New-York tribune., 1916-01-31
A National Betrayal.

said i'm favor of the Clarke dnenuiNVHt ~
the Hitchcock Philippine bill There is a
brutal efrontery about 1t which must
commend it to those VINO prefer evll-doing
which Is open TO evi-doing which is
masked 10y hypocrisy.
The bill and the amendment do not DIFF
fer in purpose. Both seek TO alter our
Philippine policy in compliance with a
counterfeit political mandate. This man
date has appeared in various Democratic
national platforms When the PROPOSE
ton to renounce American sovereignty
over the Philippines was first submitted,
in 1900. it was decisively rejected. Mr..
BRYAN. then the Democratic nominee for
President. made imperialism the para
mount issue Of that campaign. In l9o4
and 1908 the voters again turned down
the proposition, embodied in somewhat
milder form in Democratic platforms. 1t
was only when the Democrats came INTO
power in 1912. as a minority party, that
dubious popular approval-not major
ity approval at all-was given to the
theory that our chief duty in the Philip
UlnpS was 10 get OUT VI tilSh an" ~ NNA''
them over 10 native misgovernment.
The Hitchcock bill and the Clarke
amendment construe the Democratic
party's present obligation to its platform
pledges very differently. The preamble
of the Hitchcock bill is piece of political
buncombe. 1t wants 10 give an elastic and
elusive promise of independence-to put
the Filipinos off with words which VIII
merely excite false hopes and increase
native impatience for self-government
while leaving it open TO the United States
70 retain sovereignty Indefinitely. Mr..
Hitchcock and his followers in the Senate
are unwilling to be frank either with
themselves or with the Filipinos. They
have in view only the exigencies OF do
mestic politics. They want TO make pre-
tence of redeeming the pledges of the
Democratic party. while in fact lodging
all that is onerous and embarrassing in
those pledges. They are merely looking
for the easiest way out Of an inconvenient
situation.
The Clarke amendment, on the other
hand. is brutally candid. 1t takes the
platform pledges seriously-a course al
ways abhorrent TO trimmers and conn
deuce men. Mr.. Clarke's Straightforward
ness has alarmed Mr.. Hitchcock; it has
also greatly annoyed the administration
which has troubles enough of its own a
:. present without being saddled with th'
IN new responsibilities and burdens which
. would be imposed upon it by Mr.. Clarke'
programme of winding up our affairs II
the Philippines and then securing theil
independence by international guarantees
Yet the Arkansas Senator's amendment
is welcome-if only because of its hones
radicalism 1t shows the country JUS
what the Democratic party's policy. L
pushed to its logical conclusion. means
The Clarke theory is to get out of TIT
Philippines quickly, no matter what th'
cost to the United States. materially o.
morally. Put thus bluntly and boldly, l
brings at once to light all the poltica
complications-all the betrayal OF ma
tional duty and respect-involved II
the programme Of scuttle.
In facing these difficulties even Mr.
Clarke's courage weakens little. ln'
simplest thing he and those who agree
with him could do would be TO fix date
one wear or two years hence-on whlcf
American sovereignty in the Philippines
should terminate. But this has not beer
done in the Clarke amendment. On the
contrary it fixes a date for withdrawal
four years after the approval of the pend
ing bill and then leaves 1t optional with
the President to prolong our sovereignty
by proclamation until the end of the Con
gress then in existence. Moreover, the
amendment provides for a guarantee OF
independence by the United States, acting
alone, for five years longer.
Why all these delays and this canny
attempt to shift responsibility TO the
shoulders of the Executive? Simply be-
cause the political, economic and moral
consequences of a withdrawal from the
Philippines are so grave that this Con
gress and this administration shrink IRON
accepting an undivided responsibility foI
them.
We have assumed an obligation to the
American citizens who have invested cap
ital in the Philippines. Under the treaty
Of 1899 with Spain we have assumed
similar obligation to Spanish SUBJECTS
We have promised time and time again
not TO leave the Filipinos to shift Tor
Themselves until we have fitted them Tor
elf-government-not III their sense pu'
in our sense. We have pledged ourselves
to give them education and TO tralh 'hei"
GRADUALLY to the point at which they can
aintain a government of their own sta
l.e i'm character and capable OF guaran-
icing protection to our own citizens ana