Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-04-29
Losing the Philippine Burden

y an overwhelming majority. Democrats
u Of the House of Representatives have
pledged their votes TO the Philippine indie
pendence bill passed by the Senate Twenty
eight members OF the caucus. it is true. de-
cared they would not he bound by the caucus
action. and it is expected that most Of the
Republicans will be found in opposition to
the measure but its passage, nevertheless,
is expected confidently.
That triumph of right and sound sense, OF
justice and prudence, cannot come too
swiftly. The United States has no proper
place in the Philippine archipelago. In
perialsm is not for this people. There is
something homogeneous in the American flag.
with all it symboizes waving over subject
race-or rather over some dozens of subject
races-on the other side of the Pacific
We do not need these islands for any pur-
pose whatever. Our territory is not CON
gested. In continental United States alone
we have room enough for four times our
present numbers-perhaps for ten times
Alaska is rich in mineral wealth. and great
portions Of ii are capable of supporting
large agricultural population. We have no
use for colonies. as colonies, anywhere
Especially have we of them thou
sands of miles from our own shores. The
mission of America is on the American con-
tinent. Here the American people have as
Sumed great and onerous responsibilities
The United States is the elder brother of all
creasing trust and affection they look north
ward for leadership. Not only must we pre-
serve our own liberties. but the liberties of
the Western Hemisphere. Honor. duty and
self preservation are mingled in adherence TO
the Monroe Doctrine and its corollaries
Possession Of the Philippines is a blow and a
reproach the moral integrity of that
doctrine.
SUCH possession, moreover. is blow to the
Monroe Doctrines physical integrity 1t is
a source OF national weakness. We have
spent billion dollars on the islands and
spend an additional fifty millions every year
we keep there IA great proportion OF the
small mobile army we maintain We have
poured out treasur, on fortifcations that
would he worthless against a military expedi-
uon III force. unless we could match that
expedition with a similar force OF course
W" could not, and would not try In case
of war with Japan, for example, our first
effort would be to get garrisons away in
safcty--and the strong probability is that we
wonld not succeed in realizing even this
modest ambition
But. after all. the controlling reason for
rrctiiying the Philippine blundcr is that first
duty TO ourselves. pointed out the other night
by President Nicholas Murray Butler of
Columbia University, in his speech at the
annual dinner OF the Associated Press We
must weld our citizenship gathered from the
four corners Of the earth into homogeneou,
loyalty. We must create an Americanism
mat thinks Of America first last and all the
lime-that has in it nothing of divided al
lcSiancc or doubtful affection We have re-
ceived AT our ports millions from other shores
and some OF these have not forgotten to look
backward for inspiration and guidance With
many OF them, it is to be feared America Is
rather name than an ideal rather Mace
thah Il SEmbol and an aspiration: thew live
mere only III body. for their spirit dwells
under another sun, in another cline
America must re-create them. The hyphen
IS our constant menace Old loves old
memories. old traditions, we would not trv
TO obliterate. but they must he merged if
inns country is to endure. into an Ampri-
canism that has no bias or qualifications We
nave no time for colonization Our mission
Is mere. and our passion should be to make
our country respected abroad and beloved at
respected because it is as faithful as
II is powerful. and beloved because il is as
hcnefcent as it is free