The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1899-12-08
Pnbiic Highway Impro~ cement.
THE PHILIPPINE CEssION.
Ratified by Both Countries.

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THE PHILIPPINE CEssION.
Ratified by Both Countries.
On the 10th of December. 1895 the
/ ireaty of peace between the United States
ana Spain was signed. II provided. among
other things. that Spain should cels to
the United States the archipelago know
as the Philippine Islands, that the United
states should pay to Spain the sum q.
81 90 90. and that the civil rights and
political status OF the native inhabitants
| o. the territories thus coded to the United
States should be determined by the con-
gress. The treaty was ratified by the
senate on the 9Th of February. 1899. and
by The government of Spain on the 18th
/ OF March. following rhe Publications
were exchanged on the 1lth of April, ard
the treaty publicly proclaimed. On the
"a of March the congress voted the nm
contemplated by the treaty, and the
amount was paid over to the Spanish g1y-
eminent on the LIST of May.
became United states Property.
II tlsis manner the Philippines came to
the United states. The islands were coded
by the government of Spain, which had
been in undisputed possession Of them for
centuries.
The Paramount Authority.
That there should be no doubt as TO the
paramount authority there. on the 18th
ot August IL was directed that there
must be no Joint occupation with the in
surgents;' that the United States must
preserve the peace and protect persons
and property within the territory occupied
BY their military and naval forces; that
the Insurgents and all others must recoc-
nize the military occupation ard authority
OF the United States.
Proclaimed to the Natives.
On the 21st of December, after the treaty
Was signed, the commander Of the forces
Of occupation was instructed ito an.
nounce and proclaim in the most public
manner that We come, not as invaders and
In fri de to he
natives in their homes, In their employ
ments. and in their personal and religious
rights on the same day, while order
ing Gen. Otis t. see that the peace should
he preserved in Iloilo, he was adnonIshed
that: 1T is most important that there
should be no conflict with the insurgents.
The Philippine Commission.
Or :he 2lst of January announced my
intention of dispatching to Manila a COM
mission composed of three gentlemen OF
the highest character and distinction
thoroughly acquainted with The orient.
who, in association With Admiral Dewey
and Ma1.-Gen. Otis, were instructed to
Facilitate the most humane and effective
extension OF authority throughout the ISL
ands and TO secure with the least possi-
Die delay the benefits of Il wise and gener.
Gus protection of life and property to the
Inhabitants.
A Most Grievous Situation.
But before their arrival at Manila, the
sinister ambition of a few leaders of the
TttiIlfaos 0tQ created a situation fHli oil
emtarrassments for US anG most grievous
/ in its consequences to themselves The
| clear and impartial preliminary report OF
the mmtssioners which / transmit here.
| With gives so lucid and comprehensive q
history of the present fnsurrectionary
| movement that the story need not be here
related.
Gathered other Ideas
The prompt accomplishment of this
work by the American army and navy
| gave him OTHER ideas and ambitions and
.nsidious suggestions from various quar-
tiers perverted the purposes and intentions
| with which Re had taken up arms No
| sooner haJ our army captured Manila
thar the Filipino forces began to assume
an attitude of suspicion and hostility
which the utmost efforts of our officers
and troops were unable to disarm or mcdi.
| ". Their kindness and forbearance wer.
taken as a proof Of cowardiee. The ag.
grcssicns of the Filipinos continually in.
creased. until finally, just before the time
set fer the senate of the Urited States
| Tor vote upon the treaty an attack evi.
Gently prepared In advance, was made al
along the American lines which resulted
In terribly destructive and SAT- culinary re.
| pulse of the insurgents.
We Could Not Surrender.
| Il is not to be conceived of that any
American would have sanctioned the sur.
render Of Manila to the Insurgents our
| obligations 10 other nations and to the
| friendly FilipinOs and to ourselves ana
our flag demanded that force should he
/ ittSA ny AOIGS. w n&lcNef the future OF the
| Philippines may be. there is no courss
| open TO us now except the prosecution OF
| the war until the insurgents are reduced
| to submission. The commission is of tn,
| opinion that there has been no time since
! the destruction of the Spanish squadron
| by Admiral Dewey when 1t was possible
to withdraw our forces from the islands
either with honor to ourselves or will
| safety to the inhabitants.
Rebellion Must be Put Down.
The course thus clearly Indicated has
| been unflinchingly pursued The rebellion
must be put down Civil government car
! not be thoroughly established until order
\ Is restored. With a devotion and gallant.
| ry worthy of its most brilliant history the
army, ably and Loyalty assisted by the
! navy, has carried on this unwelcome bct
n.oSt righteous campaign with richly de.
| served success
Noble seIf-sacriace.
The noble self-sacrifice with which our
| sailors and soldiers whose terms of servic.
| had expired refused to avail themselves
| ot their right to return home as long as
they We're needed at the front, forms one
OF the nrieh test pages In our annals
work of Reconsideration.
Tho unavoidable circumstances connect.
| ca with IN active campaign have not beer
| permitted TO interfere with the equally.
| important work Of reconstruction Again
invite your attention to the report Of ths
| commissioners for the interesting and en-,
| colIra sins details of the work already ac.
cornplished in the establishment OF Daace
and order and the Inauguration OF self.
| governing municipal lie i'm many portions
~ the archipelago. notable beginning
| has been made in the establs hment of :
| government in the island of Negroes
| which is deserving of special considera,
| lion.
The Sulu Islands
The authorities of the Sulu islands hsv-
accepted the succession of the Unttr1
| States to the rights of Spain. and M.
| nag noats over that territory
The Rebellion Totferinr
Everything indicates that with the
speedy suppression OF the Tagalo rebsl~
ion, life in the archipelago Will soon -,
sumo Its ordinary course under the t,,.,
lection Of our sovereignty and the neoi,ts
of those favored islands will cniov a MO.
perity and a fresGom winch they naye
never before known. Already hlJnaT.de
n schools are open and filled with cniI-
d~en. ''
Future of the Philippines.
The future government of the Phui,.
zines rests with the congress of the ITnft
I'd States. Few gravet rcsponsfbilities
have ever been confGed to us If we ac-
cept them in 4 spirit worthy Of our race
nd our traditions, a great opportunitv
comes with them. The GLANDS lie I5nde,