New-York tribune., 1899-02-17
WORD TO THE NATION.
rur pRESIDENT on THE PHILIP
PINE QUESTION.
~ IMPORTANT ADDRESS AT A
HOME MARKET CLUB BANQUET
IN ROSTON

49, covernnent toward the natives OF the ceded
islands ,,...,,o, r
Tho President was introduced by Nlham -
,,,,r,,e-t president Of the Home Market Club who
said. -, ,. ~,
- NOT Massachusetts only. but all New-tnS-
,o,5 gives YOU greeting OF welcome MT. fres'''n'
IN our retrospective Of tho year past We w.
Give mi need o. honor and praise 10 the
.o so rohlv met and so faithfully discharseu '"e
W., .s-,o.,sflrlt,es Of that great Office ana
.t.rtsofv,re 20 The Divine Providence thal SuS-
.o,,os A'rn In such hands under sucn Rulua'''
rs may safely trust the future Of our hePuO',0
80 30 great honor 10 present to You the oeIoNeu
president of the United States. NA''a'" ''
THE PRESIDENTS SPEECH.
The President gracefully ackno"le'seU ''7
oo-,e te had received. and said;
~ roastmaeter and Gentlemen. The years
90 quickly. 1t seems not so long, ou' ls' IL i"O
- ears since # was my honor 10 be a guest OF
The Home Market Club. Much has happened III
49, Intervening time Issues which were then
engacing US have been settled or put "S.''
,areer and more absorbing ones. Domestic con-
6it,ons have improved and are generally saus-
factory.
We have made progress IN Industry ana nave
-sauzed the prosperity for which we have oeeh
81
which taught us some lessons which Will never
,.o,,,,leorred and which will be valuable in guild
ing our future action We have not only been
s,,ccessf,l in our financial and business affairs
tut have been successful in a war with a foreign
1ou.er which has added great glory to American
orroe and q new chapter TO American history.
do not know why IN the year 1899 this Re
nublic has Unexpectedly had placed before IL
mighty problerns which 1t must face ana meet
They have come and are here and they could
not he kent away. Many who were impatient Tor
the conflict year ago, apparently needless OF
,s larger results are the first to cry out against
+bs far-reaching consequences Of their own act
Those Of US who dreaded war most and whose
every effort was directed TO prevent 1t, had fears
~ new and grave problems which might follow
&c inauguration The evolution Of events which
no man could control has brought these prob
lens upon US. Certain It Is that they have not
come through any fault on our own part. but as
q high obligation. and meet them with clear
conscience and unselfsh purpose ard with good
heart resolve TO undertake their solution
UNITED DURING THE WAR
War was declared IN April. 1898. with prac-
tical unaniraity by the Congress. and. once upon
Us was sustained by ike unanimity among the
people. There had been many who tried to
avert It. as. on the other hand. there were many
who would have precipitated It at an early date.
In its prosecution and conclusion the great ma
ioritv Of our countrymen Of every section be-
lieved they were fighting in 8 just cause, and at
home or on the sea in the field they had part
in its glorious triumphs. II was the war Of an
undivided Nation. Every great act In its prog
ress from Manila TO Santiago, from Guam to
Porto Rico. met universal and hearty commen-
dalton. The protocol commanded the practically
unanimous approval Of the American people. 1t
was welcomed by every lover Of peace beneath
the flag
The Philippines. Ike Cuba and Porto Rico
were intrusted 20 our hands by the war and to
that great trust, under the providence Of God
and in the name Of human progress and civiliza-
ton, we are committed. II is a trust have
not sought; It is trust from which we will not
finch The American people will hold UP the
hands Of their servants at home to whom they
commit It's execution while Dewey and Otis
and the brave men whom they command viii
have the support Of the country in upholding our
flag where it now floats, the symbol and assur-
ance of liberty and Justice.
What nation was ever able to write an accu-
rate programme Of the war upon which It was
entering much less decree in advance the scope
of its results? Congress can declare war, but a
higher Power DEGREES It's bounds and fixes its re
lations and responsibilities. The President can
direct the movements Of soldiers on the field
snd fleets upon the sea- but he cannot foresee
the close Of such movements or prescribe their
limits He cannot anticipate or avoid the con-
sequences. but he must meet them. No accurate
map Of nations engaged in war can be traced
until the war is over nor can the measure OF re-
sponslbnity be fixed till the last gun is fired and
the verdict embodied in the stipulatons Of
peace
FORCED TO TAKE THE ISLANDS.
We hear no complaint Of the relations created
by the war between this Government and the
Islands Of Cuba and Porto Rico There are
some however who regard the Philippines as in
a different relation but whatever variety Of
views there may be on this phase Of the ques-
ton. there is universal agreement that the Phil
irpines shall not be turned back to Spain. No
true American consents to that Even If un-
willing to accept them ourselves, It would have
been weak evasion Of manly duty 70 require
Spain to transfer them to some other Power or
Powers and thus shirk our own responsibility.
wen If We had had. as we did not have. the
:ower 10 compel such a transfer, 1t could not
nave been made without the most serious inter-
national conD nDlicatlons
SUCH course could not be thought Of. And
yet. had we refused 70 accept the cession OF
them. we should have had no power over them.
even for their own good We could not dis
charge the responsibilities upon us until these
islands became ours either by conquest or treaty.
There WAS but one alternative and that was
either Spain or the United States in the Philip
pines The other suggestions-frst that they
should be tossed into the arena Of contention for
the strife Of nations. or. second be left 10 the
anarchy and chaos OF no protectorate at all
were too shameful 10 be considered.
The treaty gave them TO the United States.
Could we nave required less and done our duty?
'ould we after freeing the Filipinos from the