The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-30
CHAPLAIN CHIDWICK'S VIEWS.
Says We Must Keep the Philippines
Until the People Are Civilized.

NEW YORK, Jan. 29.-An immense throng
filed Carnegie Hall tonight to hear the
benefit concert and the lecture by the Rev
John p. Chadwick who was chaplain of the
Maine, on Our War with Spain, Its Causes
and Results, preceded by what he saw of
the blowing up of the battle ship. The con-
cert and lecture was for the benefit of the
Catholic reading room for young men, on
Christopher street, the money received for
admissions being applied to the reading
room and to the establishment of a number
of such places throughout the city for the
good of thirty thousand seafarng men. Gov.
Roosevelt presided. Major General Roe, with
his staff. Admirals Erben and Miller, Lieu
tenant Commander Delehanty Adjutant
General Avery d. Andrews Colonel Tread
we'll Commodore Philip, Captain Goodrich
and hundreds of other officers were present.
Governor Roosevelt made a brief address.
after which Father Chadwick spoke for an
hour. giving an interesting account of the
sailing Of the Maine for Havana the experi-
ences i'm Havana and the blowing up of the
ship. Imperialism. What do they mean by
Imperialism" said he. in the course of his
address. What does ii mean, this departure
from the settled policy of the Nation? Must
il be that this policy, thought out by the
founders of our government, is to be laid
aside as useless now2 God forbid that ever
Imperialism may find a foothoid in our coun-
try. For the fathers knew what imperial
ism meant; they had learned it from Eng
land when they fought for liberty. They
fought to establish the proposition and
wrote it in blood that all good government
rests with the will of the governed people.
The strength of our Nation is in the man.
hood and Womanhood of its people. They
have been developed out of liberty in hope
and ambition. / believe that Imperialism
would be short lived in this country We're
It ever established. We would not be able
to hold to it. The whole tide of the
war is towards republicanism. Shall we go
back step in the progress of the world?
Il do not mean TO arraign the government
as If it were responsible for such a policy.
/ firmly believe that there is no greater
American than President Mckinley. The
holding of the Philippines is not against
the principles of our Nation. The holding
of the islands is an absolute necessity.
Would it not be to leave the inhabitants
in bloodshed to withdraw the troops to-mor-
row? Would we not be held up to the scorn
of history If we should desert them now?
We are bound TO keep them. Whether wise
or not, IL is now a necessity The treaty does
not say that we are to held them eternally,
but the American people must not let them
go back to Spain but must hold them till
this Nation can place them as they must be
placed. among the free peoples of the earth.
The pressure upon the President to compel
him to formulate a policy in regard To the
Philippines is wrong. He cannot formulate
a policy in regard to a people of whom we
are ignorant. Tie islands must be kept like
Cuba till wise craftsmanship can decide
what is the best policy toward them.