The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-02-18
THEPREsfDENrs BOSTON SPEECH

President Mckinley In his recent
speech at Boston insisted that the Amer
lean people had not caught the spirit OF
Imperialism. and that they had no idea
of entering upon campaign Of conquest
and expansion of territory, but that the
Fihpinos had been by the logic Of war
thrown upon our hands. and that IL was
our purpose as 1t was our duty TO set
them up in stable government Of their
own giving them as far as we may the
benefits Of the American system OF gov
eminent
We have no quarrel with the President
upon that proposition. We agree with
him that # was out of the question. UNI
der the circumstances, 10 have given
those islands back TO Spain. To have
done so would have been to shirk a re-
sponsbillty and TO leave the inhabitants
IN worse state than that in which we
found them. Indeed Spain could not
have held the island in subsection. She
could not do so when she had a navy,
she certainly could not have done so
after her navy was destroyed and
her abilities crippled by her disastrous
war with the United states.
The Times has insisted and stnl in
sists that the Philippines should be put
upon the same footing with cuba and II
We have correctly interpreted the Presi-
dents remarks i'm Boston that is his
view. lie said:
until Congress shall direct otherwise.
IL will be the duty Of the Executive 10
hold tho Philippines. giving 10 the peo-
pie thereof peace and order and benef-
cent government. affording them oppor-
tunites TO prosecute their lawful pur-
suits. encouraging them I'm thrift and in-
dustry making them feel and know
that we are their friends and not their
enemies; that their good is our aim, their
welfare IS our welfare, but that neither
their aspiration nor ours can be realized
until our authority is acknowledged and
unquesti0ucd No i'm
perial de-iens Turk I'm the American mind.
They are alien 10 American sentiment.
thought and purpose our priceless prin-
ciplos undergo no change under a tr0pi-
cal SUM-"
That is noble sentiment and genuine
ly American. We can find no fault with
#. If the President means TO say and
we so understand him. that the United
states government is simply 10 hold these
islands until peace and order can be re-
stored and good government established.
then give to the Filpinos their indepen-
dence and bid them God-speed, The Times
and those who think as The Times
thinks upon this subject will be quite
satisfied. But while We must give the
President credit for entire sincerity. we
do not believe that he speaks for his
party, that he represents the sentiment
of the imperialists There is a manifest
disposition on the part of a large num-
Der of American citizens 20 hold these
islands indefinitely, to govern them with
or without the consent of the inhabitants,
and TO make this possession the pretext
for a large standing army and an eX-
pensive navy. that the United States may
pursue. I'm imitation of the nations OF
Europe. a policy of conquest. of expan-
sion, of Imperialism.
However, we commend President Nc
Kinley for his patriotic speech in Bos-
ton. From whatever standpoint viewed,
both as to patriotic sentiment and ele-
eance of diction. it was an address OF
which even the President of the United
states might feel proud. 1t was timely |
and reassuring.