The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-04
What the Administration Has Done
to Reorganixe the Army Under the
New Act OF Congress.
DAY OBSERVED BY SAILORS
WHO PARTICIPATED IN RACES, PIC
MICS AND VARIOUS SPORTS.
Banquet Attended by Officers of the
ships That Destroyed Cervera's
FIeet-Lctter from Schley.

OMAHA, Neb., July 3.-Santlago Gay
was celebrated to-day at the Greater Amer
lean exposition. The guests of honor for the
occasion were Postmaster General Emory
Smith and Major General Joseph Wheeler.
They were both given a most enthusiastic
reception by the large crowd in attendance,
the former members of the Second and
Third Nebraska regiments present being
enthusiastic in greeting General
Wheeler. President Miller, of the EXPOSE
ton, introduced Postmaster General Smith,
who said in part:
This intense activity at home, this uni
versal employment of labor, this great and
increasing prosperity go on undisturbed al
though we are engaged in a serious con-
fiict eight thousand miles away. The con-
test in the Philippines has not affected our
unparalleled industrial revival or our
matchless prosperity. In truth, the tremen-
dous events OF the past year have aided in
awakening our domestic activities. for they
have lifted the curtain and revealed new
outlets for trade and commerce, and even
this trouble in the Philippines would not
have come If the action of the government
had been left unhampered and unem-
barrassed. It's success where it had free
tory in the war with Spain stands un-
equaled. You will search the annals of his
tory in vain for parallel to its swiftness
and execution and its completeness OF
triumph. 1t was as skillful in making peace
as in waging war.
"The treaty of Paris was also negotiated
will. extraordinary ability. promptness anc
judgment. Up to that point there was no
flaw in the sweep Of success. Had the
treaty been promptly and unanimously rat
flied. as 1t ought to have been, there would
have been no conflict. The treaty was sent
to the Senate early in December. Then and
for nearly two months after that time peace
and order prevailed. There was no outbreak
until February. The sovereignty Of the
United States established and recognized
by the treaty was accepted. But the mani.
festation of opposition in the Senate in
cited and emboldened opposition in the
Philippines and the contest of nearly two
months at Washington created new and
unnecessary contest around Manila.
When that contest came the government
had but one course and one duty. 1t was
under obligation to suppress the insurrec-
ton OF the Tagals in Luzon just as much
as 1t would be to suppress the revolt of an
Indian tribe in Idaho or Wyoming. We owe
it to the world. which recognizes our SUI
premacy and expects us 10 secure peace
and maintain law and order. We owe 1t 10
our own sovereignty and we owe it to the
interests and well being of the Filipinos
themselves.
NO WAR WITH FILIPINOS.
1--WE have no war with the Filipinos. II
is the testimony Of our commission and OF
all other authorities that fully 80 per cent
of the Fflipinos accept and welcome the
American flag, which carries liberty and
the promise of enlightenment and progress
to them. Our conflict is only with the single
tribe of Tagals. which. because of encour-
agement from some Of our own people, OF
because of misunderstanding of the real
American purpose, has broken out in insur-
rection. That conflict has unhappily con-
tinued beyond the hope and, perhaps, be-
yond the expectation of the country. 1t is
no fault OF the government. 1t is no fault
of the soldier. Every battle has been a VIC
tory. The American arms have never once
been defeated or repulsed. No soldiers
ever fought more dauntlessly under great
er hardships than the heroes who have
borne our flag through the jungles Of Luzon
and the names of Otis, and Macarthur and
Lawton, and Funston, with their gallant
comrades, will ever be inscribed in the
brightest records of American valor. There
has been no lack of vigorous Leadership
and no lack of faithful and arduous serv-
ice in the ranks. The only trouble has been
enough to overwhelm the insurgents and
crush the revolt.
Where is the fault, if fault there be:
What is the public feeling OF which we
have been conscious within the past weeks
The American people have not changed
their spirit or purpose; they manfully ac-
copied the responsibilities and the duties
which came with the war of last year and
they accept them now. They have nc
thought of shrinking from the obligations
which have fallen upon them. Instead OF
abandoning this work they are the more
determined to proceed with it, and their
feeling is not one of hesitation and doubt
but rather one of Impotence to accept i'm.
mediate and conclusive results. Hence comes
the suggestion that the President shall cal
out the full maximum of volunteers with the
hope of crushing the revolt In a short and
decisive campaign. This is a natural i'm
pulse and IL deserves to be treated in a
frank and candid manner.
What, then. was the situation? / am
not here TO criticise. Each branch of the
government is responsible for its own ac-
ton. But it is only fair and just to state
facts, and to show precisely what the Pres
ident had 10 meet. Not only did the op-
position and delay in the ratification OF the
treaty encourage the insurrection. but the
emasculated army bill crippled the power
OF suppressing it. The President was com
PEELED at the same time TO face the revol,
and face a practical reconstruction of the
army. Under the statutes. when the treaty
Of peace with Spain was ratified. not only