The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-06-26
PHILIpPINE INDEPENDENTS.

The Philippine commission which
came to this country recently at a
considerable expense to the islands. in
an attempt to obtain independence for
the Filipinos. was not even given en-
uragement by President Harding.
Probably there are few persons in this
country not interested in the matter
from a political standpoint who are
not in accord with the presidents
views.
1t may be seriously doubted that the
independence OF the Islands would be
advantageous TO them or to the
United States. 1t is better perhaps for
all concerned to let well enough alone.
1t is probable that such a change
would come to be regretted all around.
The independence movement was
inaugurated by American politicians
with ends OF their own 10 serve. The
promise of congress to set the islands
free at some future time is of no force
in the face of the treaty by which
they were acquired.
Willis Fletcher Thompson, in a dis
cussion OF the Philippine situation in
follows:
whenever it is discussed, moreover, IL
should and doubtless will be borne In
mind that the cutting off of the islands
from our national domain would be a
performance at once unique, gratu-
itous and potentially embarra ssfng
Since our acquisition of the Louisiana
Territory we have made several addi-
tons to our domain, but never have we
in any way alienated so much as a
single acre of land. Where the flag
has once been raised in token of SOW
ereignty. it has never been hauled
down. 1t would be a Eratuitous act
because we placed ourselves under no
obligation whatever to perform it-but
on the contrary proclaimed to the
world our purpose not to do it, but to
hold the Philippines in perpetuity.
1t will not do to cite the case of
Cuba as analogous. The two cases
are not only unlike but are aggressive
ly different from and opposed to each
other. In the making of the peace
treaty of 1898 Spain strove hard to get
us to annex Cuba outright: but we
refused. She strove even harder and
longer to get US not to annex the Phil
ippines but we refused. So it was
written in the treaty and proclaimed to
the world that Spain relinquishes
to Cuba" and that Spain cedes to the
United States, the Archipelago know
as the Philippine Islands"
Precisely as in the latter case It
had long before been written and
agreed that The First Consul of the
French Republic doth hereby cede to
the United States the said territory
(Of Louisiana). that His Catholic
Majesty cedes to the United States all
the territories known by the name of
East and West Florida" and that His
Majesty the Emperor of All the Rus
sias agrees to cede to the United States
all the territory and dominion now
possessed by his said Majesty on the
continent of America" That is to say,
we acquired, the Philippines just as
absolutely, Internationally and per-
manently as we did Louisiana. Florida
or Alaska. The world so understood
it, as did our own citizens. and acted
upon the supposedly assured basis
II now or at any time we should
reverse the policy of our entire career.
there would arise an interesting ques-
ton of our moral responsibility to all
who might be injuriously affected by
such arbitrary reputation of a for
NAL treaty which they had taken as
the basis of their dealings and enter
nrienE