The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-12-06

by the insurgents In Manila, the success
of which was prevented by General Otis,
into whose hands fell a 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 a 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
surrender of Manila to the insurgents.
| Our obligations to other nations and to
the friendly Filipinos and to ourselves
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 course thus clearly indicated, says
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
| n on q n tad 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 it's accustomed channels.
The future government of the Philip
pines rests with the congress of the
United States. Fewer graver re-
sponsibilities have ever been confded to
us. If we accept them in spirit worthy
of our race and our traditions, q 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 abandoned.
If we desert them we leave them at
once to anarchy and finally to bar
barism. We fling them, golden APP
pie of dscord, among the rival powers,
: no one of which would permit another to
seize them unquestioned. The sug-
gestion has been made that we could
renounce our authority over the islands
and. giving them independence, could re-
tain a protectorate over them. The
. sure, worthy of your serious attention
Such an arrangement would involve al
the outset a cruel breach Of faith. II
would place the peaceable and loyal ma
2 jority, who ask nothing better than tC
| accept our authority, at the mercy o.
the minority of armed insurgents. II
would make US responsible for the acts
t of the insurgent leaders, and give us
no power to control them. 1t would
5 charge us with the task of protecting
= them against each other, and defending
1 them against any foreign power will
q which they chose to quarrel. In short
= 1t would take from the congress of thu
v United States the power of declaring
/ war and invest that tremendous pre-
rogative in the Tagal leader of the hour
= 1t does not seem desirable that
: should recommend at this time a spe
= cific and final form of government 70
q these islands. When peace shall b.
- restored it will be the duty of congress
!. to construct a plan of government
8 which shall establish and maintain free
f dom and order and peace in the Phil
Il ippines The insurrection is still eX
e listing, and when it terminates furthe
t information will be required as to tn
If actual condition of affairs before inau
If gurating a permanent scheme of civ
d government. AS long as the insurrec
s ton continues the military arm mus
n necessarily be supreme. But there
It no reason why steps should not b
1t taken from time to time to inaugural
l. governments, especially popular in thei
n form, as fast as territory is held an
o. controlled by our troops. To this en-
l. I am considering the advisability of tn
TO return of the commission, or such of tn
= members thereof as can be secured, t
1t aid the existing authorities and facili
ir tate this work throughout the island!
N 1 have believed that reconstructio
id should not begin by the establishmer
s. of one central civil government for a
l. the islands, with its seat at Manila, bI
i'd rather that the work should be CON
l. menced by building up from the bottom
III first establishing municipal govern
s. ments, and then provincial government
~ central government at last to 70