The record-union., 1899-10-22

this nation can best do it's duty, can
best help to bring about that hoped Iol
day.
Remember that the war In the Fhll-
tppines is absolutely and without quar-
ifcation national war With chardc
teristic perversion of the facts, our op-
ponents have spoken as though thls
war was unnecessary, as IL IL were now
Waged by President Mckinley on MS
own authority, and without the warrant
of Congress. In the first place, what
we have done was inevitable, SO Iar
as the Administration and the Amerl-
can people at large were concerned.
There was just one chance OF aVola-
ing war. If the anti-expansionlsts, the
peace-at-any-pric people, had not ue-
layed the treaty in the Senate, IL py
their loose invective they had not mis-
led the Tagals, we should propapiy
never have had any war in the Phlllp-
pines. Aguinaldo's proclamation proves
beyond shadow of doubt that the IN
surgents have held out on the strength
of the hoped for aid from the Demo-
cratic party and from the anti-eXpan-
sionists here in our home. Had these
men not given the impression that the
not worked for delay, there would
probably have been no revolt and no
bloodshed. By their clamor and by
their obstructive tactics in the Senate
they not only delayed the adoption OF
the treaty, but gave to Aguinaldo and
his people the idea that they would
receive moral support in a war against
our flag; and, moreover, they have ac-
crixr
primarily responsible for the war. We
are the true party of peace, for last
ing peace can only come through the
course of conduct we advocate.
In view of this attitude of certain
of our people, the struggle was newt
able. When Dewey smashed the Span
ish fleet it meant that the islands
would fall into chaos unless either the
United States or some other strong
Power took possession; unless we were
willing to see the fleet of another
Power sail into the harbor as Dewey's
fleet sailed away.
The treaty with Spain was finally
ratified by the Senate, but it was not
ratified by the Spanish Government un-
til a fortnight after Congress had ad-
journed, leaving the President to act
as the nations representative. The
lower house had. meanwhile, taken it's
share in the ratification (the opposition
was so small as to be insignificanD by
passing the appropriation of $4,000,
900, as required by the treaty. The
islands thus, by the ratification of the
treaty and by the action of the Senate
and the House of Representatives in
passing the $20,000.000 appropriation
bill, became part of the United States;
and it was just as much the Presidents 8
duty to keep order in them by the use
of the army as it would be his duty to
keep order in Arizona by the use of
the army in case of an Apache out
break.
Nor is this all. In passing the army
bill, Congress explicitly recognized the
fact that there was a Philippine in
surrection, and that it had to be put
down by the use of our armed forces.
1t provided for an army of over Co.,
600 regulars and over 80 900 volunteers,
especially with a view of meeting the
present exigencies; it set forth that the
army should be kept up to these figures
for two years. In other words, Con-
gress explicitly provided an army of
nearly 100000 men for the purpose of
carrying out the Philippine war. I'm
der such circumstances. the talk of this
war being unauthorized by Congress
can be due only to ignorance or else
TO a willful intention to suppress the
facts.
The taking of the Philippines was
inevitable. The outbreak was rendered
inevitable by the conduct of those who
opposed the taking of the Philippines,
and who gave moral aid and comfort
to Aguinaldo and his men. The Presi-
dent has acted in the only way in which
he could act, and remain loyal to his
oath of office and to the great trust
delivered by the people into his hands.
We are doing but our simple duty in
introducing the reign of law, order and
peace into the Philippines, and we can
not shrink from it without shame and
dishonor. The path of expansion is the
path of national honor, the path toward
universal peace. You, my countrymen,
cannot refuse TO tread it. unless you are
willing to renounce your claims to be
the heirs of the ages, and to abandon
all pretense of following in the foot
steps of Washington, of Lincoln and
Of all the great Americans who have
made our past history mighty and
glorious"