1898] / Become a Pacifist 



with Spain, however, I spoke several times, and oc- Anti- 

 casionally wrote articles arguing that we should let p fnal - 

 the Philippines go unless we meant to incorporate 

 them into the United States, with ultimately the 

 same rights as those possessed by the other members. 

 I also ventured to say that if in the end our country 

 occupied an honorable position it would be because 

 leaders of a different type had gained control 

 which indeed proved to be the case. 



The conclusion of the Spanish War left Cuba See Mark 

 independent although under our direction, while % ain: 

 on the other hand entire sovereignty of the Philip- p ers on 

 pines was ceded to the United States, in considera- 

 tion of which transfer we paid Spain $20,000,000. 

 But the wishes of the Filipino people having been 

 in no way regarded, they made a strenuous re- 

 sistance under Aguinaldo, their recognized leader; 

 and it was only after a long and bloody struggle 

 that they were compelled to submit. 



American control being then fully established, 

 every effort was made for the betterment of con- 

 ditions. To this end the United States has ex- 

 pended its energies in sanitation, education, agri- 

 culture, and scientific investigation, receiving prac- 

 tically no financial returns. No colonial dependency 

 of any other nation has ever been treated with the 

 intelligence and devotion characterizing our civilian 

 sta!F in the Philippines. Meanwhile the people 

 themselves have been granted an increasingly large 

 share in the local government. It therefore seems 

 not impossible that in a relatively near future the 

 islands may form a self-governing state within the 

 American republic or, if they prefer, a self-determin- 

 ing nation outside. 



