The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-12-08

lie under the shelter of our flag, and
are ours bysevery title Of law and
equity. They cannot be abandoned.
If we desert them we leave them at
once to anarchy and finally to barbar-
ism. We ding them, a golden apple
of discord, among the rival powers.
Their rich plains and valleys would
be the scenes of endless strife and bar
barism." Mr.. Mckinley scorns the
suggestion that we renounce our
authority over the islands and give
them independence, maintaining &
protectorate over them. Our flag"
he says, "has never waved over any
community but in blessing" The
Filipinos will soon recognize the fact
that it has not lost its gift of bene-
diction in its worldwide journey to
| their shores"
In regard to Cuba, the Presidest
| declares that the pledge of independ-
ence made by Congress is Of the high
est honorable obligation and must be
sacredly kept. "Our mission, to ac-
complish which we took up the wager
of battle, is not to be fulfilled" how
ever, "by turning adrift any loosely
framed commonwealth to face the vi
cissitudes which too often attend
weaker States, whose natural wealth
and abundant resources are Offset by
| the incongruities of their political
| organization and the recurring oc
| casions for internal rivalries to SAP
their strength and dissipate their
energies" Tie policy of the Admin
| istration is to fit the Cubans ''for a
regenerated existence by enforcing
the supremacy of law and justice, y
and to take every rational step to
aid the people of Cuba to attain to
that plane of self.conscious respect
and self-reliant unity which fits an
enlightened community for self-gov.
ernment." There is a remote sugges.
ton of annexation in the Presidents
remark that the ''destinies of Cuba
are in some rightful form and manner
irrevocably linked with our own,
whether those ties shall be organic or
conventional"
Possibly the lamest portion of the
message is the condemnation of tine
trusts. Every right-thinking man
knows that they are mere creatures OF
the Republican party, fostered by
legislation of their own contrivance
We think that if we had been sincere
he should have frankly upheld them
as Senator Hanna did in his cam
paign speeches in Ohio this fall.
After recommending a system Of
government for Puerto Rico along the
lines of Secretary Roots report, the
President says: 1.-THE markets of the
United States should be opened up tc
the islands products. Our plair
duty is to abolish all customs tariffs
between the United States and Puerto
Rico, and give the latter's products
free access to our markets"
The President declares that his civil
service order was justifiable and hal
strengthened the merit system. HI
commends the Nicaragua cana
scheme; deprecates lynchings in the
United States; speaks favorably of tn,
Paris Exposition; suggests certain
changes, for the benefit OF widows, il
the pension laws: advocates early leg
islation for Hawaii and Alaska; re
commends liberal appropriations fol
the maintenance aud improvement o
the navy; commeuds the work of tn,
Peace Conference at The Hague
points out certain matters which MAJ
cause friction between the United
States and Turkey, and refers to th'
good relations between the United
States, Germany and Great Britain.
Ia regard to the lynching of aliens
in the United States he says 1.-The con
tingency has arisen for action by Con
gress in the direction of comforting
upon the Federal courts juris
iiction in this class of iuternationa
cases where the ultimate RESPONSE
bility of the Federal Government may
be inyolved.n