Page:Harvard Law Review Volume 12.djvu/334

314 HARVARD LAW REVIEW, Luzon have given the coup de grdce to the old order without per- fecting a new one, and while we are not called upon to insure the peace of the islands, we are morally persuaded to exert our influence towards bettering their condition. If the difficulties in the way seem to be insurmountable, it is only because they lie in a field of international action, in which, fortunately, we have not had much experience. Hitherto the United States have displayed little concern in the " control, dispo- sition, and government" of foreign territory, though they have proclaimed and enforced the Monroe doctrine for the protection of American States. But the European Powers have made the minding of other people's business a matter of unremitting atten- tion and frequent experiment. Many of their actions in this regard are forbidden to us by constitutional or moral considera- tions ; none perhaps would serve as a model for our precise imita- tion ; but they suggest that there is an opportunity to do justice to the Philippines and promote our commercial interests in the East without annexing the islands or ruling them as provinces in derogation of our republican principles. I am sufficiently impressed with the power of my country in regard to the Philippines to beheve that any disposition of them that it would be likely to commend would be tolerated if not ap- proved by the Maritime Powers. Nor would their toleration be due alone to respect for the United States. I think that in our eyes the Philippines are magnified beyond their true proportions on the political map of the world. Rich as these islands may be, important as is their strategic position, the aggressive Powers are pre-empting or seizing richer lands and better vantage-grounds with no more serious consequences as yet than " strained rela- tions " or " demonstrations." An acceptable solution of the Philippine problem might be achieved by pursuing one of the following courses: — I. Neutralize the Philippines and recognize a local government. Accord recognition upon conditions that will affi^rd due protection to foreign interests, including perhaps the institution of an inter- national court, as in Egypt, and foreign supervision of the customs, as in China, or even of fiscal matters generally, as in Egypt. II. Neutralize the Philippines and either establish a government on somewhat the same lines as the Congo Free State, or transfer them to an unobtrusive but competent state, like Holland.