Washington sentinel., 1899-07-15
A. odds win me Calendar

purely personal performances a
to he Philippines are merely cor
roboration oi the now undeniabl
fact that the American people ar
beginning to apply to Mr.. Nc
Kinley and his acts the tests 0
conscience and common sense.
Gov. Roosevelts denial OF the
right oil tine American people freely
to discuss questions of public pol.
icy and his dtnunciation of those
who voted against the schemes to
which the President had been
committing the nation without
consulting it are Of such a nature
that they refute themselves. As
in Gov. Roosevelt's charge that
"those who opposed the treaty
have on their souls the guilt for
most Of the bloodsheG" in the
Philippines, there he enters into a
dispute with the calendar.
Ou December a7, 1898, we were
in possession Of Manila, and the
insurgent army, orr allies, armed
with guns and ammunition Of our
furnishing, were in actual possess
sion OF all the rest Of the Island Of
Luzon Spain being the nominal
sovereign Of the whole Philippines
group.
Yet on that date, without con-
sul'ing with the Congress, " Without
consultation with the Fllipinos,
without any legal authorization
whatsoever, Mr.. Mckinley issued
to the FIlipinos over his own sig
nature proclamation from which
these sentences are taken:
With the signature Of the treaty OF
peace between the United States and
Spain by their respective plen potent
aries Paris the future control,
disposition and government of the
Philippines are ceded to the United
States.
In iulflment of the rights of sover
eighty thus acquired
Assuring them (the FIlipinos) in every
possible way that full measure Of indi-
vidudl rights anu liberties which is the
heritage OF free peoples and by proving
to them that the mission OF the United
States is one of benevolent assimilation
What Mr.. Mckinley calls
the treaty" but what was really
merely a proposed treaty or a
draft of treaty at that time, had
not ev,n been sent to the Senate.
The Senate did not get it until
January 3-seven days alter the
date Of this proclamation. On
December a. neither Spain nor
the United S ates had considered
the treaty. On December II, our
"plenipotentiaries" were merely
Mr.. McKinley's personal agents,
as the Senate had not confirmed
their appointment.
Until that proclamation was is
sued the Filipinos, Teassured by
Admiral Dewey, Consul Wildman
and other United States officials,
believed that they were to be con-
suited as to their wishes. They
had read the Declaration OF Inde-
pendence, and they knew that even
our Indians have been always
treated with respect and consider
alton and have been consulted and
that we have made treaties with
them.
With the issuing to them OF that
proclamation the trouble began.
The news dispatches Of the month
Of January, although rigidly edited
by a censorship that cut off news
Of us from the Fllipinos and news
Of the Flipinos from us, TEEN with
warnings that war was surely
coming, as the Flip nos would not
accept our rule, but were resolved
to be free and self governing, with
us as their protectors at most.
AS Major Gen. Otis pointed out
in his official report, the outbreak
was STAYED of during January only
Sy extraordinary precautions on
the part Of he Americans. Ii
came on Feb. 4. and far from be-
ing caused by the debate on the
proposed treaty, was in fact the
cause OF the ratification OF the pro
posed treaty. For the excitemen
it created enabled the Administra
tion to get two votes without which
the proposed treaty must hav
failed.
Free discussion, conscientiou
debate, can never be called treas
enable in a republic. But tina
PROPOSE ion need not be discussed
The cause OF the war in the Philip
pines, the only cause, was tina
proclamation of Dec. a7. substi
tuting Mr.. McKinley's persona
will for the law ofthe United State.
Filipino Oratory.
Aguinaldo's speech at Tariac o
! tbc ar,;,,arear,, ~ 81. DrorI,r,.