If this fact be clearly perceived, if the choice between these three courses be once recognized as the only choice the present situation permits, our minds will be less disturbed by the confused cries of perplexity and discontent that…
Whitelaw Reid
The Public Record
Whitelaw Reid was an American politician, diplomat and newspaper editor, as well as the author of Ohio in the War, a popular work of history.
gutenberg.org
Even if they could subdue the other tribes in Luzon, they could not establish such order on the other islands and in the waters of the archipelago as to deprive foreign Powers of an immediate excuse for interference.
What we are doing is in the double line of preventing otherwise inevitable foreign seizure and putting a stop to domestic war.
Must the crawling baby, then, be abandoned by its natural or accidental guardian, and left to itself to grow strong by struggling, or to perish, as may happen?
Must we turn the Tagals loose on the foreigners in Manila, and on their enemies in the other tribes, that by following their instincts they may fit themselves for freedom?
Then the manly exercise of a just responsibility enfeebles instead of developing and strengthening a nation.
Why mourn over our present course as a departure from the policy of the fathers?
Why mourn because of the precedent we are establishing?
For the rest, the task that is laid upon us now is not proving so easy as to warrant this fear that we shall soon be seeking unlimited repetitions of it.
We will be wise to open our eyes at once to the gravity and the insidious character of this danger--the very worst that could threaten the American Union.
Once begun, the rivalry of parties and the fears of politicians would insure its continuance.
It will make an end forever of Spain in this hemisphere.