The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-17
THE PRESIDENT.

Mr.. POSTMASTER and Gentlemen:
1.-THE years go quickly. It seems not
so long, but is in fact six years since
it was my honor to be a guest of the
Home Market Club. Much has hap
pened in the intervening time.
. Issues which were then engaging
us have been settled or put aside for
/ larger and more absorbing ones. Do
nestle conditions have improved and
are generally satisfactory. We have
made progress in industry and have
| realized the prosperity for which we
have been striving. We had four long
years of adversely, which taught US
some lessons which will never be un-
| learned and which will be valuable in
| guiding our future action.
I'VE have not only been successful in
our financial and business affairs, but
| have been successful in war with a
! foreign power which has added great
| glory to American arms and a new
| chapter to American history.
Il do not know why in the year 1899
| this republic has unexpectedly had
placed before it mighty problems
which it must face and meet. They
have come and are here, and they could
not be kept away. Many who were i'm
patient for the conflict a year ago APP
parently needless of its larger results,
are the first to cry out against the far
reaching consequences of their own
act Those of us who dreaded war,
and whose every effort was directed to
prevent it had fears of new and grave
problems which might follow its in
auguration.
1.-THE evolution of events which no
man could control has brought these
problems upon us. Certain it is that
! they have not come through any fault
on our own part, but as high obliga-
| ton, and we meet them with the clear
| conscience and unselfsh purpose and
with good hearts resolve to undertake
their solution.
War was declared in April, 1898,
with practical unanimity by the con-
gress, and once upon us was sustained
| by like unanimity among the people.
| There had been many who had tried to
avert it, as on the other hand there were
many who would have precioitated it
at an early date. In its prosecution
and conclusion, the great majority of
| our countrymen of every section be-
lieved they were fighting in q just
cause. and at home or at sea or in the
field they had part in its glorious tri-
unphs.
1T was the war of an undivided ma
ton.
| Every great act in its progress, from
Il Manila to Santiago, from Guam to
| Porto Rico met universal and hearty
commentator. The protocol command
ed the practically unanimous approval
of the American people. 1t was well
coined by every lover of peace beneath
the flag.
1.-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 and in the
= / op
; ltion, we are committed. 1t is trust
we have not sought; it is a trust from
which we will not finch. The Ameri-
can people will hold up the hands OF
their servants at home to whom they
. commit its execution, while Dewey and
Otis and the brave men whom they
/, command will have the support of the
country in UNFOLDING our flag where
: t now floats, the symbol and assur-
ance of liberty and justice. What ma
ton was ever able to write an accurate
program of the war upon which it was
: entering, much less decreeing advance
in the scope of its results?
Congress can declare war, but a
higher power DEGREES it's bounds and
ixes it's relations and responsibilities
The president can direct the move
ments of soldiers on the field and fleets
, upon the sea- but he cannot foresee the
lose of such movements or prescribe
their limits. He cannot anticipate ~
avoid the consequences, but he must
meet them. No accurate map of ma
| lions engaged in war can be traced
until the war is over, nor can the meas
are of responsibility be fixed till the
asst gun is fired and the verdict en-
bodied in the stipulationS of peace.
1--WE hear no complaint of the rela-
tons created by the war between this
government and the islands of Cuba
and Porto Rico. There are some, how
.ver, who regard the Philippines as in
'iety of views there may be on this
phase of the question, there is Univer-
| sal agreement that the Philippines
shall not be turned back to Spain.
mo true American consents to that
Even if unwilling to accept them our
selves, it would have been a weak eva
sion of manly duty to require Spain
to transfer them to some other power
, | ~ powers, and thus shirk our own re-
| 5ponsibiiity. Even if we had had, as
we did not have, the power to compel
such a transfer, it could not have been
| made without the most serious inter
national complications. Such a course
ould not be thought Of And yet had
, we refused to accept the cession Of them
, we should have had no power
3ver them. even for their own good. We
ould not discharge the responsibilities
upon us until these islands became ours
-ither bv conquest or treaty.
There was but one alternative, and
that was either Spain or the United
States in the Philippines. The other
q uggestiOns-First, that they should bC
tossed into the arena of contention fol
a he strife of nations; or, second, be LEFT
20 the anarchy and chaos of no protec.
6 torate at all--were too shameful to b.
considered. The treaty gave them tt
he United States. Could we have re
, quired less and done our duty? Could
we, after freeing the Filipinos from the
+ domination Of Spain, have left then
: without government and without power
, to protect life or property or to per
form the international obligations es
, sential to an independent state? CoulC
. we have left them in a state Of anar
Thy and justified ourselves in our owr
! | eOnScienceS or before the tribunal O.
= mankind? Could we have done that il
the sight of God and man?
Our concern was not for territory OF
trade or empire. but for the peopl,
, whose interest and destiny, without on,
. willing it, had been put in our hands.
{ was with this feeling that from the frs
: day to the last, not one word or lin,
= went from the executive in Washington
= to our military and naval commander
at Manila or to our peace commission
ers at Paris that did not put as tn,
sole purpose to be kept in mind jus
after the success of our arms, and tn,
maintenance Of our own honor, the wei
fare and happiness and the rights o.
the inhabitants of the Philippine isl
ands.
, Did we need their consent to perform
!, a great act for humanity? We had it II
every aspiration Of their minds, in ev
cry hope Of their hearts. Was It nee
, essary to ask their consent to captur,
AIFaN.f 1s.