The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-25

isdu the pubic Judgment We are fO1d
Sii, lIitI TINS address was received with
SLtI'i 9sisstie applause by those who
heuu II, but We who read il IN cold
PRINT IN the light of the indefensible
Tragedy now being enacted near the
shofeS or Asia, involuntariIy think OF
tiiei1 creation OF Charles Dickens who
MaS accustomed to roll his ewes piouslv
70 neseVen and exclaim with great os-
seItdtlOn 20 those about him, NV
80 -, leI Us De moral, and who was
tHe Idther or two daughters. one of
Mercy anu 'iie o'her
His excellency declared upon this
occasion, If not in so many words at
Ieast IN effect, that he had never enter
9,liieN ISsiiiSu any policy with respect to the
- nill PeS llPplheS up to the time the treaty
ei,,IgIl. RJaOS was ratified; but that he had
simply held them as commander-in-
chleI' the question as to their disDosi-
s, eioH ana control to be determined there
after by congress. '--'-
MKINLEY'S SINCERITY
IF the chief executive really feels 90
4I-1 ne UecLdred at the banquet that he did.
sIl@t the disposition OF the PhiIipipnes
is q matter to be determined nv co.,
SIeSS' why does not he call a sneciaI
session. OF congress to settle the mat
IT ITr dC once and then keep his hands off
1cSS1s e en- kIlO"S there is need OF action
- ne IS sincere, why did he permit mis-
supporters In the senate to vote down.
the other day the Bacon r-asOl,1+fl,,-
which distinctly declared mai ~
United States entertained no intention,
- u, permanently holding these islands >
why ala he insist that the MsEnAr-1r
! teSOIutlon should be passed. a. resoIIi-- o.
ei0-I winch Is a fraud, a deIusion and
Ill shameful evasion which.
~ lIAe christmas tree, has something
upon II for everybody. That resolutio1
IS intended simply to Quiet tbe CO.
science or the American people. to I1u
al 10 sleep while the president COOS
ahedo, WaglnS relentless and mercilese
Mdr against the Filipinos and Iavine-
deep and secure the foundations for q.
permanent American colony.
Mr- Chairman. am determined that
the president shall neither befog the.
issue between himself and those of the
1eePuDlca.n party who oppose his Phil
ipplne policy, nor mislead the. p1bIic,
judgment, nor shirk the responsibility
Ior the gross official blunders which be
mas committed in connection with this
great problem. I insist that the whole
poilcy is not simply an error, but thar
IL is q crime, and that the chief ex-
ecutlVe or this nation is the one who
mas precipitated upon US The enbar-
rassments and the difficulties bv which
We are now confronted. l insist that
ne dld not simply hold the Philippines
as commander-in-chief. leaving the
question of disposition and control Of
them to congress, but that he forrnu-
l9ted and put into execution an affirm
atlNe and aggressive policy that is
their permanent annexation to this
country, and forced it to the senate.
with all the power and influence which
MS high Office enabled him to employ
a FATAL ERROR.
The presidents first impression was
TO demand of the people of the Philip
pines simply a cOaling station. a meas
ure amply sufficient for all of our le-
Sltlmate purposes. and the evacuation
Of the island by Spain without compen-
satiOn by the taxpayers OF the United
States Had he adhered to this, how
ever, all would have been we'll The
whole Union would have followed him
cheerfUlly, and today we would have
been at peace with the Philippine re-
public; our army and navy. which is
now waging war against our former
friends and allies, would have been dis
banded. No army bill for a standing
army of 100000 men would have been
pending and We could now be getting
ready TO reduce instead of getting
ready to Greatly invcrease the burdens
OF our taxation. But the president
committed a fatal error. He wrote into
that treaty the absolute transfer of
Spanish sovereignty over the Philippines
TO ourselves and the payment of $50
600, 600 as a consideration for the ces-
sion. Then he issued to the people of
the philippines G. proclamation, in
which he informed them that the
United States had succeeded to the
title of Spain, declared that the gov
and control of their territory
1ei Ions crlad IN prfnr-ad To
their taxes to the military government
which he established over them. and
blandly made known TO them that our
mission in their midst was one of be
nevolent assimilation.
THE president drove the treaty
through the senate by the unlimited
exercise of all those powers and in
1uences which the great Office he holds
makes possible.
What, then, did the chief executive
mean by telling those who gathered
lroung the banquet board at Boston
hat up to the ratification of the treaty
ne had simply held the Philippines
rs commander-in-chief without any
policy of his own, leaving the whole
natter to be determined afterward by
he congresS2 Was he foolish enough
% believe that his mere statement
would be allowed to pass Unchallenged?
Was he vain enough to suppose that
lis ipSe diXlt WOULD conclude the mat
er, with the damning proof of it's
alsity so near at hand?
SLAVE OF PUBLIC CLAMOR.
MIR. Chairman, why did the presi-
lent change his original intention as
o the terms 10 be incorOorated into
he treaty? What were the influences
hat brought the change abOut2
AVE heard it stated that the applause
( the people who greeted him just
bout at this juncture of public affairs.
While he was on his tour in the west,
vas the reason for il. Was If. then.
he condition of public sentiment,
ather than the right or wrong of rh-
natter. which Influenced the presidents
mind? Does tie chief executive regard
is great prerogatives to be SO supinely
that he must needs alb
icate them at every popular wind that
lows2 Does he feel that his high Of
ce gives him no latitude for the ex-
rcise of individual Judgment and of
actiOn2 Did he make no
llovance for transient souIlitiOns of
ublfc enthusiasm and excitement.
verlook his opportunity TO save the
eopIe from themselves. lose sight Of all
.e sacred traditions of the country and
,,,ol<a rf- annaaf n