The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1899-03-15

Ahe IeODte are prepared FOR H
why We Took the Islands.
In a recent speech in Cincinnati SEN
ator Cushman K. Davis, one of the
American peace commissioners and
chairman Of the senate foreign relations
committee, said
Practically the entire question as
to the Philippines was left by the pres
ident of the United States to the iudg-
ment and discretion of the American
commissioners. 1t was at first thought
that it would be sufficient to take the
island of Luzon, but the best military
and naval authorities, Admiral Dewey,
General Merritt and Commander Brad
bury laid the situation before us from
a military, naval and strategic point
of view which made it perfectly obvi-
Ous that we must either take the entire
archipelago or abandon it entirely; that
the relation of those islands to each
other was such that the acquisition of
one with a hostile power or a foreign
power of whatever character holding
the Others would only reproduce the
conditions of Cuba as against the Unit
ed States and create a perpetual sore in
the waters of the east. We were bound,
In view of the astounding DEVELOPMENT
which the Chinese sovereignty has been
subject to, to have sufficient naval
station in those waters. Who in this
audience would have expected that we
would have left the Philippines or any
portion of those islands to the ineffable
and indescribable atrocities of Spain?
1--WE cannot endure, in view of our
past and coming interests in the orient
that the Philippines shall be dismem-
bered by foreign powers, as they will be
the minute the United States removes
itself from that situation, and above all
things, my fellow citizens, although
they appear perhaps dimly before us
now, yet | believe there is a profound
conviction in the minds of the Ameri-
can people that part of all this force
which has pushed us there and estab-
hshed US there is an impetus which tells
for civilization, for better Christian
ity, and that the United States as the
great evangelist Of the nations is bound
to play leading part in those waters
and in those islands.
Il would treat the Filipinos in this
way, considering their present condi-
ton and their inconsiderate actions.
stimulated l believe, by inconsiderate
advice from the United States, | would
treat them with the hand of paternal
affection wherever possible and by the
hand of paternal chastisement wherever
necessary. And when the time should
come, by the handling and development
of the people, as it has come by the
handling and development Of Great
Britain in the Straits Settlements imme-
diately opposite, that little by little, by
degrees, they could be admitted to local
autonomy, which l would grant to the
fullest extent wherever possible in the
due process of time, whenever they
should be fit for it. would act toward
them as Great Britain has acted toward
its civilized colonies Whenever they
wanted to go they should go, and |
would rejoice that in the process of
time an island republic could be estab-
lished there in the Philippines against
the island empire of Japan But until
that time shall come, the interest, the
honor, the security of the American
people demand that we shall hold the
Philippine Islands not only under our
protection, but under our rule
To me the acquisition of the Philip
pine archipelago is not a mere gratifca-
ton Of lust or pride of conquest Let
us all endeavor to look a little beyond
day after tomorrow as to these things
and let us mark certain great tenden-
cies proceeding with all the force and
regularity and sometimes with the
slowness Of a great geological process
and see what is meant by that which is
transpiring on the surface of human
affairs within the last so years, and,
fellow citizens, the tendency-shall |
call it of, humanity or shall call it
the forces-which move the human race
toward the Chinese orient-the Pacific
east. Everything has been subdivision
ed. France has acquired Madagascar.
The great centers of activity are upon
the east coast of Asia. Russia is con-
structlng across Siberia that great
transcontinental railroad which was
foretold 200 years ago. By the treaty of
1896 Russia has obtained practical con
troll Of Chinese Manchuria, an area as
large as Texas and containing 30, 00O,-
600 people She has obtained Port Ar
thur, always open, for terminus of a
railroad instead of Vladivostok, frozen
four months in the year. France has
seized Siam, Anam, Camboge and Co
Chi. China. Germany has made COM
pensatorv saiLnre >,