The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-12-13

DECEMBER l3,
lisve, and I still believe, that this trans.
fer Of sovereignty was In accordance
with tho wishes and the aspirations Of
the great mass of tho Filipino people.
From tho earliest moment, no oppor.
tunity was lost of assuring tho people
Of the islands of our ardent desire for
their welfare, and Of the intention OF
this government to do everything pos
sibls to advance their interests.
Aguinnldo's Claim.
The claim of the rebel leader that he
was promised Independence by any OH
Ger Of tho United States Ia return for
his assistance has NO foundation in fact
and 10 categorically denied by tho very
witnesses who were called to prove 1t.
The most the insurgsnt leader hoped
for when he came to Manila was the
liberation of the islands from the Span
ish CONTROL which they had been labsr.
ing for years without Success to throw
of. :.
The prompt accomplishment Of this
work by the American army and nsvy
gave him other ideas and ambitions,
and insidious suggsstIons from various
quarters perverted the purposes ana In
.tentions with which he had taken up
arms.
No sooner had our army captured Ms
nila than tho Filipino forces began to
assume An attitude of suspicion and
hostility which tho utmost sforts OF
our officers and troops were unable to
disarm or modify. Their kindness and
forbearancs were taken - presf 81
cowardics. The sggressions Of ths Eli.
pinos continually inorsAssd unhl hnaliy.
Just before the time set BY the senate Of
the United States fer . vote upsn the
treaty. an attack, evidently prepared In
advance, was made all slong the Amer.
icsn lines, which resulted in . terribly
destructive and sanguinsey rspulss OF
the rebels.
With q dsvotisn and gallantry worthy
Of its most brilliant history, tbs army,
ably and loyalty assisted BY the navy,
has carried on this unwslcoms but most
righteous campaign with richly de-
served sucessa Although their opera.
tions have besn somewhat interrupted
sld checked bv . rainy Session OF unu.
susl violence and duration, they have
gained steadily in every direction and
now look forward confidently to speedy
completion Of their task. :.
. Treaty With sulus.
The authorities Of the Sulu islands
have accepted the succession Of the
United States to tho rights Of Spain,
and or Dag floats svsr that territory.
On Aug. 10, 1899. Brigadisr GsRsral j.
@. Bates, U. 8. ". negotiated IN sSree-
msnt with tho sultan and his principal
chiefs, which I transmit herewith. By
article /, the sovereignty Of the United
States over the whole archipelago OF
Jolo and its dependencies Is dsolarsd
and acknowledged,
: The United States flag will b used n
the archipelago and its dspsnsies on
land and ssa. Piracy 10 to bs suppressed
and tho sultan agrees to cooperate
heartily with the United States suthori.
ties to that end and to make every PCS
sibls effort to arrest and bring to justice
all persons engaged in piracy. All trade
In domestic products OF the archipelago
OF Jolo. when carried on with any mart
Of the Philippine islands and uAdsr che
American flag, shall bs free, unlimited
and undutiable.
The United States will give full pro.
lection to the sultan in case any foreign
nation should attempt to impose upon
him. The United States will not sell
tho island Of Jolo or any other island OF
the Jolo archipelago to any fereiGn na-
ton without the consent OF the sultan.
Salaries for the sultan and his associates
in the administration Of the islands
have BEEN agreed upon to the amount
OF $3.50 monthly.
Article 10 provides that any slave In
the archipelago Of Jolo shall have the
right to purchase freedom by paying to
the master tho usual market value.
The agreement by General Bates was
made subject to confirmation by the
PRESIDENT and to future notifications by
the consent Of tho parties in interest I
have confirmed said agreement, subject
to the action Of the csngrcfs and with
the reservation which have directed
shall be communicated to the sultan OF
Jolo, that shis agreement 10 not 20 DO
deemed in any way to use or give the
consent Of tho United States to the OK.
istsnos Of slavery in the Sulu srohipel'
ago. I communicate these facts to tho
congress for it, Information and action.
. Everything indicates that with the
speedy 50 pprsssion of the Tagale rebel
~ IIk- l.. l.. 40 ~-il1 sAAn
resume its ordinary course under the
protection Of our sovereignty and the
people Of those favored islands will e1.
ioy . prosperity and freedom which
they have never before known.
/. Cannot He Abandoned.
Tho future government Of the Philip.
pines rests with tho cengrsss OF the
United States. Fewer sravsr response
bilitiss have ever been confdsd TO uA
II We accept them in Q spirit worthy OF
our race and our traditions . great sp'
portunity comes with them.
The islands lie under the shelter OF
our flag. They are ours by every title
of law and equity. They cannot DO
abandoned II We desert them, We
lsays them 1T once to anarchy and
finally to barbarism. We ding then, .
golden apple of discord, among the rival
powers, NO ono of which could permit
another to seize them qnqusstionsa.
Their rioh plains and valleys wsuid b
the scene of endless strife and bleed.
shed.
Tho advent Of Dswsy's hsst in 4a-
lils bay instead Of being, % we hope,
the dawn Of . new day Of freedom aAd
progress, will have bssn the beginning
of an era OF misery and violence verse
than any which has darksnsd their IN
happy past. A..
The suggestion has bssr made that
~ could ronouncs our authority over
H. Ialanaa and Giving than il1ApAn.