Arizona republican., 1899-07-27
His Defense Of President MCKin-
ley Against His Critics.
THE MANAGEMENT OF WAR
The AdmInI sfrafIon MOI TO Blame
for Dana gIng DeIaYs-COngresS
Failed to Make ample proVi.
SionS for the Philippines Cam
paian-Buf the Fight Will Ger.
family Result In Victory.

New York, July Ex-senator T. C.
Pfatt has issued Il statement concern
ing the governments conduct of af-
fairs in the Philippines Senator
Plah,s statement sayslin substance:
y purpose to answer certain criti-
cisms which are direoed at the CON
duct of the war in the Philippines. [
do not refer to the criticisms of those
who. in the name of liberty, are ad-
vocating policy of national cow
ardice. Their ugly motives obtrude
from everything they say. To argue
with these people would be IKE cod
ding = copperhead.
but there are g her critics. who
entirely convinced of our responsible
ity in the Philippines, are apprehen-
sive lest the governmert has not ap-
preciated the size of It's undertaking.
They are fnquiring why General Otis
has not a larger army. And. stirred
by the recent round-robin' of the cor
respondents, they are asking whether
the government has not allowed itself
10 be misled.
'FIt should be borne in mind that the
governments means of information
concerning what has occurred in the
Philippines are not confined to Gen
eraI Otis. The navy department has
its agents there. The president is
directly represented by Mr. Denby
and Prof. Worcester. The campaign
is receiving the presidents constant
personal atten,iOn. He receives daily
reports from all sources. The posi-
bilfty of his being misled is scarcely
worth considering"
The senator then described the ex.
isting conditions in the islands, and
couginned:
1t is easy to explain why the gov.
ernment did not have Il great army
at Manila when the FiIipinos made
their first attack. 1t was restrained
by two circumstances, good faith with
Spain and the laws of congress, under
which the army had been created.
The American people were not think
ing of the Philippines when they went
to war with Spain. The period of
actual war, however, was short.
The French ambassador appeared
with a proposal to end the war al |
most before the American army had |
been equipped to take the field At
th@5 time we had sent to the Philip |
pines nearly 2O,CGO men, The only |
work expected of them was to defeat |
the Spaniards at Manila. and when |
the president dictated the peace pro |
tocol the American army was con-
fronting the Spanish entrenchments.
''It became necessary for our gov
ernment 70 define it's Philippine policy |
As to Cuba and Porto Rico, the prest- |
dent had made up his mind, and the
French ambassador was informed that |
a treaty of peace could be negotiated |
on the basis of the surrender of Cuba |
to us and the Cuban people. and the
cession of Porto Rico and Guam As
for the Philippines, we would fake |
and hold the bay, harbor and city of |
Manila, pending the conclusion of the |
treaty.
The cable from Hong Kong was not |
then in working order. and before the |
terms of the protocol could be COM
muIicated to the forces Il battle had
occurred, and We obtained by force
what the protocol had peacefully con
ceded. This put u new face ON rhe sit
uatiOn. 1t had an immediate effect
upon the attitude of the American peo-
pie toward the islands. 1t increased
our responsibility for the preservation
of order.
Having beaten the Spaniards. and
forcibly placed ourselves in their
stead as government, the status quo
became impossible of restoration and
from that moment the withdrawal of
the American army and navy would
have meant the abandonment of the
islands to anarchy.
This view compelled the course
taken by our commissioners at Paris.
The power to add to the force AT
Manila was gone. The question of the
future of the Philippines had passed
into the hands of the peace cOmmis-
sion. Further expeditions of men to
he Philippines would have been
of the protocol.
But. if that wholly sufficient reason
lad been wanting there was another ;
most troublesome cordition. The men ]
lnder arms and available for use had
1een enlisted for the period of the