The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-12-07
The Presidents Message

uG IGO1uCnU 4ACO006O
THE Presidents message is before
Congress and before the people. The
matters of grave Importance with
which the present Congress must deal
are numerous and on this account the
message is an unusually long one. 1t
is so long in fact that it is not likely
that many will take the time and trou-
bic to read it ali over carefully. It's
length will afford expansive browsing
ground for the little fellows of the OPP
position and it is not at all unlikely
that there will follow some masterful
attempts to misconstrue and nisrepre-
sent both the spirit and the statement
of the message. It is always much
easier to take the garb1ed and discol-
ored synopsis of long document of
this kind given by the political enc
anies Of the author than it is to read
the thing and draw your own conclu-
ssions.
The Presidents message, however,
in spite of it's great length is very in
teresting and very instructive read
ing. The manifold questions at pres
ent absorbing the interest of the peo-
pie and demanding the attention of
their Legislators are covered with re-
u1ac1ab1e conscientiousness and 6del-
zty. The questions of our internal
economy, commerce and finance, Our
foreign relations, Cuba, Puerto Rico
and the Philippines, the Alaskan af-
fairs, are all treated in spirit of JUS
tice and wisdom. Relative to the
question of trusts the President speaks
with wisdom and in terms that leave
no reason for doubt as to his feeling
toward ali organizations that obstruct
legitimate trade and Cypress the con-
calculated to result in an expansion of
the currency to meet the demands of
the enormous business of the day.
Relative to Cuba the message sets at
rest the bubbles of the anti-eXpansion-
lists by the statement that the Con-
zgressiona1 declaration of our purpose
10 render that island free and indepen-
dent is the "highest honorable ob1iga-
&ion and must be sacred1y kept" The
President approves Secretary Roots
plan respecting Puerto Rico A more
complete form of territorial govern
n1ent is recommended for Alaska. On
the questions presented by the Near
aqua canal, Hawaii, Samoa and our
foreign relations generally the mes
sage is satisfactory.
The manner in which the message
treated the Philippines will probably
have the greatest interest for the pub
lie and arouse the most comment. The
President tersely outlines the events
leading up to the present trouble in
the Philippines, proving thereby that
there was no other honorable course
for this government than the one it
haas followed. No definite form of
government for these islands is recon-
rneuded. A few wise suggestions are
made, but until the instruction is
ended there can be no complete system
OF government. A review is made of
the good work that has already been
done in the way of municipal govern |
meuts and it recommends that the work
of reconstruction should proceed from
the bottom, beginning with the cities
and provinces and finally reaching the
central government The success of
nearly all of the municipal govern
meuts established by the commission
ers, is the reason for the suggestion
that the commission be returned to the
TO the island. The anti-expansionists
scheme of withdrawal with a nominal
protectorate is regarded by the Presi-
dent as unworthy of consideration. It
would be a cruel breach of faith, p1ac-
zEg the peaceful ma jority at the mercy
of the minority of armed insurgents.
1t would make us responsible for the
acts Of the insurgent leaders and give
us no power to control them. 1t would
charge us with the task of protecting
them against each other and defending
them against any foreign power with
whom they chose to quarrel. In short,
1t would take from the congress of the
United States the power of declaring
war and invest it in the Taga1 leader
Of the hour.
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