The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-17


lands became ours either by conquest
or treaty. There was but one alterna-
| tive and that was either Spain or the
United States, in the Philippines. The
other suggestions showed first, that
they should be tossed into the arena
Tor tne strife of nations; or, second.
De lOSI TO the anarchy and chaos of
no protectorate at all, and were too
shameful TO be considered. The treaty
gave them to the United States. Could
we have required less and dOue our
duty? Could we, after freeing the Phil
| lpplneS from the domination of Spain.
have left them without government.
without power to protect life and prop
erty or to perform the international
| obligations essential to a. free state?
| Gould we have left them in state of
anarchy and justified ourselves in our
| own consclences or before the tribunal
| of mankind? Could we have done that
in the sight of God and man?
WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE.
Our concern was not for territory or
| trade or empire, but for the people
whose interests and destiny, without
our willing it. had been put in our
! hands. 1t was with this feeling that
/ from the first day To the last not one
word or line went from the executive
| in Washington to our military and na-
| val commanders at Manila or to the
not put as the sole purpose to be kept
| in mind first, after the success of our
arms and the maintenance of our own
| honor. the welfare and happiness and
| the rights Of the inhabitants of the
| Philippine islands. Did we need their
consent TO perform a great act for hu-
/ manlty? We had it in every aspiration
of their minds. in every hope of their
hearts Was it necessary to ask their
I consent to capture Manila, the capital
of their islands? Did we ask their con-
| sent to liberate them from Spanish SOW
ereignty or 10 enter Manila bay and de-
stroy the Spanish sea. power there?
We did not ask these; We We're obeying
a higher moral obligation which rested
on Us and which did not require any
bOdyS consent. We were doing our
| duty by them, as God gave US the light
20 see our duty, with the consent OF
our own cOnsciences and with the ap-
prOval Of civil action. Every present
obligation has been met and fulfilled
in the expulsion Of Spanish sovereignty
from their islands and While the war
! that destroyed it was in progress We
could not ask their views Nor can we
now ask their consent. Indeed, can any
one tell me in what form it could be
marshalled and ascertained until peace
and order. so necessary To reign of
reason, shall be secured and estab-
Iished?
\ reign of terror is not the kind of
rule under which the right action and
deliberate judgment are possible. 1t is
not a good time for the Iiberator to
submit important questions concerning
liberty and government to the liberated
while they are engaged in shooting
down their Tescuers?
We have now ended the war with
Spain. The treaty has been ratified by
more than two thirds of the senate of
- I
of nine-tenthS of its people. No na-
ton was ever more fortunate in war or
more honorable in negotiations in
peace. Spain is now eliminated from
the problem. II remains to ask what
we shall do now | do not intrude upon
the duties of congress or seek to an
ticipate or fOrstaI its actions. / only
say that the treaty of peace, honor
ably secured. having been ratified by
the United States. and, as we conf
IDENTIFY expect, shortly to be ratified in
Spain, congress will have the power,
and l am sure the purpose. to do what
in good morals is right and just and
humane for these peoples in distant
seas.
CRITICS LECTURED.
1t is sometimes hard to determine
what is best to do. and the best thing
to do is oftentimes the hardest The
prophet of evil would do nothing, be-
cause ne finches at sacrifice and ef-
fort, and TO do nothing is easiest and
involves the least cost. On those who
have things to do there rests a re-
sponsibility which is not on those who
have no obligations as doers.
If the dOubters were in 4 majority.
there would, it is true, be no labor, no
sacrifice. no anxiety and no burden
raised or carried; no contribution from
our ease and purse and comfort to the
welfare of others. or even to the eXten-
sion of our resources to the welfare of
ourselves There would be ease, but,
alas. there would be nothing done.
But grave problems come in the life
of a nation, however much men may
seek to avoid them They come with
out our seeking Why, we do not know,
and it is not always given US to know;
but the generation on which they are
forced cannot avoid the responsibility
OF honestly striving for their solution.
We may not know precisely how to
solve them, but we can make an hon
est effort to that end, and if made in
conscience, justice and honor, il Will
not be in vain
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 property.
That treaty now commits the free and
enfranchised FilipinOS to the guiding
hand and the Iberalizing Influences.
the generous sympathies, the uplifting
education, not of their American mas
tiers. but of their American emanci-
pators. No one can tell today what is
best for them or for us. 1 know no
one at this hour who is wise enough or
sufficiently informed to determine what
form of government will best Subserve
their interests and our interests, their
and our well-being. If We knew every
thing by intuitiOn-and 1 sometimes
think there are those who believe that
if we do not, they dove should not
need information; but, unfortunately,
most OF us are not in that happy state
The whole subject is now with con-
eress. and congress in the voice, the
and the judgment of the
American people. Upon their judg
ment and conscience can we not rely?
I believe in them; 1 trust them. 1
know of no better or safer human tri-
bunal than the people
Until congress shall direct otherwise,
il will be the duty of the executive to
possess and hold the Philippines, Civ
ing to the people thereof peace and
benefcent government, affording them
every opportunity to prosecute their
lawful pursuits, encouraging them in