Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-12-07
famies and treacheries which ttey
have committed upon us. Have no


compassion Upon them; attack with
vigof.." 4 copy of this fell, by good
/, fortune, into the hands Of our Off
GERS and they were able to take meas
nres TO control the rising, which was
actually attempted on the night of
February %, a week later than was
originally contemplated. \ consider
able number of armed insurgents en-
tered the city by waterways and
swamps and in concert with confed-
crates inside attempted to destroy
J Manila by fire. They were kept in
check during the night and the next
day driven ont of the city with heavy
/ loss.
This was the unhappy condition of
! sioherS OH their arrival I'M Manila
/ They had conc with the hope and in
| tention of cooperating with Admiral
tablishing peace and order in the arch
self government compatible with the
true welfare Of the people, What
| they actually found can best be set
forth in their own words:
War Was Unavoidable.
"Deplorable as war is. the one in
which we are now engaged was I'M
/! hvolslnble bv us. We were attacked
by a bold, adventurous aud cntl,lsi-
astit army. No alternative was left to
us except ignominloiis retreat:
ut is not to be conceived Of that
| amy American would have sanctioned
the surrender of Manila to the insur-
gents. Our obligations to other ma
tions and'to the friendly Filipinos and
to ourselves and our flag demanded
that force should be met by force.
Whatever the future of the Philippines
may he, there is no course open to us
how except The prosecution OF the war
until the Insurgents are reduced 10
submission. The commission is of the
opinion that there has been no tiine
since the destruction of the Spanish
squadron by Admiral Dewey when it
was possible to withdraw our forces
from the islands, either with honor to
ourselves or with safety to the inhab-
itants.'
The course thus clearly indicated
has been hnflinehingly pursued. The
rebellion must be put down. Civil
government cannot be thoroughly es-
tablished until order is restored With
devotion and gallantry worthy of it's
most brilliant history. the army, ably
and loyalty assisted by the navy, has
carried ON this unwelcome, but most
righteous, conapaign with richly de-
served success. The noble self sacri-
fees with which otir soldiers and sail
ors whose TERMS of service had eN-
PRED refused to avail themselves OF
their right to return home as long as
they We're needed at the front forms
one of the brightest pages in our am
pals. Although their operations have
been. somewhat interrupted and
checked by Il rainy seas6it OF Unusual
violence and duration, they have
gained ground steadily in every dired-
ton, and now look forward confident
~ to speedy completion of their
task.
Presidents Duty Gear.
tntil congress shall have made
known the formal expression of fts
will shall use the authority vested
iii me by the constitution and the
statutes to uphold the sovereignty of
the United States in those distant
cur flag rightfully floats. shall put
at the disposal of the army and navy
all the means which the liberality of
congress and the people have provia-
le,l to cause this unprovolled and
wastcful instruction to cease. II
any orders of mine were required to
insure the merciful conduct of mill
tary and naval operations. they would
not be laclSing; but every step of the
progress of our troops has been
marked by Il humanity which has SUR
priscd even the misguided insurgents.
The truest kindness to them will be
n swift and effective defeat of their
present leader. The hour of victory
Will be the hour OF clemency and re-
construction.
No effort will be spared to build up
the waste places desolated by war
and by long years of misgovernmsnt.
We shall net wait for the end of strife
TO begin the beaefcent work. We
shall continue, as we have begun, to
open the schools and the churches, to
set the courts in operation, to foster
industry and trade and agriculture,
and i'm every way in our power to
make these people whom providence
has brought within our jurisdiction
feel that it is their liberty and not our
power, their welfare and not our gain,
we are seeking to enhance. Our flag
has never waved over any community
but in blessing. ! believe the Fill
pinos will soon recognize the fact
that il has not lost its gift of benedic-
ton in its worldwide journey to their
shores.
FOREIGN RELATIONS.