Morris tribune., 1900-09-08

! Alexandra, Mimi, Special, Sept. L.
: @enator Nelson opened the Republican
campaign tonight with a mastery speech
on the Philippine question, delivered in
/ his usual concise and convincing manner.
] lThe town hall was packed to the doors.
r Ehe Republican club, which now numbers
$50, turned out iU a body. Senator Nelson
held the attention of his audience and at
! kiHnes the applause was deafening. He
/ Rvas at his best. The senator will start
but in few days to remain in the field
&ntil the election is over.
II Senator Nelson's Speech
~ The speech, which was entitled 1.-THE
philippine Question in Its Various AS
K poets" follows:
That our country had good ground for
Declaring war against Spain and that the
! war was just one, fairly and humanely
( carried on to a most successful honor
able and glorious issue, is conceded by
all, and is not a matter of controversy.
The American people, without regard to
party, are responsible for the war. The
bill appropriating $5O,O0O,OOO for war
preparation and the resolution declaring
war were passed by a unanimous vote of
Fboth houses.
On the 26th of April, 1898, when war
&firs bay, near Hongkong, China, at the
head of our Asiatic squadron. He had
been ordered to leave his moorings with
en twenty-four hours, and there was no
port open to him in the Eastern seas.
but two courses were open to him-to re-
turn home or to effect a lodgment at Ma.
9ila.
Ii OpH. the next day, under orders, he
steamed for Manila, and on the 1st of
May entered Manila bay, destroyed the
Spanish fleet, captured the arsenal and
EworISs at Cavite and had Manila in his
grasp
| AT this time Spain was in unilis-
puted control and possession of Luz
Gon and the other Philippine islands,
as she had been for the past 300
years.
i There were some wild tribes in the in
$erior, and the Moros or Mohammedans
of Mindanao and in the Zulu group that
were not fully subjugated, but aside from
these her authority was recognized and
submitted to everywhere There was no
semblance of hostile government in any
form in the Island of Luzon. The insur-
rection which had existed had practically
been extinguished, though there was un-
doubtedly a smoldering hostility to the
straggling guerrilla bands in the remote
interior, the remnants of compromised
1nsurrection.
The government of Spain was as OPP
pressive, as tyrannical and as hated in
the Philippines as in Cuba, and on
grounds of humanity there was as much
cause for Intervention in the Philippines
as in Cuba. But when Dewey entered
4 Manila ha " thnra was No Sarnblanca of a
Philippine republic nor Philippine army.
The Tagals and the other tribes lay help
less at the feet of Spain.
In August, 1896, an insurrection, under
the leadership of Aguinaldo, had broken
but in the province of Cavite, and had
spread to some of the other provinces in
Luzon with varying success on both
sides, but no decided or permanent re-
suits had been secured in favor of the
insurgents. Finally, on Dec 10, 1897, the
4nsurrection was abandoned, under
written compromise, effected by Rivera,
the new governor general, with Aguin-
aldo and his principal followers at Biac
ma Bato. Under this compromise it was
agreed that Aguinaldo and his chiefs and
followers should abandon the insurrec-
kion. lay down and surrender their arms,
which did not exceed 1000 as admitted
by Aguinaldo and that Aguinaldo and
his chiefs should withdraw from the
country.
81 Aguinaldo Bought on.
In consideration Of these acts, there
was to be % a general amnesty, (2) a
reform of abuses complained of, and go
a payment to Aguinaldo and his chiefs /,
of $S00,OO0, as follows: Four hundred
Thousand dollars In cash, or its equiva-
Hent, to be paid to Aguina1do when he
embarked for China 100000 to be paid
Ito Aguinaldo when Ricarte had been
wired to lay down his arms and had de-
IJivered them up to the Spanish authori-
ties, and 100000 when peace was fully ,
established and proclaimed by the gov
erner general
Il The $400,0 ,000 in a letter of credit, was
paid Aguinaldo, and he and his chief fol-
lowers, betook themselves to China, where
they. were staying when Dewey started
for Manila
In this manner and upon such consider
atiors, did Aguinaldo and his chiefs dis
continue the Instruction, expatriate
themselves and abandon their people to
the naercies of Spain. The original agree I
xrls Mt OF compromise. which have quoted 7
vas afterwards modified, through those