Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-06-01
WITH FLAGS AND FLOWERS.
Continued from Second Page.)

7
must be poured for whatever profit the for
tihed trader should see fit to share with
| them. IT could form no incentive to Civili-
cation and development because it's in
! nuence would be entirely withheld from
all outside the zone of profitable com
merce. None OF the pacifying results of
Justice or the onnobling powers Of free
| dom would be exerted over the people as
whole for the American commercial
community on their shores could not af-
| ford to extend them such privileges In
the present attitude of the American gov
eminent in the Philippines / see something
| more than danger and sacrifice. | see the
| American nation committing itself to the
| most successful policy of expansion that
tho world can offer. In entering the East
tho American government proposes to
sumo the responsibility for whatever
destruction IT may cause and carry tho
/ Dement'S of civilization not to a single port
but to a whole archipelago. Justice must
be administered not on one Island but on
every island that it has affected by driving
| the Spanard from that section. Instead
of using one city as the leach of the ma
tivc's wealth it proposes to give stability
and protection to profitable business
wherever it can be developed within the
Filipino domain. \ comparison of this
method Of expansion with the imperalis-
tic expansion of Europe represented by
Germany, Russia and France in the East
at once iustifies America in meeting their
aggression upon its commercial field with
| an irresistible tide of American civiiza-
| ton.
| We are not without an approved pre-
ICcdcnt in our course with the rebelliouS
/ l'ipinos. As have already shown, until
Spain transferred her supremacy in those
islands to the United States we were OBJ
ligci to treat the Filipnos as her sub
iects but when that transfer was com
pletcd Aguinaldo and his followers were
in armed rebellion against the authority
of the United States. This country faced
a rebellion once before and the united
voice of the uniuniets to that rebellon was
expressed in the terms which Gen. Grant
offered the rebel commander at Fort
Donnelson, Unconditional Surrender"
Again that great American leader voiced
the nations sentiment when he replied 10
Gen. Lees request for meeting at which
he might learn the terms upon which
hostlites might cease In these words :
The terms upon which peace can be had
are well understood. BY the South laying
down their arms, they will hasten that
most desirable event" Kindly but firmly
these terms were insisted upon and until
the South was ready to accept them that
intrepid commander Lee could meet
nothing but the guns of the Union forces.
But soon as he expressed willingness
to submit to them this same infeXible and
| apparently heartless Grant showed him
that consideration and sympathy which
we might expect an anxious parent to show
a prodigal son. After prescribing that the
rebel soldiers should sign parole never
to take up arms against the Union they
were to stack their arms, artillery and
public property and turn them over to
Gen. Grant. The officers were to retain
their side arms and private property and
even the men their own horses 10 use in
their spring poughrg ans farm work. 4"
man ffal
by this promise. This done each officer
! and man will be allowed to return to his
home, not to be disturbed by United States
authority So long as Il ey observe their
paroles and the laws in force where they
may reside" In this act was revealed a
new grandeur of the American character
a new inducement to union. a new power
in the nation. TneXcelled in leniency it
has stood unQuestioned in its wisdom. I'm
furnished in its magnan!mity its nttrac-
tiveness eXerts to-day an undinninished in
tiuence. Union inseparable is its first
fruit. Free transportation across the At
lantiC for "a defeated enemy is fresh evil
dence Of its existence. The feeding of the
starving Filipino rebels and the liberal
terms made to the crushed Filipino army
is new pledge that whether on the main
land, the isles of southern sea or in an
Eastern archipelago the American charac-
ter stll presents those attributes of jus
tive and obligation to duty which have
made so noble. so inspiring and so trans
cendent its past history. So looking at
our present problems both from CONNER
cial and moral standpoints | affirm that
we find ourselves not in an unnatural
state but simply following the course of a
natural development. We are not imhued
with new spirit but are applying the old
principles to the new conditions which AN
enlarged sphere has brought.
| bring to you to-day no detailed solu-
tion of Americas problems growing
out of the Spanish-American war ! sup
pose this leaves me open 10 tho charge of
using "Gllttering generalities" but is it
not the proper thing for the average
American to do at present? Few of us
have ever seen Filipino and fewer stu
have ever visited their country and SO we
are not qualified 10 outline course of ac-
. ton, This government has a commission
of unQuestioncd wisdom in our new ter
ritory studying the people. their needs and
l characteristics and until we have re-
! cleVed their report 1t seems that IN offer
ing solutions of the Philippine problem
we are showing Ignorance instead OF
wisdom. 1t is also my hope that even then
, too great haste will not be shown in an
, attempt to formulate "A fixed policy fol
this government towards its new pos
sessions. Experience has shown that the
status of the negro was fixed too soon
I TO give the best results. Contact with
4 tubdnS mas SHOWN tnat our declaration IN
behalf was the expression of strong and
sudden feeling rather than an act based
T. on an accurate knowledge of their capali-
A llties or what privileges would be adj
Vantageous to them. So it seems that the
y American who would do his country best
Q service at this time would counsel patient
o and careful study of the Filipnos anC
their powers before any further DECLARE
ton Of policy is made. A liberal policy ha:
already been outlined and promised by Tho
+ President and by the Philippine Commits
= sion and II for a few years the Ameri
can people Will devote themselves to Tho
faithful enactment of its provisions [ be-
lieve We shall be doing the Filipino a great
er service than by Immediately prescribing
a fixed course for him to follow. Let this
!, be done and ! believe that ultimately WI
i shall see the same just results in Port'
= Rico and the Philippines where we haV,
: gone with only the moral sense of fire.,
e people TO guide us as in the island @
r Cuba whose inhabitants can point to
written pledge on our statute books.
@ | ask one other consideration of on
present situation. 1t is never Just to pas
e final judgement upon national movemen
without studying more than it
IS present or temporary condition
Il Looked at from a temporary stand
n point ms an achievement it may seen
40 sorry result. but If looked at as some
% thing still achieving, as something will
&c definite tendency, or something with al
Ii inevitable future accomplishment 1t stand
IS out asa splendid monument to the sacrifc
% and devotion which brought it about. To il
A lustrate suppose the historian of the civi
u war had at its close pointed to the free
~ slaves vast mass of black ignOranC