The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-10-20

which we; have been confronted, "as the
result Ito use the language of one OF our
triumphs that the history of war has
ever recorded, the humiliation. of two
! Spanish fleets without loss to the Ameri-
4 can navy, the capture of two Spanish
armdes and the utter prostration Of Spain
as a 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
1 conditions existing in the Island of Cuba
which the people of the United States
| Were unwilling longer to endure and
| which the government of Spain was both
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 its 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-
fication and, that accomplished, to leave
the government and control of the island
to it's people. Conquests either in Cuba
OF elsewhere were not the object of the
war. They were not in our minds when
the war was begun, but they have be-
come it's 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 Phil
ippines are concerned, we have made no
pledges. In the very nature of things we
n01 1of olxn hon
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
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
teal plague spot at our very doors, a
constantly fostering thorn in our side,
but also because, like Hawaii, it is with
in the acknowledged and traditional
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-
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 a member, will solve
it and solve it justly and wisely, 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.
If we were forbidden by humanity to
longer tolerate Spanish rule in the West
Indies, surely we cannot be justified in
establishing that rule in the Philippines.
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. 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,
out relinquishing the Monroe doc.
trine, and without forming any political
alliances with other nations against
which we were warned by Washington,
we can keep them ourselves until they
have been led to civilization, and fitted
for self-government. Further, believe IT
is our duty to keep them, or so much of
to fulfill our obligations to their people,
and to advance and take possession OF
that share in the splendid commerce OF
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.
sort time ago one of our own great
citizens, Mr.. Jas. J. Hill, president Of the
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 Far.
TALLY, drew aside the curtain and ex'
posed to our vision a 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 IT, and when
look back to the commencement Of the
history of our country we find that the
original IL states were more remote from
each other, took more time to communi-
cate with each other, the commerce OF
the original Is 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, l may say, does
net apply. We can no longer be bound
by the limits Of the American continent
What would fit 100000 million of people,
5000, 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, our country will have taken he1
proper place. She cannot stand still
She must go ahead or backwards.
If the present changes in the
Orient bring about the results
in China that have been brought
about in Japan, and you will find q
greater development of trade on the Pa
cific ocean in the next Is years than the