Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-18
VIEWS OF THE PRESIDENT
He Discusses the Situation in PHILIPPINES
and Cuba.
Revolt In Former Must Be promptly
Suppressed-The Balance Left
to Congress-.

In the issue of Harper's Weekly for this
week appears an article written by a cor
respondent at Lake Champlain which pur-
ports to reflect the views OF President Nc
Kinley on some interesting questions now
before the government.
1t has been the invarable rule of Presi-
dent Mckinley to refuse to I've interviewed.
but he has from time to time chatted with
newspaper men and permitted them 10
state his opinions in their own language.
This he appears to have done in the pres
ent case, but the correspondent frankly
admits that he draws deductions not only
from the Presidents phrases but from
what he knows Of the Presidents charac-
teristics The correspondent says:
The President is convinced that ONLY a
part of the Philippines people are in re-
Volt; in fact, that the Tagais alone are do
ing the lighting. He Intends to ,,ut down
this lnsurreotion, and to put il Gown speed
liy and with much convincing energy He
is well assured that the wretched war is
rear Its end. The war over the question
naturally is as to the future and our own
future relations with the islands, our at
titude toward them and the character Of
our control over them. The President be-
lteves that We shall keep the island Con-
gross. of course, being he determining; factor
This, TO him, is the inevitable outcome of
the situation. He does not conceive it pos
sble that We should so away, and do not
believe that he wants US TO go away He
thinks that should be thereby not only
abandoning cur responsibilities. hut that
our action would be a confession of weak
ress, which would make us an object of
derision among Europeans and would as
sure the oriental peoples that are. a
nation quite unworthy OF their serious con-
sideration.
Our Commerce i'm the East.
And it is doubtless desire of the adj
ministration to increase our commerce in
the east. The Philippines. far as mere
commerce is concerned, are not the great
figure in the Pacific at which the President
and his advisers are looking. The trade of
China is object for which American
craftsmanship is to struggle. The Presi-
dent believes that We shall retain the Phil
1ppineS, keeping troops along the sea coast
of the larger islands and not retaining any
single body of troops there regiment or
battalion, longer than a tvelvemonth. The
President doubtless believes that reten-
ton Of the Philippines will make for the
best interests of the natives and for the
welfare Of American commerce; and that
what makes for these will make for the
political health Of the nation. In this be-
lief he thinks he is seconded by the major
ity of the people, and although he will prob
ably say nothing in his next message con-
corning the future of the islands and will
content himself with recommendatio look
ing 10 the speedy crushing of Aguinaido, /
have not the slightest doubt that he would
willingly go to the people on this issue,
provided IL could be put in the manner in
which it presents itself to him.
Seif-Government for Cuba.
As to Cuba the President recognizes the
necessity of beginning very soon to give to
the Cubans the government of their own
island. There is no intention. however, OF
making sudden change, of calling con-
sttutional convention for the purpose of
arranging AT once a general scheme of gov
eminent island w
probably begin in cities like Santiago and
Matanzas, where municipal governments.
resting upon the suffrage of the citizens
will be established. These self-Governing
localities will be increased as the expert
ment justities itself until all the cities are
included. census is now being taken as
preliminary step to giving the islanders
government Side by side with this pro-
cess of establishing municipal se!f-govern-
ment, an experiment in public schools will
be made. After the local governments have
been established and sufficiently tried there
Will be an enlargement or extension of the
political functions of the Cuhans Perhaps
they will be charged with the task of es-
tablishing governments for the provinces,
and at last for the island Perhaps the ex-
periments in municipal administration will
justify the government In turning over the
whole island to its people without the pre-
liminary intervention of provincial rule. At
any rate the idea is that the new govern
ment shall develop from the bottom to the
top. and shall not, be turned out ready
made by a constitutional convention 1t is
that Congress Is solely responsible for the
government of all our new possessions. that
they come within the purview of the consti-
tutional provision which gives to Congress
alone the right to make ali rules and regu-
lationS for the government of the terrific
ries of the United States that we are
likely to have a renewal Of the discussion
as to whether Congress in doing So is bound
by all the limitations OF the Constitution.
THE establishment of a government for
Porto Rico presents another problem The
government as far practicable but no
plan Is likely to be reached until General
Davis, in whom the President justly re-
poses great confidence. makes his report.
He will do this after careful observation
and study of the people and conditions in
Porto Rico.
Slight Tariff and Currency Changes.
1.-The President believes that high-water
mark in duties has been reached, and that
changes will be in the other direction, al
though they will be slight, and will be made
only when the advocates of protection
themselves regard them helpful. The in
ternal revenue taxes are doubtless here for
good They may be slightly modified, but
the taxes are necessary, because revenue
from the tariff, high as it has become will
not support the government. The tariff it
self now makes the internal tax necessary.
Its adoption was becoming urgent before
the war but the war enabled Congress to
do what no party would have taken the re-
sponsibility of doing under ordinary condi-
TONS.
I'm conclusion, the President expects that
Congress will pass bill making the MAIN
tenance of the gold standard more certain,
although nothing is likely to be done for
the reform or change of our banking sys-
TEN. The President believes that the pres
ent national bank system is established
institution, and therefore that Congress
cannot be prevailed upon to change it
radically
He believes that protective tariffs have
increased the wealth of the country and
that the territory which in his opinion has
come to us by the fortunes of war will be
profitable to in the uses of peace
THE BOERS BACK DOWN