The Elbert County tribune., 1899-02-23
M'KINLEY's POLICY.
IS OPPOSED To IMrERIALIsM,
says order Must he Maint.insd In the
Phnippinss-Ths United states Has n
High Mission.

be the guest of the Home Market Club
at banquet in his honor ut Mechanics
Hall
Messrs. Long. Alger, Bliss. Gage
and Smith of his Cabinet, accompnn-
led him, together with Congressman
GrosveDor OF Ohio.
The arrival OF the Presidential train
at the South terminal station at 10
o'clock was the occasion of great
ontburst of enthusiasm from the thous-
ands of citizens who lined the streets
ON the line Of the procession TO the
hotel. The remainder Of the day after
the arrival AT the hotel was spent In
uuietudc by the President until 4;15,
when he was escorted TO Mechanics
Hall TO participate in the reception and
banquet of the Home Market Club.
II was the largest banquet ever ar
ranged IN this country. the exact num-
ber of persons who We're served being
l.914. Besides there were fully $500
spectators In the balconies.
The President in his address, which
WIS the leading feature of the occa-
sion, took occasion TO express his Views
Every great act in the progress of
the war. from Manila to Santiago,
from Guam to Porto Rico, met univer-
sal and hearty commendntion. The
protocol commanded the practically
unanimous approval OF the American
people II was welcomed by every
lover of pence beneath the flag.
''The Philippines. like Cuba and Por-
to Rico. were intrustcd to our hands
by the war. and TO that great trust.
under the province Of God and In the
name of human progress and civilizi-
tion. we are committed. 1t Is trust
we have not sought: 1t Is n trust
from which we Will not finch. The
American people will hold up the
hands of their servants mt home to
whom they commit its execution. while
Dewey and Otis and the brave men
whom they command will have the
support of the country in upholding
our fiag where II now floats, the sym
Dol and assurance of liberty and JUS
tice.
what nation was ever able to write
nn accurate program of the war upon
which II was entering. much less de-
cree In advance the scope of lis re-
suits? Congress can declare war. but
u higher power tttTttS HIS DOufluS anu
fixes Its relations and responsibilities.
The President can direct the move
ments of soldiers on the field and
fleets upon the sea, but he cannot fore
see the close of such movements or
prescribe their limits. He cannot nm
ticipate or avoid the consequences. but
he must meet them. No accurate map
of nations engaged in war can be
traced until the war is over. nor can
the measure of responsibility be fixed
till the last gun is fired and the ver-
diet embodied in the stipulatlons of
peace.
I'VE hear no complaint of the rela-
tions created by the war between this
government and the islands of Cuba
and Porto Rico. There are some, how
ever. who regard the Philippines as in
n different relation: but whatever va
riety of views there may be on this
phase of the question. there Is uni
versal agreement that the Philippines
shall not be turned back to Spain. No
true American consents to that. Even
II unwilling to accept them ourselves.
II would have been weak evasion of
manly duty to require Spain TO trans
fer them to some other power or pow
ers and thus shirk our own RESPONSE
billty. Even II we had had. ms we did
not have. the power to compel such a
transfer. II could not have been made
without the most serious international
complications
"Such n course could not be thought
of. And yet, had we refused to nc-
ccpt the ccssion of them we should
have had no power over them. even
for their own good We could not dis
charge the responsibilities upon us un-
til these islands became ours. either
by conquest or treaty. There was but
one alternative, and that was either
Spain or the United States in the
Philippines.
1.-THE other suggestions showed first
That they should be tossed into the
arena for the strife OF nations, or, sec
ond, be lost to the anarchy and chaos
of no protectorate at all. were too
shameful to be considered The
treaty gave them to the United States.
Could we have required less and done
our duty? Could we, after freeing tho
Philippines from the domination of
Spain. have left them without govern
ment and without power to protect
life and property or to perform the In
iernational obligations essential to an
Independent state? Could we have
left them In state of anarchy and
justified ourselves In our own con-
sciences or before the tribunal of man
kindi Could we have done that in the
sight of God and man?
Our concern was not for territory
or trade or empire. bnt for the people
whose interests and destiny. without
onr willing 1t. had been put in our
hands 1t was with this feeling that
from the first day TO the last not one
word or line went from the executive
in Washington TO our military and ma
val commanders at Manila or to our
peace commissioners at Paris that did
not put as the sole purpose TO he kept
in mind first. after the success of our
arms and the maintenance of our own
honor. the welfare and happiness and
the rights of the inhabitants of the
Philippine islands.
Every present obligation has been
met and fulfilled in the expulsion OF
Spanish sovereignty from their Islands
aud while the war that destroyed 1t
WIS In progress we could not ask their
views, Nor can we now ask their con
sent.
Indeed, can anyone tell me In what
form 1t could be marshalled and as
ccrtained until peace and order. so
necessary to reign of reason. shall be
secured and established? A reign of
terror is not the kind of rule under
which the right action and deliberate
Judgment are possible. 1t is not n
good time for the liberator to submit
important questions concerning lib
erfy and government to the liberated
while they are engaged in shooting
down their rescuers.
'rbe future Of the Philippine islands
Is now In the hands of the American
people. Until the treaty was ratified
or rejected the Executive Department
OF this government could only preserve
the peace and protect life and prop
erty. That treaty now commits the
free md aufropcbicoI I-flipinas e.. tt,.