The Strenuous Life: The Works of Theodore Roosevelt, Volume 12 (of 14)Roosevelt, Theodore
General
The Strenuous Life: The Works of Theodore Roosevelt, Volume 12 (of 14)
Roosevelt, Theodore
United States -- Colonial question; United States -- Politics and government
England’s rule in India and Egypt has been of great benefit to England,
for it has trained up generations of men accustomed to look at the
larger and loftier side of public life. It has been of even greater
benefit to India and Egypt. And finally, and most of all, it has
advanced the cause of civilization. So, if we do our duty aright in the
Philippines, we will add to that national renown which is the highest
and finest part of national life, we will greatly benefit the people of
the Philippine Islands, and, above all, we will play our part well in
the great work of uplifting mankind. But to do this work, keep ever in
mind that we must show in a very high degree the qualities of courage,
of honesty, and of good judgment. Resistance must be stamped out. The
first and all-important work to be done is to establish the supremacy
of our flag. We must put down armed resistance before we can accomplish
anything else, and there should be no parleying, no faltering, in
dealing with our foe. As for those in our own country who encourage the
foe, we can afford contemptuously to disregard them; but it must be
remembered that their utterances are not saved from being treasonable
merely by the fact that they are despicable.
When once we have put down armed resistance, when once our rule is
acknowledged, then an even more difficult task will begin, for then
we must see to it that the islands are administered with absolute
honesty and with good judgment. If we let the public service of the
islands be turned into the prey of the spoils politician, we shall have
begun to tread the path which Spain trod to her own destruction. We
must send out there only good and able men, chosen for their fitness,
and not because of their partisan service, and these men must not
only administer impartial justice to the natives and serve their own
government with honesty and fidelity, but must show the utmost tact and
firmness, remembering that, with such people as those with whom we are
to deal, weakness is the greatest of crimes, and that next to weakness
comes lack of consideration for their principles and prejudices.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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