Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-12-11

Free public schools are to be estab-
lished throughout the populous dis
trlcts of the island, in which the Eng
lish language shall be taught.
The authorities of the Sun islands
have accepted the succession of the
United States to the rights of Spain,
and our flag floats over that territory.
The United States agrees not to sell
the island of JOlo or any other island
of the Jolo archipelago to any foreign
nation without the consent OF the sui
tan. Salaries for the sultan and his
associates in the administrator OF the
islands have been agreed upon to the
amount of $3.50 monthly. one article
provides that any slave in the archi-
pelago shall have the right to purchase
freedom by paying to the master the
usual market value. The agreement
by General Bates was made subject to
confirmation by the president and to
future notifications by the consent OF
the parties in interest. | have con-
firmed said agreement, subject to the
action of the congress, and with the
reservation, which l have directed
shall be communicated to the sultan
of Jolo, that this agreement is not to
be deemed in any way to authorize or
give the consent Of the United States
to the existence of slavery in the Sulu
archipelago.
Everything indicates that with the
speedy suppression of the Tagalo rebel
lion life in the archipelago will soon
resume it's ordinary course under the
protection of our sovereignty, and the
people of those favored islands will
enjoy a prosperity and freedom
which they have never before known.
Already hundreds of schools are open
and filed with children. Religious
freedom is sacredly assured and en-
joyed The courts are dispensing
justice. Business is beginning to cir
culate in it's accustomed channels.
Manila whose inhabitants were fleeing
to the country a few months ago, is
now a populous and thriving mart of
commerce. The earnest and unremit-
ting endeavors of the commission and
the admiral and major general COM
handing the department of the Pacific
to assure the people Of the benefcent
intentions Of this government have
had their legitimate effect in convinc-
ing the great mass of them that peace
and safety and prosperity and stable
government can only be found in
loyal acceptance Of the authority Of the
United States.
Government of the Philippines.
The future government Of the Philip
United States. Few graver RESPONSE
bilities have even been confided to us.
If we accept them in a spirit worthy Of
our race and our traditions, great OPP
portunity comes with them. The ISL
ands lie under the shelter of our flag.
They are ours by every title of law and
equity. They cannot be abandoned.
If we desert them we leave them at
once to anarchy and finally to barbar-
ism. We fling them golden apple Of
discord among the rival powers, no one
of which could permit another to seize
them unquestioned. Their rich plains
and valleys would be the scene of end
less strife and bloodshed. The advent
of Dewey's fleet in Manila bay, instead
of being as we hope, the dawn of a new
day of freedom and progress, Will have
been the beginning of an era Of misery
and violence worse than any which has
darkened their unhappy past. The sug-
gestion has been made that we could
renounce our authority over the islands
and, giving them independence, could
retain a protectOrate over them. This
proposition will not be found, | am
sure, worthy of your serious attention.
Such an arrangement would involve at
the outset a cruel breach Of faith. It
would place the peaceable and loyal
majority, who ask nothing better than
to accept our authority, 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
which they chose to quarrel. In short
it would take from the congress of the
United States the power of declaring
war and vest that tremendous preroga-
tive in the Tagalo leader of the hour
It does not seem desirable to the
president that he should recommend
at this time a specific and hnal form
of government for these islands.
When peace shall be restored it will
be the duty of congress to construct
plan of government which shall es-
tablish and maintain freedom and or
der and peace in the Philippines.
The instruction is still existing, and
when it terminates further infOrma-
ton will be required as to the actual
condition of affairs before inaugural
ing a permanent scheme Of civil gov
eminent AS long as the lnsurrection
continues the military arm must neces-
Cari1v bn S11nrnnon Rut there is no