The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-11-27
MESSAGE READY.
Presidents Address to Congress
Sketched Out.
TO Hold the Islands at Amy and
All Hazards.
HIS FOREIGN POLICY.
Suggests Liberal Home Rule in
the Philippines.
In Doubt Over Nicaraguan Ca
nal Measure.

Washington, Nov. 27-Tn the prepara-
tion of his annual message to congress
President Mckinley has worked with his
usual facility of treatment, so that now
| the message is completely sketched out
and, in fact, practically completed.
The central thought of the whole mes
sage will be a delineation of the strong
foreign policy of the administration.
Those who desire to know what the pres
ident will say in his message will have
only to read his admirable speech made
in Philadelphia Tt fully forecasts the
message itself. The declaration to con-
greSS will make clear, if such a thing is
necessary, the determination of the pres
ident to take no backward steps in re-
gard to the government in the Philip
pines.
Attention will be called to the fact
that the islands are now actually under
the control of q civil commission, with
Judge Taft at its head, which is rapidly
SuperSeding the military authority at
every point, thus enabling the natives of
the islands to create their own local
government without delay. It will be
shown that what was a formidable in
surrection a year ago has now degenera-
ted into mere guerrilla warfare.
The firm policy win be announced of
holding the islands at all hazards as
part of the territory of the United States
same general lines as were laid down in
Porto Rico The need of troops to main
tain order for some. time to come will be
referred to- with freedom. The opinion
will be expressed that while the time
may not have arrived for the creation of
a stable form of government for the
Philippines, nevertheless steps should be
taken in that direction.
The president, it will be suggested in
the message, should not be expected to
govern the archipelago exclusively under
the war power. The suggestion will be
made, therefore, that he be given full
civil authority on the general lines of
the Spooner bill, SO that he could him
self provide an emergency government,
and thus reduce the army to the posi-
tion of a mere police force. This course,
it is urged would be beneficial to the
Filipinos themselves, and would inspire
them with respect for the civil govern
ment of the United States.
There will be an expression of conf
demce that all the more educated ma
tiyes,- when their loyalty once is secured,
will adapt themselves readily to ordinary
forms of municipal government, and
thus receive a training which will enable
the civil authorities to pick out a con-
stantly growing percentage of native
help in the general territorial govern
ment.
Congress will be told that the condi-
tions at present in the islands are not
sufficiently stable to justify a fully
equipped civil government, but the pre-
diction will be made that if the neces-
sary authority is given the foundations
could be laid during the coming session,
so that during the next long session of
congress it would be quite possible TO
adapt the present territorial system OF
government to the islands.
The caution displayed in the treatment
of this subject, it is understood, will be
somewhat suggestive of the ultimate
adoDtion of a broad colonial policy, and
those who read between the lines OF the
message win be quite apt to find some
thing of that sort.
THE CHINESE POLICY.
Necessarily the newest portion of the
message will be that devoted to the sit
uation in China. The position of the
president on the whole Chlnese questlo1
as disclosed in the message will be found
to be a close repetition of the important
passag of the now celebrated note of
July 8.
The president again will pledge this
country to oppose all schemes of terri
torial conquest in China and he will ap-
peal to congress for ample support in his
demand that whatever is the result IN
the Chinese Empire an open door to
American commerce shall always be
maintained. There will be necessarily
description of the terrible trial to which
Minister Conger and his associates were
subjected and a sketchy report of the
brilliant service of the American troops
on Chinese soil
Those in the confidence of the presi-
dent declare he will write enough ABOUT
China to make the position of this coun-
try clear not only in the United States,
but abroad. Yet at the same time it IS
declared JnaJ the JnlLeQ SLaLeS Will nOL
put itself on record as refusing to main
tain a sphere of influence in China if
such a situation is forced upon US by the
European powers.
TO INCREASE THE ARMY.
There will be no lodging the issue, so
far as the message is concerned, on the
army reorganization.
The message will show the pressing
necessity for the continued use of
comparatively large army for some time
to come. It will be asserted that with
Porto Rico. Hawaii, the Philippines, and
even the Nicaraguan canal to be guard
ed the necessity for a larger contingent
of regular soldiers becomes apparent. In
addition to that, it win be argued that
the United States has taken a position
in sthe Orient which it can only main
tain by a proper show of force.
The president will call attention di-
rectly to the fact that the volunteers
now in the Philippines must be with
drawn within the next six months and
that their places must necessarily be