The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1898-10-26
BUT while we rejoice in all these things,

which we have been confronted, "as the
result Ito use the language of one of our
gifted senators )of the most extraordinary
triumphs that the history of war has
ever recorded, the humiliation OF two
Spanish fleets without loss to the Ameri-
can navy, the capture of two Spanish
armies and the utter prostration OF Spain
as power in both hemispheres, except
the Iberian peninsula from which she
came" Responsibilities and duties to
ourselves to our posterity and to man
kind.
The cause of the war was the abhorent
conditions existing in the Island of Cuba
which the people of the United States
were unwilling longer to endure ana
which the government OF Spain was potn
unable and unwilling to correct The OBJ
ject of the war was the establishment OF
the freedom and independence OF that
island, the termination of Spanish author
ity therein and the expulsion of the Span
ish forces therefrom. 1t was our duty to
demand, and we did demand that Spain
relinquish her authority and withdraw
her forces. The demand was limited to
Cuba and involved no thought of it's con-
quest. On the contrary we expressly dis
claimed such thought and asserted our
determination only to exercise such con-
troll as should be necessary for its paci-I
1cation and, that accomplished, to leave
the government and control of the island
to it's people. ConqueStS either in Cuba
or elsewhere were not the object of the
war. They were not in our minds when
the war was begun, but they have be-
come its necessary incident and result
The great question then arises, what are
Our Duties and responsibilities
in reference to these conquests?
So far as Cuba is concerned, we are
bound by our pledges and we will keep
them So far as Puerto Rico and the Phll-
ippines are concerned, we have made no
pledges. In the very nature of things we
could not make them. Read the part OF
the resolutions pertaining to this sub
ject. Here it is: but the United States
hereby disclaims any disposition or inten-
ton to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction
or control over said island except for the
pacification thereof; and asserts its de-
termination when that is accomplished
to leave the government and control of
the island to it's people" 1t refers only
to Cuba. We made no pledges as to any
other conquests that might be made. We
intended to make none. We left
ourselves free to deal with them as our
interests might dictate or our honorable
obligation might demand From the be-
ginning of the war no one has supposed,
no one could suppose that we would leave
a spot of Spanish territory in Western
waters. And we will not, we have not.
That is already settled. The people of
Puerto Rico are not fit for independence,
they do not wish independence. That ISL
and will be ours, must be ours, is ours,
not only because we will not have poll
constantly fostering thorn in our side,
but also because, like Hawaii it is with
in the acknowledged and traditional
sphere of our legitimate influence, and is
the commercial and strategic key Of
the Caribbean sea into which will open
the Eastern terminus of the Nicaragua
canal, a waterway which we will con-
struct and control, and the Western ter
minus of which will look towards the
Hawaiian islands, already ours.
But the question of the Philippines is
different and altogether more difficult.
That the president and the commission
which he has appointed, of which one of
our own senators is member, will solve
it and solve it justly and wisely, 1 have
not the slightest doubt. For my part l
do not believe that, having once freed
them from Spanish dominion, we can re-
quire them to go back under it again.
longer tolerate Spanish rule in the West
Indies, surely we cannot be justified in
establishing that rule in the Philippines.
I do not believe that we can turn them
over to European nations without pro-
ducing difficulties and complications be-
tween ourselves and those nations which
otherwise we can avoid and without sur
rendering tremendous commercial advan-
tages. 1 do not believe that the native
population Is able to maintain their in
dependence, and to leave them to them
selves would but make them a prey to
the greed and ambition and jealousy Of
Grasping European Powers.
I do believe that without violating
our constitution, without abandon
ing our traditional policy. with
out relinquishing the Monroe doc
trfne, and without forming any political
which we were warned by Washington,
we can keep them ourselves until they
have been led to civilization, and fitted
for self-government. Further, I believe it
;, l,,fx, 70 Il GO of
them as may be necessary to enable us
to fulfill our obligations to their people,
and to advance and take possession OF
that share in the splendid commerce or
the Pacific ocean, which, if we be true
to ourselves and equal to our opportuni-
ties awaits us. A commerce just awaken
ing, a commerce attracting the gaze and
arousing the rival energies of every
European power, a commerce dazzling in
it's already expanding proportions and its
almost infinite possibilities.
A sort time ago one of our own great
citizens, Mr.. Jas. J. Hill, president Of the
Great Northern railway, man who das
devoted his life and his intellect to the
study OF all the winds and tides and
currents of commerce, made speech in
thu city of St. Paul in which he par
TALLY drew aside the curtain and ex-
posed to our vision part OF the en-
trancing picture. All of you perhaps have
read it. Let us read at least a part of
it again:
Commerce covers the world. Asiatic
commerce is a part of 1t, and when
look back to the commencement of the
history of our country we find that the
, original 10 states were more remote from
each other, took more time to communi-
cate with each other, the commerce of
the original IL states was farther sepa-
rated, than is today the commerce of the
whole world. And what was laid down as
wise craftsmanship to govern US under
those conditions today, I may say, does
not apply. We can no longer be bound
by the limits of the American continent.
What would fit 100000 million of people,
3,OOt,0 900 of emancipated colonists, will not
fit 100000 of the most intelligent
people of the world, and whether
you are Republicans or Demo-
Gratis, every one Of you feels an inter-
est in the success of our country. Let
it be understood everywhere among you
that you will not support anybody, will
not give your political strength or sup
port to anybody who will not undertake
to carry the flag of American commerce
on to every sea. When you have done
that ol1r country will havn talxan her