Iron County register., 1899-10-26
FACTS OF HISTORY.
NeI6inley's Statements Are at . vari-
ance with Matters of
Record.

In his SpeecheS In defense OF Ills 4 Hi
ippine war Mr.. Mckinley is giving point
to the cynical observation that history
is fiction agreed upon" 1t is not pleas
ant duty to correct misstatements of
facts made by the president of the
United States, but when a president
takes the stump he cannot object to
that public criticism upon which the
people rely to separate truth from er-
ror.
In his speech at Fargo, n. D., Mr.. Nc
Kinley said: I'VE did not go to war
until every effort at peace was ex-
hausted.'
If true, this statement would justify
the war. Unfortunately it is not true.
Did the president offer to the Filipinos,
our accepted allies at Manila, the terms
and conditions which congress imposed
upon the United States and held out to
the Cubans when it set about freeing
Cuba? Did he assure the Filipinos
THAT the United States hereby discIaims
any disposition or intention to exercise
sovereignty, jurisdiction or control over
said island, except for the pacification
thereof, and asserts its determination when
that is completed to leave the government
and control of the island to its people?"
Does anybody doubt that if Mr.. Nc
kinley had given this assurance to the
Filipinos after the capture of Manila
there would have been no war? Was
not this an effort for peace" which the
president was in duty bound to make?
If he should give this assurance now
is there any reason to doubt that it
would end the war? The president him.
self admits that 1.-The leader of the in
surgent forces says to the American
government: You can have peace if
you will give us independence" Would
not such termination of the trouble
be more honorable and just, more in
accordance with American principles,
than to send an army of $4,000 men to
subjugate people who after all are
only fighting for their freedom as our
forefathers did?
The cold truth is that, alike in his
proclamation of December 81 and in the
subsequent proclamation of his COM
missioners, the president demanded the
unconditional surrender and submis-
sion of the Filipinos to the sovereign
ty' of the United States. Never one
effort for peace has he made by offer
ing them even autonomy under pro-
tectorate.
But Mr.. Mckinley said further at
Fargo: The insurgent leader made an
attack upon our men, and then our
boys let loose"
If this were true it would justify
shooting back" No American worthy
the name would suggest-whatever his
views of the merits of the main question
that our soldiers should not repel at
tack. But the official record contra
diets the president. His own general
the one and only Otis-in his official
report of the opening of hostilities
said:
Feb. 4, 1S99.-Firing upon the Filipinos
and the killing of one of them by the Amer
leans, leading to return fire. The chief in
surgent leaders did not wish to open hostih-
ties at that time.
Mr.. Mckinley further says: "We
never gave a bribe for peace in all our
history, and we never will"
Again, this would be important if
true But the presidents peace COM
missioner, Mr.. Schurman. reports that
he made bargain or treaty" with the
sultan of Sulu, agreeing for the sake
of peace and to secure the privilege of
flying our flag at the seaport to pay
the sultan $3.50 month and to nine of
his chiefs $40 month, in addition to
recognizing" slavery and polygamy in
his domains as established institu-
TONS Was not this ''bribe for peace"
and a very reprehensible and nasty
bribe?
Is it not incumbent upon a president
of the United States, when he heads a
band of political stump speakers, to be
particularly and scrupulously exact in
his statements ?N Y, World