The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-17

no anxiety and no burden raised or carried;
no contribution from our ease and purse
even TO the extension of our resources to the
welfare of ourselves. There would be ease,
but alas! there would be nothing done.
COME WITHOUT SEEKING.
But grave problems come in the life OF a
nation, however much men may seek to
avoid them. They come without our seek
ing, why we don't know. and 1t is not al
ways given US to know; but the generation
on which they are forced cannot avoid the
responsibility of honestly striving for their
solution. We may not know precisely how
to solve them, but we can make an honest
effort to that end, and if made in conscience.
justice and honor it will not be in vain.
The future of the Philippine Islands is
now in the hands of the American people.
Until the treaty was ratified or rejected the
executive department of this government
life and property. That treaty now COM
mits the free and enfranchsed Fflipinos to
the guiding hand and the lberalizing infiu-
ences, the generous sympathies. the upliTt-
ing education, not of their American mas
tiers, but of their American emancipators.
No one can tell to-day what is best for them
or for us. / know no one at this hour who
IS wise enough or sufficiently Informed TO de-
termine what form of government will best
subserve their interests and our interests,
their and our well-being.
IF we knew everything by intuition-9nd
HeVe that II we do not, they dove should
not need information but unfortunately
most OF us are not in that happy state. The
whole subject is now with Congress- and
Congress is the voice, the conscience and the
judgment of the American people. Upon their
judgment and conscience can we not rely?
l believe in them. [ trust them. 1 know of
no better or safer human tribunal than the
people.
Until Congress shall direct otherwise, it
viii be the duty of the executive to possess
and hold the Philippines, giving to the peo-
pie thereof peace and order and beneficent
government, arording them every opportun-
ity to prosecute their lawful pursuits. en-
couraging them In thrift and industry, MAX
Ing them feel and know that we are their
Is our aim; that their welfare is our well
fare, but that neither their aspirations nor
ours can be realized until our authority is
acknowledged and unquestioned.
That the inhabitants of the Philippines
will be benefited by this Republic is my
mistaken belief; that they will have kind
that they will be aided in every possible
way to be self-respecting and self-governing
people, Is as true as that the American
people love liberty and have an abiding faith
in their own government and In their own
institutions No imperial designs Turk in
the American mind They are alien to Amer
lean sentiment, thought and purpose. Our
priceless principles undergo no change I'M
der tropical sun. They are wrought in ev-
cry one of its sacred folds and are mex
tinguishable in their shining stars They
go with the fat
Why read We not the changeless. truth;
The free can conquer but to save"
IF we can benefit these remote peoples
who will object? If in the years of the
future they are established in government
under law and liberty, who will regret. our
perils ard sacrifices? Who will not rejoice
in our heroism and humanity? Always
perils, and always after them safety; al
ways darkness and clouds, but always shin
ing through them the light and sunshine;
always cost and sacrifice, but always after
them the fruitiOn Of liberty, education and
civilization.
Il have no light or knowledge not common
to my cOuntrymen. L do not prophecy. The
present is all-abSorbing to me, but / cannot
bound my vision by the blood-stained
trenches around Manila, where every red
drop, whether from the veins of an Amer
lean soldier or a misguided Filipino, is an
guish to my heart, but by the broad range Of
future years, when that group of islands,
under the impulse of the year just past,
shall have become the gems and glories Of
these tropical seas, a land of plenty and
of increasing possibilities, a people redeemed
from savage Incidence and habits, devoted
to the arts of peace, in touch with the COM
merce and trade of all nations, enjoying the
blessings Of freedom, of civil and religious
liberty, of education and of homes, and
whose children and children's children shall
for ages hence bless the American Republic
because 1t emancipated and redeemed their
fatherland and set them in the pathway Of
the worlds best civilization"