The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-17
PRESIDENT OENOUNCES
POLICY OF IMPERIALISM
Mckinley FaVOrS Some Kind Of Self-gOVernment
For the FilipinOS.
But They Have No Right to Be Consulted NOw-LecureS
His Critics and Defends His Course

guest of the Home Market club, at a
banquet in his honor at Mechanics S
hall. Messrs. Long, Alger, Bliss, Gage
and Smith of his cabinet accompanied
him, together with congressman Gros-
venor of Ohio. The arrival of the pres
idential train at the South Terminal
station at 10 O'Clock was the occasion
of a great outburst of enthusiasm from
the thousands of citizens who lined
the streets on the line of the procession
to the hotel. The remainder of the day
after the arrival at the hotel was spent
in quietude by the president until at
AIS, when he was escorted to Mechan-
les hall to participate in the recep-
ton and banquet of the Home Market
club.
1t was the largest banquet ever ar
ranged in this country, the exact num-
ber of persons who were served being
1,914.
Over the stage, under an arch of
bunting and electric lights were large
portraits of Washington, Lincoln and
Mckinley, and underneath was the
word 'Liberator" in large letters.
There was great enthusiasm when
| the dinner had been concluded and
some of the tables removed to make
way for chairs. President Plunkett
introduced Governor WOlcott and then
Mayor Quincy, who made brief ad-
dresses welcoming the president. Pres
! ident Mckinley was then introduced
and spoke as follows:
THE PRESIDENTS SPEECH
Mr.. Toastmaster and Gentlemen
| The years go quickly. II seems not so
! long, but it is in fact six years, since
it was my honor to be Il 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 Domestic conditions
have improved and are generally salts
| factory.
We have progressed in industry and
| nave realized the prosperity for which
we have been striving. We have had
| four long years of adversely, which
! taught us some lessons which will
never be unlearned, and which Will be
| valuable in guiding our future action
We nave not only been successful in
our financial and business affairs. but
we have been successful in a war with
a foreign power, which added great
glory to American arms ana new
chapter to American history.
I do not know why in the year 1893
this republic has Unexpectedly had
placed before il mighty problems which
IL IlluSl ldCe anu meet lDGs Idk6 COlllE
and are here, and they could not be
kept away. Many who We're impatient
for the conflict year ago, apparently
| needless of its larger results, were the
first to cry out against the far-reaching
| consequences of their own act. These
of us who dreaded war most, and whose
every effort was directed to prevent it.
had fears OF new and grave problems
which might follow its Inauguration.
Nf,rl7
could control. has brought these prob
lens upon us. Certain it is that they
have not come through any fault on our
part, but as a high obligation, and we
meet them with d clear conscience and
unEeifish purpose and with good hearty
resolves to undertake their solution.
War was declared in April, 1885, with
practical unanimity by the congress,
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 preripitated it at any
earlier date. In its prosecution and
conclusion the great majority of our
countrymen of every section believed
they were fighting in a just cause, and
at home or at sea, or in the field, they
had part in the glorious triumphs. 1t
was the war of the undivided nation.
Every great act in its progress, from
Manila to Santiago. from Guam to
Porto Rico, met universal and hearty
commendation. The protocol COM
manded the practically unanimous ap-
proval of the American people. 1t was
welcomed by every lover Of peace be-
meath the flag.
ACQUISITION OF PHILIPPINES.
The Philippines like Cuba and Porto
Rico, were enstrusted TO our hands by
the war, and to that great trust, under
the province of God and in the name of
human progress and civilization we are
committed 1t is d trust we have not
sought; it is not a trust from which
we will finch. The American people
will hold up the hands of their servants
at home to whom they commit it's exc
cution, while Dewey and Otis and the
brave men whom they command Will
have the support of the country in up
holding our flag where it now floats, the
symbol and assurance of liberty and
justice.
What nation was ever able to write
an accurate programme of the war upon
which it was entering, much less decree
in advance the scope of its results?
Congress can declare war, but higher
power DEGREES it's bounds and fixes its
relations and responsibilities. The pres
ident can direct the movements of SOL |
QlGIS OIL the HGau anu Heels upon the
sea, but he cannot fOresee the close of
such movements or prescribe their linz
it's. He cannot anticipate or avoid the
consequences. but he must meet them.
No accurate map of nations engaged in |
war can be traced until the war is
over, nor can the measure of response |
bility be fixed till the last gun is fired |
and the verdict ambOdied in the stipu- |
lations of peace.
We hear no complaint of the relations \
created by the war between this gov
ernment and the islands of Cuba and |
Porto Rico. There are some, however |
who regard the Philippines as in a diff |
ferent relation, but whatever variety of |
views there may be on this phase of |
the question, there is universal agree |
ment that the Philippines shall not be |
turned back to Spain. No true Ameri- |
can consents to that. Even If unwill- |
ing to accept them ourselves, it would |
have been a weak evasion of manly !
duty to require Spain to transfer them |
to some other power or powers, and |
thus shirk our own responsibility. Even /
if we had, s'we did not have, the power |
to compel such a transfer, it could not |
have been made without the most SER
ious international complications.
MUST ACCEPT SOVEREIGNTY.
Such a course could not be thought !
of. And yet, had we refused to accent !
the CeSSiOn of them we Should have had