The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-23

to play a leading part In those waters and
In those islands. >
T me the acquisition Of the Philippine
archipelago is not a mere qualification OF
lust or pride Of conquest. Let us all ef'-
deavor to look a little beyond day after
tomorrow as to these things and let US
mark certain great tendencies proceeding
with all the force and regularity ana some
times with the slowness of a great geologl-
cal process and see what is meant by that
which is transpiring on the surface OF hu-
man affairs within the last fifty years ana,
fellow-citizens, the tendency-shall / call 1t
Of humanity or shall / call ii by the forces
which move the human race towards the
Chinese Orient-the Pacific east. Every
thing has been subdivisioned. France has
acquired Madagascar. The great centers OF
activity are upon the east coast of Asia.
Russia is constructing across Siberia that
great transcontinenta railroad which was
foretold two hundred years ago. Before inc
treaty of 1896 Russia has obtained practical
control Of Chinese M~anchuria, an area as
large as Texas and containing twenty mil
lion people. She has obtained Port Arthur,
always open. for a terminus of a railroad,
instead of Vladivostock, frozen four months
in the year. France has seized Siam, AEam,
Camboge and Cochin China. Germany has
not in favor of the dismember-
ment Of that great empire, an empire
which was old when Alexander watered his
steed in the River Incus, an empire whcn
has within itself the greatest experiences OF
the human race. 1 am IN favor of retaining
the integrity of that empire, and let 1t be
0OGGOGAD1C ~ LAC III WIN IL $3.50
merce. and accordingly say and think that
it were safeguarding the business Of the
world in those waters for fifty years II
Great Britain and Japan and the United
States, as to all those waters and lands
bordering upon them north of the equator,
should declare with their united power that
there should be no ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of that
immemorial empire.
WHAT SHALL WE DO?
And now, my fellow-citizens, in the mat
tiers of our foreign relations and as to what
affects our exterior interests, we are all
one-one in interest. The question of what
we shall do with the Philippine archipelago
is not yet upon US. We are actually now in
the possession of all those islands. We own
them, or shall own them when Spain rati-
ies the treaty Of c~ession, and the question
is, shall We decide at once? Must we say
now and at once that the territory for
which we have paid $50, 100000, for which
American blood has been She'd, and may
be being shed tonight or to-day, shall by
an inconsiderate judgment, without any
consideration whatever of the future, turn
over to a body of men whom all authorities
ard observers agree are not yet mt for self
government, to which they claim to aspire!
Now, my fellow-citizens, l have gone on In
a very discursive. manner and thrown out
some suggestions which l think may ana
ought to be fruitful to you, and / thank you
very much for your kind attention"
The last regular address OF the evening
was NAi0k Vi 4 ANC
ans. of the University of Wisconsin. The
toast given him was the Fruits of Vic
tory" In speaking of our new possessions
he said:
Il know not what is to be our permanent
policy in regard to these insular possessions.
Nor do I advocate any permanent policy.
But | think there is every reason to ant1c1-
pate the failure and even disaster, If we
do not so organize our civil service in those
islands as to make a government so strong
and so just and so helpful to the islanders
themselves, as to convince them that they
are to be benefited rather than injured by
our presence. Our occupation thus far has
not been furnished by any lust of conquest.
1t must not be in the future. While l be-
lieve that If we have foresight enough and
wisdom enough to accomplish this end we
shall, in the future, profit by these fruits OF
victory, 1t seems to be certain that we shall
profit, If at all, by serving them, rather
than by seeking permanently our own adj
vantage. If Congress and the spirit of the
people will best heed the fact, we have the
essential facilities for the accomplishment
of such a result"