The Penn's Grove record., 1899-02-24
OUR PHILIPPINE POLICY.
President Mckinley Enunciates One in
a Speech in Boston,
ISLANDS TO BE KEPT IN TRUST.



BosToS, Mass. observation-disclosures well
come to President Mckinley on Thursday
was Enthusiastically enthusiastic, and
the banquet of the Home Market Club, in
Mechanics Hall in the evening, at which
the President delivered a striking speech
on the Philippine problem was the greatest
affair of its kind In the eity's history.
Nearly two thousand attended the banquet.
The President received a tremendous
ovation on his Introduction Of the banquet.
After referring briefly to the stirring
events of the last year, he spoke in part as
follows.
"The Philippines, like Cuba and Porto
Rico, were intrusted to our hands by the
war, and to that great trust, under the
providence of God and in the name Of hu-
man progress and civilization, we are com
plitted.
at is q trust we have not sought; it is O
trust from which we will not finch. The
american people will hold up the hands Of
their servants at home to whom they com
NIT Its execution, while Dewey and Otis
and the brave men whom they command
will have the support of the country in up
holding our flag where it now floats, the
symbol and assurance Of liberty and JUS
tice.
ave hear no complaint OF the relations
created by the war between this Govern
ment and the islands of Cuba and Porto
Rico. There are some, however, who re-
gard the Philippines as in a different reia-
ton; but whatever variety of views there
may be on this phase Of the question, there
is universal agreement that the Philippines
shall not be turned back to Spain. No true
American consents to that.
even II unwilling to accept them our
selves, it would have been a weak evasion
of manly duty to require Spain to transfer
them to some other Power or Powers, and
thus shirk our responsibility. Even If we
had had, as we did not have, the power to
compel such a transfer. it could not have
been made without the most serious inter-
national complications.
"Such q course could not be thought Of,
and had we refused to accept the cession
OF them we should have had no power over
them, even for their own good. We could
not discharge the responsibilities upon US
until these Stands became ours either by
conquest or treaty. There was but one al
tie rnatiye, and that was either Spain or the
United States in the Philippines.
"The other su~ggestions-hrst. that they
should be tossed into the arena Of conten-
tion for the strife of nations; or, second, be
left to the anarchy and chaos of no pro-
tectorate at all-were too shameful to be
considered.
we were doing our uuIy py tneun, us
God gave us light to see our duty tgrent
applause and ovatlonl with the consent of
our W conseieDces and with the approval
of civilization. Every present obligation
has been met and fulfilled in the expulsion
ofSpanish sovereignty from their islands,
and while the war that destroyed 1t was III
progress we could not ask their views.
Nor can we now ask their consent.
"It is not n good time for the liberator
to submit important questions concerning
liberty and government to the liberated
while they are engaged In shooting down
their rescuers.
"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
could only preserve the peace and protect
life and property. That treaty now COM
mits the free and enfranchised Filipinos to
the guiding hand and the liberalizing in
a%uences, the generous sympathies, the up
lifting education, not OF their American
masters, but of their American emancipa-
tors.
Until Congress shall direct otherwise, It
will be the duty of the Executive to pos
sesss and hold the Philippines, giving to
the people thereof peace and order and
beneieent government, affording them
every opportunity to prosecute their law
full pursuits, encouraging them in thrift
and industry, making them feel and know
that we are their friends, not their enc
mics; that their good is our aim, that their
welfare is our welfare, but that neither
their aspirations nor ours can be realized
until our authority is acknowledged and
unquestioned.
"No imperial designs Turk in the Ameri-
can mind. They are alien to American
sentiment, thought and purpose. Our
priceless principles undergo no change
under a tropical sun. They go with the
flag. They are wrought in every one of
its sacred folds inc are as inextinguish-
able in their shining as the stars"