St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-12-06

of which was prevented by General Otis,
into whose hands fell copy of the order
Of the insurgent government, directing
the massacre. This, the president says.
was the unhappy condition of affairs
which confronted our commissioners on
their arrival in Manila. What they
actually found can best be set forth in
their own words:
"Deplorable as war is, the one in which
We are now engaged was unavoidable
by us. We were attacked by bold, adj
venturous and enthusiastic army. No
alternative was left to us except igno-
minous retreat.
1T is not to be conceived Of that any
American would have sanctioned the
surrer%er of Manila to the insurgents.
Our obligations to other nations and to
and our flag demanded that force should
be met by force. Whatever the future
of the Philippines may be, there is no
course open to us now except the prose-
cution of the war until the insurgents
are reduced to submission"
the message, has been unflinchingly pur-
sued. Civil government cannot be
thoroughly established until order is
restored. Although operations have
been somewhat interrupted and checked
by rainy season Of unusual violence
and duration, our soldiers have gained
ground in every direction, and now look
forward confidently to speedy compile
ton Of their task. The unfavorable
circumstances connected with an active
campaign have not been permitted to in
terfere with the equally important work
of reconstruction. Here, again, the
president invites attention to the re-
port of the commissioners for the in
teresting and encouraging details of the
work already accomplished in the estab-
lishment Of peace and order, and the
Inauguration of self-governing munich
pal life in many portions Of the archi-
pelago. The system Of government es-
tablished in the Island of Negroes, which
was the first to accept American sover-
eighty, is given in detail in the mes
sage.
The president then says: Everything
indicates that with speedy suppression
of the Tagalo rebellion, life in the
archipelago will soon resume it's or
binary course, under the protection of
our sovereignty, and the people of those
favored islands will enjoy a prosperity
and a freedom which they have never
before known. Already hundreds of
schools are open and filled with children
Religious freedom is sacredly assured
and enjoyed. The courts are dispensing
justice. Business is beginning to Cir
Culate in its accustomed channels.
The future government Of the Philip
pines rests with the congress of the
United States. Fewer graver re.
sponsibilities have ever been conflded tc
us. If we accept them in a spirit worthy
Of our race and our traditions, great
opportunity comes with them. TIL,
islands lie under the shelter of our flag
They are ours by every title of law ant
equity. They cannot be abandoned
| If we desert them we leave them a
once to anarchy and finally to bar
! barism. We fling them, a golden ap
pie of discord, among the rival powers
no one of which would permit another t.
seize them unquestioned. The sug
gestion has been made that we coul,
renounce our authority over the islands
and, giving them independence, could re
tain a protectorate over Them TIL
proposition will not be found, I ar
sure, worthy of your serious attention
Such an arrangement would involve a
the outset cruel breach of faith.
would place the peaceable and loyal ma
jority, who ask nothing better than
accept our authority, at the mercy {
the minority Of armed insurgents.
would make us responsible for the act
of the insurgent leaders, and give u
no power to control them. 1t woul
charge us with the task of protectin
them against each other, and defendin
them against any foreign power wit
which they chose to quarrel. In shor
it would take from the congress of til
United States the power of declarin
war and invest that tremendous pre-
negative in the Tagal leader of the hou
1t does not seem desirable that
should recommend at this time a spt
cific and final form of government fl
these islands. When peace shall
restored it will be the duty of congress
to construct plan Of government
which shall establish and maintain fire
dom and order and peace in the Phi
ippines. The Resurrection Is still e,
listing, and when it terminates furth
information will be required as to Il
actual condition of affairs before inal
gurating a permanent scheme of civ
government. AS long as the insure
ton continues the military arm mu
necessarily be supreme. But there
no reason why steps should not
taken from time to time to Inaugural
governments. especially popular in the
form, as fast as territory is held al
controlled by our troops. To this ell
I am considering the advisability of t
return of the commission, or such of Il
members thereof as can be secured,
aid the existing authorities and faci
tate this work throughout the island
1 have believed that reconstruct,
should not begin by the establishme
of one central civil government for {
the islands, with it's seat at Manila, b
rather that the work should be col
menced by building up from the bottol
first establishing municipal cover
ments, and then provincial government
central government at last to fl
. low.
Until congress shall have madeknoy
Che formal expression of its WILL sh
use the authority vested In me by t
J, constitution and statutes to uphold t