Diplomatic and consular service, American; United States -- Colonial question; United States -- Politics and government
But, you say, we are incurring a vast expense in subduing and
controlling the country, and apparently there is no income to balance
it. Add to all this the $20,000,000 conceded by the Treaty of Paris, and
don’t you think it a rather poor investment?
Here again let us seek our answer from the experience of England in
Egypt and in India. In both of these countries her outlay of money
originally was enormous, and from neither of them does she now receive a
penny of revenue. She taxes them to be sure, but the taxes are spent for
the local administration—none for England. It is from trade with these
countries—the greater because of her greater prestige—trade which is of
mutual benefit, that England derives any revenue whatsoever, but that is
enormous. Yet she does not forbid other nations to trade with them nor
place any obstacle in their way. She has had simply the advantage of
greater prestige and commercial ability.
Finally one other objection must be noticed and that is the
constitutional objection. As to the merits of this question, let
constitutional lawyers decide; but if the country has been expanding
ever since it began, and all the arguments of statesmen, big and little,
have not prevented it from expanding, it would seem to be not so much a
constitutional question as it is one of national policy and
international law. At any rate the constitution was made for America and
not America for the constitution; and while it is one of the ablest of
documents, nobody considers it faultless or supposes it ever could be.
James Bryce in a burst of enthusiasm says of us: “Such a people could
work any constitution”.
It is impossible to speak in so short a time of all the points involved
in expansion, or even of the one case we have been considering, the
details of which we can well afford to omit, if it is justified by
political, international, commercial and especially ethical
considerations.
We will now listen to questions.
* * * * *
As soon as the opportunity was given there were several ready to take
advantage of it, and the questions came fast and furious—almost.
“Professor”, said one, “it seems to me that I see several
inconsistencies in your position. You will not mind my saying so?”
“Certainly not. Proceed.”
“In the first place, you say that a government is a ‘growth’, and yet
you would impose the authority of our government upon the Philippines.
Why not give their government a chance to grow?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account