The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-12-09
THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
Revolt Must Be Crushed and Amer
lean Sovereignty Established.


lean Sovereignty Established.
On the 10th of December, 1898. the
treaty of peace between the United
States and Spain wa signed. 1t pro-
vided, among other things, that Spain
should cede to the United States the
archipelago known as the Philippine
islands, that the United States should
pay to Spain the sum of $50, 900, 900
and that the civil rights and political
status of the native inhabitants of the
territories thus coded TO the United
States should be determined by con-
grcss. The treaty was ratified by the
senate on the 9th OF February, 1899,
and by the government OF Spain on.
the 10Th of March following. The rati-
fications were exchanged OH the 18th
of April, and the treaty publicly pro-
claimed. On the I'd of March the con-
gress voted the sum contemplated by
the treaty and the amount was paid
over to the Spanish government on
the 1st of May.
In this II the Philippines came
to the United States. The islands
were coded by the governments of
Spain, Which had been in undispnted
BOSSGSSlOli VI tuGlll lOI- CSIlluIlCS. luSy
We're accepted, not merely by our au-
thorized commissioners in Paris, UNI
der the direction of the executive, but
by the constitutional and w~ell-consid-
cred action of the representatives of
the people of the United States in
both houses of congress. | had every
reason to believe, and l still believe,
that this transfer of sovereignty was
Sy,l "a n - vi - n n ,,,sx1x# ~, ,,snI,,. .-1 &1,x
aspirations of the great masses of the
Filipino people.
From the earliest moment no oppor.
tunity was lost of assuring the people
of the islands of our ardent desire for
their welfare and of the, intention of
this government ttzsss1 everything pos
sible to- Advance their interests. In
myorder of the 10Th of May, 1898, the
! commander of the military expedition
dispatched to the Philippines was in
structed to declare that we came not
to make war upon the people of that
country, NOR upon any party or fac
ton among them, but to protect them
in their homes, in their employmcnts,
and in their personal and religious
rights" That there should be no
doubt as to the paramount authority
there, on the 18th of August it was de-
claredthat"there must be no joint oc-
cupation with the insurgents" that
the United States must preserve the
peace and protect persons and prop
erty within the territory occupied by
their military and naval forces; that
| the insurgents and all others must
recognize the military occupation and
authority of the United States. AS
early as December 4, before the
cession, and in anticipation of that
event. the commander in Manila was
urged to restore peace and tranquility
and to undertake the establishment of
a benefcent government, which
should afford the fullest security for
life and property.
On the 21st of December, after the
treaty was signed, the commander Of
the forces of occupation was instruct
ed ito announce and proclaim in the
most public manner that we come,
not as inyaders and conquerors, but
as friends to protect the natives in
their homes, in their employments,
and in their personal and religious
rights" On the same day, while or
dering General Otis to see that the
peace should be preserved at Iloilo, he
was ~admonished that: "It is most Inn
portant that there should be no con
f1ict with the insurgents" On the LIST
day Of February, 1899, urgent orders
We're reiterated that the kindly inten-
tons Of this government should be
i'll every possible way communicated
to the insurgents.
Commission Sent to Manfln.
On the 21st of January I announced
my intention Of dispatching to Manila
a commission composed of three gen
tlcmen of the highest character and
distinction, thoroughly acquainted
with the orient, who, in association
With Admiral Dewey and Major Cen
eral Otis, were instructed to %'facili-
tate the most humane and effective
extension of authority throughout the
islands, and to secure with the least
possible delay the benefits of a wise
and generous protection of life and
property to the inhabitants" These
gentlemen were: DIR. Jacob Gould
Schnrman. president of Cornell uni
versity; the Hon. Charles DENLY, for
many yenrs minister TO China, and
Professor Dean C. Worcester, of the
University of Michigan, who made a
most careful study of life in the Phil
ippines. While the treaty of peace
was under consideration in the SEN
ate, these commissioners set out on
their mission OF goodwill and liber-
alton. Their character was a suf-
ficient guarantee of the bcne1cent
purpose with which they went, even.
if they had not borne the positive in
structions of this government, which
made their errand pre-eminently one
of peace and friendship.
Work of n Few Piotters.
But before their arrival at Manila
the sinister ambition of a few leaders
of the Filipinos had created a situa-.
ton full of embarrassments for Is
and most grievous in its consequences
to themselves. The clear and impair
tial preliminary report of the commits
sioners, which I transmit herewith,
gives SO lucid and comprehensive a
history of the present ins%urrectionary
movement that the story need not be
here repeated. 1t is enough to say that
the claim of the rebel leader that he
was promised independence by any of
ficer of the United States in return
for his assistance has M foundation in
fact and is categorically denied by the
very witnesses who were called to
prove it. The mostthe insurgent leader
hoped for when he came back to Ma
Mia was the liberation of the islands
from the Spanish control, which they
had been laboring for years without
success to throw off.
The prompt accomplishment Of this
work by the American army and navy
gave him other ideas and ambitions,
and insidious suggestions from va
rious quarters perverted the purposes
and Intentions with which he had
taken up arms. No sooner had our
army captured Manila than the Fill
Pine forces a,egan to assume an atti-
tnde of suspicion and hostility which:
the utmost efforts of our officers and
troopE 1Sere unable tn disarm or modi-