The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-02-07
justly with the islanus and the iun

justly with the islanus and the inn i,
ants thus given to our care Whit Ut,
precise pol cy shall be do no know.
because for one am not sufficient
informed AS to the conditions there to
be able to say what will be best to do,
nor, may add, do l think anyone is.
But believe that we shall have the
wisdom not to incorporate those with
our body polite, or make their inhabit-
ants part of our citizenship, or ST. their
labor alongside of ours and within our
tariff to compete in any industry with
American wOrkmen believ,- that we
shall have the courage not to depart from
those islands fearfully, timidly, and un
worihily and leave them to anarchy
among themselves, to the brief and
bloody domination of some self-consti-
tuied dictator, and to the quick con-
quest of other powers. who will have
no such hesitation as we should feel in
crushing them into subsection by harsh
and repressive methods. 1t is for us to
decide the destiny of the Philippines,
not for Europe, and we caa do it alone
and without assistance. | believe that
we shall have the wisdom, the self-res
traint, and the ability to restore peace
and order in those islands and to give
to their people an opportunity for self
government and for freedom under the
protecting shield of the United States
until the time shall come when they
are able to stand alone, if such thing
be possible, and if they do not them
selves wish to remain under our protec
ton This is great, a difficult, and u
noble task. l believe that American
civilization is entirely capable of full
filling it, and l should not have that
profound faith which 1 now cherish in
American civilization and American
manhood if did not think so.
During the campaign of last autumn
said in many speeches to the people
of my State that could never assent to
hand those islands back to Spain; that
| wanted no subject races and no vassal
states; but that we had by the fortunes
of war assumed great respons bllity
in the Philippines: that we ought to
meet it, and that we ought to give
those people an opportunity for free
dom; that we ought to protect them
from the rapacity of other nations a d
seek to uplift those whom we had freed.
From those views have never swerved
and / believed then, as / believe now.
that they met with the appreciation OF
an overwhelming majority of the peo-
pie of Massachusetts. l believe those
results can be and will be obtained. !
can not forecast the future as SO ma "
others have been able to do. can but
proceed step by step, and the only step
can see now is to ratlfy the treaty. fol
in that way alone can we take he u.s.
lands from Spain and give ourselves
opportunity to deal with them and
bring peace and freedom to their in.
habitants. In such mighty questions
as these think nothing is so vicious as
to be in a hurry and attempt to dis
count the unknown future. Let us de-
termined the question that lie, nearest
our hand and then turn to the next.
Take now the other alternative. Sup.
pose we reject the treaty and strike out
the clause relating to the Philippines
That will hand the islands back to
Spain; and l can not conceive that any
American will be willing to do that
Suppose we reject the treaty; what fol
lows? Look at it practically. We con.
tinue the state Of war, and every sensi
BILE man in the country, every bushes
interest, desires the reestablishment OF
peace in law as well as in fact. At the
same time we repudiate the President
and his action before the whole world
and the reputation of the President in
such matter as this is, to my mind
the humiliation of the United States in
the eyes of civilized mankind and
brands us as a people incapable Of
great affairs or of taking rank where
we belong, as one of the greatest OF the
great world powers.
(Continned on Page Four.)
Dewey seems to be the only Officer