Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1899-12-08

HV""NH"NVN
centuries. They were accepted not merely
by our authorized Comfiissioners In Paris,
under the direction. OF the Executive. but
by the excellent and wclconstdered nctlon
Of the represe ltatives OF the people In the
United states, IN both Houses Of Congress,
had every. renson 20 believe. aud stlll
believe, that this transfer ~ sovereignty
was In accordance with the wishes and the
plno people
From The earliest moment. no emporium.
lty was lost Of assuring the neOplc NJ the
lslnnds Of our ardent dcsire for their vel.
fare ana or the dricnton ~ this Govern
mcnt TO do everything possible 10 advance
their Interests. ln my order ~ the 10Th o.
May, 1893 the commander " tho Military
expedition dispatched to the pbilpplncs
was Instructed 70 declare that we caue not
to make war upon the people OF that eptin.
Try. nor upon any party or fnction
among them, but To protect them IN thrir
homes In their emplOymcrte. and IN their
| personal and religious rlCh's': that there
| should be no doubt as 10 the paramOunt
authority there, on the 18th of August v
was decided that there must br no Joint
occupation with the insurgents: that the
| United States must preserve the peace and
protect persons and property within the
| territory occupied bv their M llinrv and
naval forces; that tho lnsirrcuts and all
| others must recognize the military occu
patton and authority ~ the unitcd States.
| AS early as December 4. before the cos.
sion, ana In anticipation of that event. the
commander In Manila was urged to restore
peace and tranquility. and to undertake the
|
which should afford the fullest security for
life and property.
| On txe 21st OF December. after the treaty
was signed, the commander Of the forces
| of occupation was Instructed ito announce.
and proclaim In the most public manner.
| that we come. not as Invaders aud con
querors, but as friends, to protect the ma
| tives In their homes in their empOymentS.
and In their personal and religious rights"
| On the 2lst OF January announced my
| intention Of dspntching to Manila com
mission composed OF three gentlemen of
the highest character and distinctions thor
oughly acquainted With the Orient, who. In
Major General Otis. were Instructed to
facilitate the most humane and effective
extension of authority throughout the ISL
ands, and to secure. with the least posi-
BILE delay the benefits of n wise and gen
erous protection of life and property to the
Inhabitants"
sdcration In the Senate, those Commits
sioners set out on their mission of good
will and liberation.
But before their arrival at Manila the
sinister ambition Of a few leaders Of the
Iillplnos had created a situation full of
embarra*sments for US and most grievous
In tts' consequences TO themselves. The
ffear and impartial preliminary report of
the Commissioners which ] transmit here
with gives SO lucid and comprehensive n
history of the political insurrectiOnnry
movement that the story need not be here
repeated IL Is enough TO say that the
claim of the rebel leader, that he was
promised independence DY any Ofllccf or the
IInited. States in return for his assistance.
has NJ 6oundation in fact. and Is categorl-
cally denied by the very witnesses who
were called to prove IT, The most the in
surgent leader hoped for when he came to
Manila was the liberation Of the islands
from the Spanish control. which they had
been laboring for years without success to
The prompt accomplishment OF this work
by the American army and navy gave him
other IDEAS and ambitions. and insidious
WurinnG
ed the purposes and Intentions with which
he had taken up arms.
No sooner had our army captured Man
ila than the Filipino forces began to as
sumo an attitude OF suspicion and hostility
which the utmost efforts of our officers and
troops were unable to disarm or modify.
Their kindness and forbearance were taken
MS q proof OF cowardice The aggressions
OF the Fiipinos continually increased. un-
til hnaly, just before the time set by the
Senate of the United States for vote upon
the treaty, an attack, evidently prepared In
advance, was made all along the American
lines, which resulted In terribly destruc-
tive and sanguipary repulse OF the insur
gents.
This was the unhappy condition of affairs
which confronted our Commissioners on
their arrival In Manila. They had come
with the hope of establishing peace and
order. What they. actually found can be
best 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 hy bold, adventurous
and enthusiastic army. No alternative was
left to us except ignOminious retreat.
lit is not to be conceived that any Amerl- |
can would have sanctioned the surrender
of Manila to the insurgents. Our obliga
tiOns to other nations and to the friendly
FilipinOs and TO ourselves and our flag de-
manded 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 prosecution OF the war. until |
the Insurgents are reduced to submission. |
The commission IS OF the opinion that |
there has been no time since the destruc |
tion of the Spanish squadron by Admiral |
Dewey, when 1t was possible to withdraw |
our forces from the Islands, either with |
honor to ourselves or with safety to the |
Inhabitants"
The course thus clearly indicated has
been unflnchingly pursued.
The rebellion must be put down. Civil |
government can not be thoroughly estab- |
lished until order Is restored. With q de- |
votion and gallantry worthy Of It's most |
brilliant history, the army, ably and Loyalty |
assisted by the navy, has carried on th<
unwelcome but most righteous campaign |
with richly deserved success Although |
their operations have been somewhat In |
terrupted and checked by rainy season |
OF unusual violence and Duration they have |
gained ground steadily In every direction.
and now look forward confidently to a |
speedy completion OF their task
The unfavorable circumstances connect
ed with an active campaign have not been |
portant work Of reconstruction. A notable
beginning has been made In the establish
ment Of government In the Island of
Negros, which Is deserving Of special con
sideratlon. This was the first island to ac-
cent American sovereignty. Its people un-
reservedly proclaimed allegiance TO the uni
ted States. and adopted constitution
looking to the establishments OF popular
1t was impossible TO guaran-
tee TO the people Of Negros that the const-
tuition so adopted should be the ultimate
form OF government Such a question. nm
der the treaty with Spain. and In accord
ance with our constitution and laws. come
exclusively within the jurisdiction of Con-
gress The government actually set np by
the inhabitants Of NegrOs eventually
proved unsatisfactory TO the natives them
selves. new system WAS put into force by
order OF the major general commanding
the department.
rhe PreSldtnt gives All details connected
with the new system of government OF
Ncgros which was put IN force.
The authorities of the Sulu Islands have
accepted The succession OF the United