Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-08-24
A TALK WITH THE PRESIDENT.

Mr. II. L. Nelson, the editor Of Harper's
Weekly, writes to that paper from Lake
Champlain, giving an account Of Prosi-
dent McKinley's views on various topics,
including the question of the Philippines,
thus:
l have had an interesting talk with the
President, and I shall set down, without
comment or suggestion of opinion. and
trust in perfect fairness, my Impressions
OF him, and Of his opinions and purposes
concerning the things political when are
most interesting to the country. 1t may
be that, in measure, l shall anticipate
his next annual message TO Congress, but
four months will elapse between now and
the time when he must send that docu-
ment to the legislative branch of the gov
eminent, and many events may happen
which will make the message that would
be written to-day entivoly different from
that which will be written then. 1t must
be borne in mind by the readers Of Har-
ner's Weekly that | am not speaking for
the President He has not authorized me
to say anything. | am not quoting HIM
am simply telling my knowledge and i'm
pressions Of him and his opinions. The
value that they have depends upon the
fact that they have been obtained a nCst
hand. They are not filtered through a
cabinet officer, or even through a private
secretary.
The Philippines naturally present them
selves first. The President is convinced
that only part of the Philippines people
are in revolt; in fact that the Tagals
alone are doing the fighting. He intends
TO put down the iUsurrection and to put
it down speedily, and with much convinc-
ing encrgy-in time, | fancy, TO permit
Senator Burrows to vote for him for Pres
ident next year. This much has been hint
ed at and openly said in the news OF the
day but | repeat it because the President
: a |. l.,
CT that ! am inclined to believe that he is
we'll assured that the wretchod war is
near its end. The war over, the ques-
ton naturally is as TO the future, and our
own future relations with the Islands, our
attitude towards thcm, and the character
Of our control over them. Coupling what
the President said to me with mis- charac-
teristics, which | have briefly set forth
! concluded safe conclusion, | Think
the President believes that We Shall keep
the islands. Congress. of course. beng
the DISCRIMINATING factor This. tn him, is
the inevitable outcome of the situation
He does not conceive il possible that We
should so away, and do not believe that
he wants us to go away. He thinks that
we should be thereby not only abandoning
our responsibilities, nut that our action
would be confession OF weakness, which
would make us an object Of derSion among
Europeans and would assure the Oriental
peoples thAt we are nation quite un'
worthy of their serious consideration.
/ 1t is doubtless a desire OF the admins
tration TO increase our commerce in the
East. The Philippines. so far as mere
commerce is concerned, are not the great
| lgure in the Pacific at which the Pl'esi'
! Gent and his advisers are looking. The
trade in China is an object for which Am
erican Craftsmanship is to stCusgle, Such
d dream as this appeals very strongly &c
the typical republican mind, notwithstand
ing its apparent antagonism to the logic OF
protection, and appeals TO no one more
than to the President. lmaginations are
| fired by the conception OF the United
States rs a strong factor in Asia. These
! considerations lead me to say that tn,
President believes that we shall retain th'
! Philippines keeping troops along the sea
coast of the larger islands, and not retain
ing any single body Of troops there, rcgj