The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1899-03-16


lean people will hold up the hands o.
| thei servants at home 70 whom thel
commit ITS execution while Dewey ane
! Otis a nd the brave men whom thel
command will have the support Of th'
country in uphold our flag where i
noH floats. the ~ COL and assurance
o. liberty and justice.
What nation was ever able 70 wis
an accurate program OF the war upoF
which IL was entering. much less de
cree in advance the scope OF its re-
suits? Congress can declare war, bu
a higher power DEGREES It's bounds and
fixes its relations and responsibilities
THE president can direct the move
ments OF soldiers on the field and fleets
upon the sea, but he cannot fOresee tbs
close OF such movements or prescribe
their limits. He cannot anticipate Oh
avoid the consequences. but he musl
meet them.
NO COMPLAINT OF CUBA.
I'VE hear the complaint of the rela-
lions created by the war between this
government and the islands of Cuba
and Porto Rico. There are some, how
ever, who regard the Philippines as in
different relations; but whatever va
riety OF views there may be on this
phase OF the question there is univer-
sal agreement that the Philippines shall
not be turned back TO Spain. No true
American can consent to that. Even II
unwilling to accept them ourselves. il
would have been a weak evasion of
manly duty to require Spain 10 trans
fer them to some other power OF powers
and thus shirk our own responsibility
THE other suggestions showed first,
that they should be tossed into the
arena for the strife OF nations, or, sec
aond, be lost to the anarchy and chaos
of no protectorate at all, were too
shameful to be considered. The treaty
gave them to the United States. Could
we have required less and done, our
duty? Could we have left them in a
state of anarchy and justified ourselves
in our own consciences, or before the
tribunal OF mankind? Could we have
done that in the sight of God and
man?
NO CONCERN FOR EMPIRE.
"Our concern was not for territory or
trade or empire. but for the people
whose interests and destiny without
our willing II had been put in our
hands. 1t was with this feeling that
from the first day to the last not one
word went from the executive in Wash
ington to our military commanders at
Manila or to our peace commissioners
at Paris that did not put as the sole
purpose to be kept in mind first after
the success Of our arms and the main
tenance of our own honor, the welfare
and happiness and the rights OF the
inhabitants of the Philippine Islands.
did We need their consent to per-
form a great act for humanity? We
had it in every aspiration of their
minds, in every hope OF their hearts.
COMES
Was it necessary to ask their con
sent to capture Manila. the capital of
their islands? Did we ask their consent
to liberate them from Spanish sover-
eighty or to enter Manila bay and de-
stroy the Spanish sea power there?
We did not ask these. We were
obeying higher moral obligation
which rested upon US and which did
not require anybodys consent. w.
were doing our duty by them with the
consent Of our own consciences and
with the approval of covilization.
Every present obligation has been
met and fulfilled in the expulsion of
Spanish sovereignty from ther islands.
and while the war that destroyed it
was in progress we could not ask their
views.
Nor can we new ask their consent
form il could be marshailed ana ascer-
tanned until peace and order so nee
essary to reign of reason shall be
secured? A reign o: terro. is not the
kind OF rule under which the right
action and deliberate Judgment are
possible II is not good time for the
aberator 10 submit important questions
liberty and government to
the liberated while they are engaged
in shooting down their rescuers?
We have now ended the war with
Spain. The treaty has been ratified by
more than two-thirds OF the senate OF
the United States and by the Judgment
az nine-tenths Of its people. No nation
was ever more fortunate in war CT
more honorable in negotiations for
peace. Spain is now eliminated from
the problem,
LEAVE IT TO CONGRESS.
TT remains to ask what we shall do
now. do not intrude on the duties of
congress or seek to anticipate or fore
stall it's action. only say that the
treaty of peace, honorably secured,
having been ratified by the United
States, and as we confidently expect,
shortly to be ratified by Spain, con-
gress will have the power. and l am
sure the purpose. TO do what in good
morals is right and humane for these
people in distant seas,
The future of the Philippine islands
is now in the hands of the American
people Until the treaty was ratified
or rejected the executive department of
this government could only preserve
the peace and protect life and proper
ty.
That treaty now commits the free
and enfranchised Filipinos to the guild
ing hand and the liberalizing influences
the generous sympathies, the uplifting
education, not of their American mas
tiers, but of their American emancipa-
tors.
THE whole subject is now with con-
gress and congress Is the voice the
conscience and the judgment of the
American people. Upon their judgment
and conscience can we not rely? | be-
lieve in them. l trust them. l know
of no better or safer human tribunal
than the people.
DUTY OF EXECUTIVE.
Until congress shall direct other
wise 1t will be the duty OF the ex-
ecutive to possess and hold the Phil
ippines. giving to the people thereof
peace and benefcent government, af
fording them every opportunity to
prosecute their lawful pursuits, encour-
aging them In thrift and industry. max
ing them feel and know we are their
friends. not their enemies; that their
good Is our aim; that their welfare is
our welfare, but that neither their as
pirations nor ours can be realized until
our authority Is acknowledged and un-
questioned.
mo imperial designs Turk in the
American mind. They are alien to
American sentiment, thought and pur-
pose. Our priceless principles undergo
no change under tropical sun. They
go with the fiat:
Why read We not the changeless truth
The free can conquer but to save?
III we can benefit these remote peo-
pie, who will object II in the remote
years they are established in govern
ment, under love and liberty. who VIII
regret our perils and sacrifices? Who
vii tn