The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-06
THE SCRANTON TRIBUNE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER g. 1899.

and our flag floats over that territory.
On the tenth Of August, 1899, Brigadler
General Bates, United states volun-
teers, negotiated an agreement with
the sultan and his principal chiets,
which / transmit herewith:
BY article 10 sovereignty OF the Unit
cd States over the whole archipelago
of Jolo and It's dependencies is de-
clared and acknowledged. The United
States flag will be used in the archt-
pelago and its dependencies, on lanu
and on sea. Piracy is to be suppressed,
and the sultan agrees to cooperate
heartily with the J'nitCd states author
tiles to that end and to make every
possible effort to arrest and bring 10
justice all persons engaged in piracy.
All trade in domestic products OF the
archipelago of Jclo when carried on
with any part of the Philippine ISL
ands and rnder the American flag shall
be free, unlimited and uudutiable. The
United States will give full protection
to the sultan in case my foreign ma
zion should attempt 10 impose upon
him. The United States will not sell
the island of Jolo or any other islanuS
of the archipelago to any foreign ma
tion without the sultan's consent.
Salaries for the sultan and his asso-
ciates in the administration of the
islands have been agreed upon to the
amount of 500 monthly.
Article 10 provides that any slave in
the archipelago of Jolo shall have the
right to purchase freedom by paying
to the master the usual market value.
The agreement w General Bates was
made subject to confirmation by the
president and to future notifications
by the consent of the parts- in inter-
est.
| have confirmed said agreement,
subject to the action of congress and
with the reservation, which nave di-
rected shall be communicated to the
Sultan of Jolo, that this agreement Is
not to be deemed in any way to au-
authorize or give the consent of the
United States to the existence of sla-
very in the Sulu archipelago. l COM
municate these facts to the congress
for its information and action.
Life in the Archipelago.
EVERYTHING indicates that with the
speedy suppression of the Tagalo re-
bellion. life in the archipelago will soon
resume its ordinary course under the
protection of our sovereignty, and the
people of those favored islands VIII en-
JOY a prosperity and a freedom which
they have never before known. AL
ready hundreds of schools are open and
filled with children. Religious freedom
is sacredly assured and enjoyed. The
United States courts are dispensing
justice. Business is beginning to circu-
late in its accustomed channels. Ma
nila, whose inhabitants were fleeing to
the country a few months ago, is now
a populous and thriving market of
commerce. The earnest and unremit-
ting endeavors of the commission and
the admiral and major general COM
manding the department of the Pacific
to assure the people of the beneficent
f,,ta l,fg l,al
their legitimate effect in convincing the
great mass of them that peace and
safety and prosperity and stable gov
ernment can only be found in a loyal
acceptance of the authority of the
United States.
Cannot Desert Philippines.
The future government of the Phil
ippines rests with the congress of the
United States. Few graver RESPONSE
bilities have ever been confided to us.
If we accept them in a spirit worthy
of our race and our traditions, a great
opportunity comes with them. The
islands lie under the shelter of our
flag. They are ours by every title of
law and equity. They cannot be aban-
dOned. If we desert them we leave
them at once to anarchy and finally to
barbarism. We fling them, a golden
apple of discord. among the rival pow
other to seize them unquestioned.
Their rich plains and valleys would be
the scene of endless strife and blood
she'd The advent of Dewey's fleet in
Manila Bay instead of being as we
nope, the dawn of new day of free
dom and progress, will have been the
beginning of an era of misery and vio-
lence worse than any which has dark
ened their unhappy past. The sugges-
tion has been made that we could re-
nounce our authority over the islands,
ana. giving them independence, could
retain a prOtectOrate over them This
proposition will not be found, I am
sure, worthy of your serious attention.
Such an arrangement would involve at
the outset a Cruo' breach of faith, II
would place the peaceable and loyal
majority who ask nothing better than
to accept our authority, at the mercy
OF the minority of armed insurgents.
1t would make us responsible for the
acts of the insurgent leaders and give
us no power to control them. 1t would
charge us with the task of protecting
them against each other and defending
them against any foreign power with
winch they chose to quarrel. In short,
IT would take from the congress of the
United States the power of declaring
war and vest that tremendous preroga-
tive In the Tagal leader of the hour.
Freedom and Order.
II does not seem desirable that I
should commend at this time n sneci-
h2 and final form of government for
these islands. When peace shall be re-
stored 1t VIII be the duty OF congress
10 construct a plan II government
which shall establish ana maintain
freedom ana order and peace in rhn
Philippines. The insurrection is stIll
existing, and when il terminates fur
ther information will be required as
10 the actual condition Of affairs be.
iore inaugurating a permanent scheme
OF civil government. The full report
or the commission, now in prcpara-
uon, VIII contain information and
suggestions which will be of value to
congress, and which I will transmit
as soon as it is completed. As long
as the insurrcction continues the mill
lary arm must necessarily he supreme.
J3ut there is no reason why steps
should not be taken from time to time
10 inaugurate governments essential.
~ popular in their form ns fast as
territory is held and controlled by
our troops. To this end [ am cOnsid-
crlng the adviSability IF the return
ct the commission, or such Of the mem
bers thereof az can be secured, t. aid
the existing authorities and facilitate
lhis work throughout tie islands. |
have believed that reconstruction
should not begin by the establishment
ot one central civil government for all
the islands with it's seat at Manila,
but rather that the work should be
commenced by building up from the
bottom first establishing municipal
governments and then provincial gov
ernments, central government at last
to follow.
Will Uphold the Flag.
Until congress shall have made
known the formal expression of its