The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-02

Boston, May 1.-The Essex club cele-
brated Admiray Dewey's victory with
a banquet at Young's hotel tonight, at
which We're entertained as guests Sec
rotary of the Navy Long and two he
roes of the Manila fight, Captain Wild
er Of the Boston and Lieutenant Com
mander Rees, formerly executive Off
Ger of the Olympia. besides Commander
James r. Selfridee, formerly of the
Puritan. and Lieutenant Commander
A. w. Wilmer of the Monadnock.
Secretary Long began his speech with
a eulogy of Admiral Dewey. and then
paid a graceful tribute to the officers
and men of the navy. The greater
part of his speech was a defense Of the
national administration Philippine
policy. He said in part:
- believe that no more unpatriotic
utterance. or one more unjust to the
administration of the government of
our country, has been uttered than the
statement which / see now and then,
that the treatment of the Cubans by
Spain, or the Armenians by the Turks
is not to be compared with our course
toward the Filipinos in wanton and de-
liberate cruelty The mind that can
utter such an extravaganza is so en-
tirely warped that its judgment Is
Talueless.
A Contemplate Assertion.
However. the statement has been
made that the treatment OF the CubanS
or the ArmenianS was not worse than
our treatment of the Filipinos in wan
tor and deliberate cruelty. l under
stand that this is charged, not as an
incident to the conditions of war. but
as the deliberate action of the admin
istration. If this is So it is an utterly
mean, unWarranted and contemplate
assertion. Any mind that is not en-
1irely perverted knows that it is not
true and that the administration has
had no purpose of wanton and DELHI
crate cruelty, or of any injury to the
Filipinos.
Its first, constant and last instruc-
ton has been to insure them every help
To better conditions. You can point to
10 word it has uttered. no order il has
i1iven, no mission it has sent that has
not had in view the improvement Of the
hilippine islands. If you will read
The recent proclamation issued by the
commission of which President Schur-
man is the head, you are blind f you
do not see that il tenders to them ev-
cry advantage Of good government and
civilization. That any man can suggest
that the spirit thus expressed compares
lfnfaVorably with that of General Wey-
leFis barbarities in Cuba or the Turks
massacres in Armenia, is a reflection
Tpon either his candor or his intelli-
Eence.
Encouragement of Aguinaldo.
'The delay in the ratification Of the
peace treaty induced Aguinaldo to be-
lleYe thar a large element in this coun-
try was opposed to the presidents poll
lfraF u
pendence of the Islands; and his & gent
here, Agoncillo, encouraged by the de-
lay, also encouraged him in this opin-
ion. An intercepted telegram, winch L
forW arded 10 Dewey, was brought 10
me by newspaper reporter, from Ag-
oncillo here-whose later precipitate
fight was confession-to Aguinaldo
there, urging him 10 make an attack
upon the American forces in Manila
and TO do so before the 9th of Febru-
any. which was the time set for the
vote of our senate on the ratification. /
Ii is well known that the attack was
made.
again. this delay left 10 time for
congress to act upon the question Of
What disposition should be made Of the |
Philippines, but left them in the hands |
Of the president. He has not the power |
10 dispose Of them. They are lerri- |
tories for which congress must make !
needful rules and regulations. The title !
te them is ia the United States. His |
simple duty is to maintain law ard or |
der there until congress can act
Fiipinos Began the War.
zone would think, from what some !
say, that the president had gone out |
OF his way TO begin an assault and in |
aston upon the FfliDinos. Upon the !
contrary on Feb. 8, around the city of |
Manila, where life and properly were |
i 4 sss.r,
y guinaldo and his followers We're max !
ing their assault, shooting down our |
soldiers, creating riot and distu- nance, |
eaianSaring life and property. actually |
lighting the torch and attempting to J
burn the city. / can hardly believe that |
even the critics OF the administration |
approved of this at that time or that
they approve Of the Filipinos firing on I
our flags Of truce.
And yet, l cannot help noticing that |
SOME Of them have no word of sympa- I
tny for our soldiers and countrymen. /
who. IN their line of duty, were eX- |
posed TO those dangers in and about |
Manila. They have 10 word of praise |
Ar the gallant Funston. Yet when /
foratiu won eternal fame by swim /
ming the Tiber, he was escaping from /
The foe; when the young Kansan |
crossed the Rio GraDde it was 10 at |
tack the enemy. md in the very teeth /
cious Islander is invented against the [
good conduct or humanity of our army,
it is a source. OF delight TO them.
Tried 20 Avoid Conflict.
~The president had given strict or
ders to General Otis to avoid conflict |
in every possible way, and General Otis !
had so noeifed Aguinaido- The latter,
instead Of seeking peaceful settlement. !
went on Nvaeing war on the city and on |
our troops lawfully there. IN the dis
charge OF his duty TO maintain law
ard order, certainly the president was
justified in suppressins these attacks. (
And If the best means OF defense was.
for the time being, 10 assume the /
Offensive. after such proyocation, in OF /
Ger &c ,.revent further attacks, he was (
Justified in that
meantime. the most enlightened 4
O. nornission he could select had bee:i
sent to Manila, with view OF bring 1
ing about some proper adjustment. !
This commission is now at work. One1
would think from what is said, that /
on the one side are simply the Amer
lean armed forces and on the other all /
the Filipinos and all their interests. /
on the contrary. have You yet taken /