Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-10-20
The President on His Policy in the
Philippines.

From Iowa cities, which were included
in President McKinley's western journey
of speech making, he turned back on Mon
day toward Washington, visiting Milwau-
kee on Tuesday. From the tenor of his
speeches the purpose of the journey seems
to have been to declare the policy of the
administration toward the Philippines,
and to test the sentiment of the people of
the great Middle Western states on this
subject The general tenor of his speeches
to the crowds which gathered at the rail-
road stations is shown in his remarks at
Gen. Grants old home, Galena, H., when
he said:
81 recall in this presence my former
visit to this city, when some years ago
came TO speak at the dedication of the
monument of that great soldier and lover
of peace, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. He has
set us an example both in war and peace.
In war unconditional surrender was his re-
quirement, and after the war his constant
and most fervent prayer was for the unfit
cation of the states and the peace of his
country. We are having a little trouble
over the Philippines and, remembering
Grants requirement of unconditional sur
render, hostiities will cease when those
who commenced the war upon our flag
shall cease to fire at our troops and ac-
knowledge American authority"
At Madison, the capital of Wisconsin,
the President said:
''It is said we could have peace If we
would give the people of the Philippines
independence and a government of their
own under their own sovereignty. 1t is
said that if the President would do this he
would have peace. The President has no
power, even if he was disposed, which he
is not, to ALLEVIATE a single foot of territory
which we have honestly acquired, or give
up sovereignty over it TO other peoples. That
power belongs to the people through their
Congress. And then if we were going to cede
the islands away, to whom would we cede
them? There is no government there but
ours. The great majority of the people ac-
knowledge allegiance to the United States
flag, and are glad to have the shelter of its
protection.
"The Philippines came to us not of our
seeking. None of us ever dreamed, when
this war began, that we were to have either
Porto Rico or the Philippine Islands. We
went to war for civilization and for hu-
hldnlNJ, W lcllCNO OiAI OppitoScu uolBuDOTS
in Cuba. l was one of those who held
back until the last moment, hoping that
war might be averted. l did not want to
involve my country in bloodshed. But the
war came, and few of those who wanted
it most are now trying to shirk its respon-
sibilities. Man plans, but God Almighty
executes. We cannot avoid our RESPONSE
bility. There was no fault in the victory.
There must be no fault in upholding It,
We have got the Philippines, and our flag
is there, and it must be maintained"
From the tenor of all of the Presidents
speeches it is evident that he believes
that, first of all, the rebellion in the Phil
ippines must be suppressed. After that
the people of the islands are to be given a
form of government for which they are
best fitted and which will do most for their
development and uplifting. He has stead
lily denied any purpose to "subjugate" them
or to do other than give them stable gov
ernment of law and order.