Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1899-02-23
M'KINLEY SPEAKS.
Chief Executive Makes Notable
Address at a Boston Banquet.
HIS First Utteranoo on tho Philippine Quss-
Glon since the Treaty Was Ratified
IslandS Not 60 He Given Up
Until Congress Directs.

UnJu COngrobb Dlrectbs
Boston, Feb. l7.-President McKin-
hey arrived in Boston yesterday to be
the guest OF the Home Market club at
"a banquet in his honor at Mechanics
hall. ,Messrs. Long, Alger Bliss, Gage
fand Smith, of his cabinet, accompanied
him, together with Congressman Gros"
vener, OF Ohio The arrival of the
presidential train at the station at ten
o'clock was the occasion of great
outburst of enthusiasm from the thou
sands of citizens who lined the streets
ION the line OF the procession from the
station to the hotel.
At six o'clock, after the president
had rested few minutes the bugle
sounded announcing that the banquet
was ready to be served and the i'm.
mense company marched into the hall
while the band played. The invoca-
ton was pronounced by Bishop NAL
lalieu. There was great enthusiasm
when the dinner had been concluded
and some of the tables removed to
make way for chairs. President
Plunkett introduced Gov. Wolcott and
then Mayor Quincy, who made brief
addresses welcoming the president
President Mckinley was then intro
duced and spoke in brief as follows:
do not know why In the year 1899 this re-
public has Unexpectedly had placed before II
mighty problems which II must face and meet
They have come and are here and they could
not be kept away Many who were impatient
for the conflict year ago, apparently needless
of It's larger results, were the first to cry out
against the far-renchng consequences OF their
own acts. Those OF US who dreaded war most
and whose every effort was directed to prevent
1t, had fears OF new and grave problems which
might follow its inauguration. The evolution
'sof events which no man could control has
brought these problems upon us
The Philippines, like Cuba and Porto Rico,
were intrusted to our hands by the war and to
that great trust, under the providence OF God
land In the name OF human progress and civili-
zatlon, we ore committed. Its q trust we have
not sought; 1t Is not trust from which we
will finch. The American people will hold up
the hands Of their servants ut home TO whom
they commit Its execution, while Dewey and
'7Otis and the brave men whom they command
will have the support Of the country In up
holding our flag where 1t now floats, the SYM
biol and assurance OF liberty and justice
We heArno complaint OF the relations created
by the war between this government and the
islands OF Cuba and Porto Rico. There ore
,some however, who regard the Philippines as
in q different relation; but whatever variety Of
views there may be on this phase Of the ques-
ltion there is universal agreement that the
Philippines shall not be turned back to Spain,
No true American will consent to that Even
II unwilling to accept them ourselves, it would
have been q weak evasion OF manly duty TO re-
,Quire Spain to transfer them TO some other
power or powers and thus shirk our own re-
sponsibility Even II we had had. as we did
not have, the power to compel such transfer,
1t could not have been made without the most
serious International complications
The future Of the Philippine islands Is now
in the hands of the American people Until
the treaty was ratified or rejected the execu-
tive department OF this government could only
preserve the peace and protect life and prop
,erty. That treaty now commits the free and
,enfranchlsed Filiplnos to the guiding hand and
the liberating influences, the generous sympa-
thies, the uplifting education, not of their
American masters, but OF their American
,emancipators. No one can tell to-day what is
best for them or for us, know no one at this
hour who is wise enough or sufficiently In
formed to determine what form Of government
will best subserve their interests and our in
terests their and our well being
have no light or knowledge not common to
my countrymen do not prophesy The pres
ent is all-absorbing to me, but cannot bound
my vision by the bloodstained trenches around
Manila, where every drop, whether from the
veins Of an American soldier or a misguided
Filipino is anguish to my heart but by the
broad range of future years. when that group
OF islands, under the impulse Of the year just
past, shall have become the gems and
glories OF the tropical seas, land Of plenty
and of increasing possibilities, people re-
deemed from savage Incidence and habits, de-
voted to the arts of peace, in touch with the
commerce and trade Of all nations, enjoying
the blessings OF freedom, OF civil and religious
liberty, OF education and of homes, and whose
children and chidren's children shall for ages
hence bless the American republic because it
emancipated and redeemed their fatherland
and set them in the pathway Of the worlds
best civilization