
Other Power.
.From rc Tribune Bureau

ment offered by the Senator from Ar
kansas is adopted, or any amendment
that gives the inhabitants Of the Phil
ippine Islands their independence with
in the next four years. we may safely
conclude that the American lives chat
have been sacrificed in the islands and
the money which has been expended
there will go for naught.' declared
Senator George =. Mclean, Of Connect
cut, In attacking the Clarke amendment
TO the Philippines bill in the Senate
to-day.
Senator Mclean said he favored the
bill as It came from the committee, that
he believed the United States should
stay in the islands until II could get
out. bag and baggage and should not
retain an interest in them through
protectora.o or international agreement
after nominally granting them indie
pendence.
at has seemed 70 me-" he said. chat
great benefit would result to the United
States by reason Of our possession Of
the Philippine Islands if some day we
could say 70 the world, we once took
a weak people, gave them strength and
let them GO
Nobody knows now whether this Is
possible or not But if the amendment
offered by Senator Clarke IL adopted
1Q4 na IN Z 4 q. d
lives have been sacrificed and money
expended there for nauEnt; the most
interesting experiment III history, the
most laudable aad honorable IN history,
will fail. And what may be much worse,
II we quit now the world viii say that
we quit because We were afraid 20 re-
main.
Committee Reverses Stand.
Il regret that the party responsible
for this legislation, the trainers Of the
committee report. has so suddenly
changed its position. because the party
responsible for this bin. at some time
in the past. made promises 90 do an
unwise and unsafe thing.
President Mckinley, la 1900, IN Chi
cago, said. The war with Spain was
undertaken, not that the United States
should increase lis territory, but that
oppression al our very doors should be
stopped This noble sentiment must
continue 70 animate Us. and we must
give 20 the world the full demonstra-
tion Of the sincerity Of our purpose.
If President Mckinley meant any
thing in 1900 he meant precisely what
the committee bill means. Step by step
we must do our best 10 prepare the
Filipinos for independence, and when
prepared, or after they have had a fair
and reasonable chance 70 prepare. we
may honorably let them 90. was CON
graduating myself that the Democratic
party had abandoned IFS mistaken
views expressed in 1900, and ! hoped
that nothing would be found In any
Democratic platform that would com
pei the majority 20 turn from the path
OF safety and wisdom.
But, Mr.. President, not only on the
Philippine question and the money
question. but on many other important
questions, we End the Democratic party
entering the Republican sanctuary 20
scoff, but later on indicating that they
would be glad 20 remain and Join IN
the hymns did not some Democratic
convention creed prohibit IL.
1T is my belief that a very few
years more would be sufficient 20 save
the FiipinOs from themselves. T.
IS possible llat lAct cOAlf succeed j
abandoned now, but .t Is doubtful Ten
20 fifteen years more Of generous treat
ment on our part would find them with
generation Of mature men whose in
fence would lcaven the whole lump.
The experiment up 10 date has met
with unexpected success Certainly
we need not quit now because we fear
u will fail
Islands Military Weakness.
"Still another reason assigned for
the imme date abandonment Of the
islands is that their retention cons.i-
tutes q grave military danger We
took possession Of the Hawaiian Isl
lands and Guam Island because they
would be Of great stragetic value in
the event OF war Guam is nearer 20
Toxic than Toxic is 20 Manila. If
Japan should desire 20 make as trouble