The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-09
Secretary Roots Speech.

Secretary Roots Speech.
The remarkable speech OF ELIHU Roof
on Saturday night at the Marquette Club
dinner in Chicago is the Administrations
unofficial answer to those who for one
reason or another, are attacking it for do
ing its duty to the flag in the Philippines.
The reply is conclusive
Mr.. RoOT's speech was splendid tribute
to American soldierhood and military lead
ershp, as exhibited up to this time in
the Philippines under the conditions Of
difficulty which no previous statement
from any authoritative source has made
so clear to the public mind. The patience
shown by our army during the period
when AGu1NALDo was organizing and
preparing his forces for attack, md
when tho Aguinaldans here at home
were aiding him by delaying the rati-
flcation of the treaty with Spain. led
the Filipinos to believe that the Ameri-
can soldiers could not or would not fight
Twenty-Five days after the outbreak OF the
insurrection in February last, Gen. OrIs
had at his command only about $500
men upon whose services he had the right
to count The Act OF Congress practically
disbanding the volunteer arnl1A at the
beginning OF March entitled II 900 OF his
total OF %, 900 troops to be discharged and
return home. Perhaps no American Gem
eral was ever in a moro trying position
than that which then confronted OTIS The
Secretary thus described the situation:
THE problem before him then was to hold back
the uncounted hordes who surrounded Manila to
keep in subsection the 200. 900 Flipnos in the city
who had received orders rise and massacre every
European within it's limits; to wait. with the rainy
season coming upon him. until army could be
raised and sent a third Of the way around the
world to take the place OF the old army which must
be sent back homo And thon again the Ameri-
soldier. the volunteer soldier, and the
thousands OF regulars who entitled to tn dis
charge. showed what stun they were made Of
Honesick. longing for sight OF their old homes in
temperate climes enfeebed and sick from long
stay under tropical sun. and in the tropical rains
nevertheless in this desperate strait OF their
try they abandoned the bright visions OF hons and
stayed without obligations, except that OF patriot
ISM until army could bo raised and sent to
stand behind the flag"
What has been accomplished by the De-
partment during the recess Of active'opera-
tions, on account OF the season OF deluge,
was next briefly told:
well. the army. 1900 OF them have been
brought back from the other side Of the world and
$1,000. another army. have been sent and there
to-day Seventeen thousand moro are on tho road
and II 900 more in camp to-day ready. By the
18th OF next month $4,000 American troops will
answer to tho commands Of orIs and LAYTON and
MACARTHUR. BY the end OF the following month
$1,000 will be there. They are tho best youth of
America Lot me tell you that In the month Of July
We enlisted 1900 mon for the regular army. and
they were enlisted out OF $4,000 applicants. Of
whom 1000 were rejected on examination
Not less instructive was the Secretary
Of Wars concise statement OF the cause for
which our soldiers are fighting In the Phil
ippines, and the considerations which have
determined the Administrations vigorous
policy with reference to AGUINALDo and his
followers. We quote in full this passage
from Mr.. RooT's Chicago speech, for it Is
worth preserving and studying:
Are they fighting the Filipino nationP No There
IL none There are hundreds Of islands inhabited
by more than sixty tribes. speaking moro than six
different languages. and all but one are ready 10
accept American dominGtion-American sovereignty
Are We lighting people capable Of self oyernmentp
No. The practically unanimous declaration Of the
mon who have been there and studied the subject
and studied tho people is that they not ut for
selfgovernment. Gen. GREENE says they are not at
for IT. President ScHURMAN says they not at for
it, Admiral DEWEY says they are not At forit
Are we lighting . people who themselves con.
slider that they capable OF their protectionf
No Forever has the most advance and violent Of
them farther than to say that they want to be
allowed TO govern themselves under the protection
of tho United States Their proposition 10 that they
should be at liberty 10 make wars. and that We
should aid them.
Are fighting the whole Of the single tribe With
which alone wo are engaged. the tribe Of the TAgas.
occupying less than one-hAf OF the single island Of
Luzon' No. for the vast majority want peace law.
order and ready and anxious for the protective
Government Of the United States. The men who
own the property the men who do the business tho
men of Intelligence among them anxious for the
Government OF the United States to protect them In
their interests and their industries,
I'VE are lighting against the SELFISH ambition Of
military dictator brought from exile by an American
ship, furnished with arms by American soldiers and
sailors. who has been permitted to gather all the
forces OF disorder, all the who prefer life OF
brigandAge to . life OF industry. around the par.
alyLed Spanish army during the ten months when
America was prevented by her international oblgA-
ons and tho faith OF her protocol from interfering;
who was permitted to gather them by American sur
ferance who has attained supreme power by the
assassination Of hts rival and who maintains It by
the arrest and punishment OF every ono who fGvoPs
tho United States. and the murder OF every ono
whom he can reach who obeys her. Tho closest
analogy TO be found In our experience to AGUINALDo
is the perpetual military revolutorist OF Central
America.
NY friends, tho title OF America to the island Of
Luzon Ia better than the title had to Louisiana.
II rests upon juster foundation than the title We
had TO Texas. 1t rests upon the sure foundation of
international law. and the foundation Of high
duty in the family Of nations.
mo PreSidept has the power ana the right NO sI.