The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1899-12-07


: In this manner the Philippines came q
The United States. The Islands were cedef
4 ny the Government OF spain. which had
been In undlSputed possession Of them fol
\ centuries. They were accepted not merely
? by our authorized Commissioners In Paris
p under the direction OF the. Executive. but
hv the excellent and well-considered action
Of the representatives. or thc people In the
tnited States. In both Houses Of Congress
. | had every reason TO believe and | still
II believe. that this transfer OF sovereignty
was In accordance with the wishes and the
( aspirations Of the great mass Of the FIJI
, pinO people.
: From the esrllcst moment no opportun
lty WAS lost OF assuring the people Of the
Islands ~ our ardent desire for their vel
f1re and OF tho intention ~ this Govern
| mcnt to do everything possible 90 advance
their interests. Ia my order If the 10th et
May. 1898 the commander Of the military
expedition dispatched to the Philippines
was instructed TO declare that We came not
! try. nor upon any party or faction
= among them. hut TO protect them In their
homes In their cmployInenfs and In their
, personal and religious rights: that there
should lie no doubt ms 10 the paramount
authority there. on the 18th OF August IL
was decided that there must lie no joint
occupation with the insurgcnts"; that tho
United States must preserve tho Deace snd
territory occupied hv their military and
naval forces: that the insurgents and al
others must recognize the military occu-
patton and authority OF the United States.
| As early as December T. before the ceS-
son. and In anticipation Of that event. the
commander In Manila was urged 90 restore
peace and tranquility. and 10 undertake the
establishment ~ hcnehrcnt government.
which shorll AFFORD the fullest security for
life and property.
On the 21st ~ December. after the treaty
was signed. tho commander ~ the forces
NJ occupation was instructed "to announce
] and la. Ia IL,
that we come. not invaders aud con-
nucrors. hnt ms friends. To protect the na-
tivcs In their homes. In their ernploymrnts.
and In their personal ana religious rights
ON the 2isf ~ January | announced NV
intention ~ GiSpatcbing tn Manila n com.
mission composed Of three gentlemen ~
the highest character and distinction. thor.
association with Admiral Dewey and
Major General Otis. were Instructed To
facilitate tho most humane md effective
extension Of authority throughout the ISL
anls. and to secure. with tho least posSi
bile delay tho benefits of n wIsc aud gen
crous protection " !ifc and property 10 the
Inhabitants"
While the treaty ~ peace was under con-
sideration In the Senate. these Commls.
SioncrS set ont on their mission OF good
will and liberation.
But before their arrival ut Manila. the
sinister ambition Of few leaders NJ tho
| filipnos had created n situation full NJ
In It's consequences 10 themselves. The
clear and impartial preliminary report Of
tho Commissioners. which | transmit here
with. gives SO lucid md comprehensive
I history of the political insnrrcctiOnary
movement that thc story need not hc hrrc
repeated. II IS enough to sav thnt tho
claim Of the rebel leader. that he was
promised Independence hy any officer ~ the
United States in return for his assistance.
has not foundation In fact. and IL categ0ri.
! cally denied by the very Witnesses who
were called IN prove II. The most the In
surgent leader hoped for when hc came to
Manila was tho liberation of the Islands
from the Spanish control. which they had
been laboring for years without success TO
throw on
The prompt accomplishment Of this work
| by the American army and navy gave him
| other ideas md ambitions. and lnsldlons
suggestions from various quarters perverf
| ed tho purposes and intentions With which
he had taken MP arms.
No sooner Ind our army captured Man
! In than tho Filipino forces began n ~
sumo an attitude ~ suspicion and hostility
which the utmost efforts NJ our officers and
troops were unable to dlSarm or modify.
! Their kindness aud forhcnrnnce were taken
| rs proof ~ cowardicc. The nggressions
Of the Flllpln0s continually Increased. nm
! I'll inally. Just before the time set hy the
senate Of the United States FOR vote mon
the treaty. an attack. evidently prepared In
| advance. was made all along the American
| lines which resulted In n terribly desiruc-
tive and sanguinsry rcpulsc 0f The insur-
gents.
This was the unhappy condition OF Affairs
which confronted our Commissioners on
! their arrival In Manila. They had come
with the hope Of establishing peace and
order What they actually found ran be
| best set forth In their own words
| "Dcporable as war Is, tho one In which
we are now engaged was unavoidable 10y ia.
/ We were attacked nv n bold. adventurous
md enthusiastic army. No alternative was
left to us except ignomnious retreat.
/ 1T Is not to he conceived that anv Amcrl-
/ can would have sanctioned the surrender
! of Manila to tho insurgents. our ohliRa-
/ tions to other nations and TO the friend'y
Fllipinos and To ourselves and our nag de
mandcd that force should bc met nv force
! Whatever The future ~ tnc Philippines
may bc there Is no course open 10 us now
exccpt the prosecution ~ the war. mill
the insurgents are rcduccd To submission
The commission Is Of The opinion that
there has been no time since The dcstruc-
fion Of tho Spanish squadron hy Admiral
Dewey. when II was possible 10 withdraw
onr forces from the Islands. either win
honor TO ourselves or WIN saIfiy 10 the
inhabitants.
The course thus clearly Indicated has
been unhinchingy pursued.
The rebellion must be put down. civil
government can not be thoroughly estab-
iishpd until order Is restored. With de-
votion and galluntry worthy of lis most
brilliant history the army. ably and losnllv
assisted by the navy. has carried on ms
unwelromp but most righteous campaign
with richly deserved success. Athough
their onoratinns have bccn somewhat In
tcrruptcN and checked by n rainy season
Of rnuSpal violence and duration. they nave
gained ground stcadiv In every direction.
and now look forward confidently To
spcedy completion of their task.
The unfavorablc circumstances connect
cd with m active campaign have not been
permticd 10 interfere with the equally I'M
nortaut work Of reconstruction. notable
beginning has been made In the establish.
ment of n government In the Island of
Npgros which Is deserving OF special con
sideraton. This was the hrst Island 10 nc
cont American sovereignty. Its people nm
reScrvcdly proclaimed allegiance 10 the Uni.
ted States and adopted constitution
looking 10 the establishment or a popular
government II was impossible To gnarsn'
tee TO the people OF Ncgros mar tne cohS,i'
tutlon so adopted should he the ultimate
form OF government. Snch question. m
der the treaty with Spain. and In accord
ancc with our constitution and laws. come
exclusively within the jurisdiction OF on
gross. The government actually set no ~
The inhabitants ~ Ncgros eventually
nrovpd unsatisfactory TO the natives them
selves A new system was put into force NV
order of the major general commanding
the department.
rhe President gives oil details connected
with the new system OF government OF
Negros. which was put In force,
The authorities Of the Sulu Islands have
accented the succession NJ the United
States to the rights Of Spain. and our nag
floats over that territory. The United
States will give full protection TO the Sui
tan in case any foreign nation should at.
tempt to impose upon him. The United
states will not sell the Island Of Joio. or
any other island of the Jolo archipelago to
any foreign nation without the consent of
the Sultan. Salaries for the sultan and MS
associates In the administration OF the Isl
ands have been agreed upon 10 the amount
Of s160 monthly.
The agreement OF General Bates was made
subject to the action OF the congress ana