Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-10-25
MR. BRYAN ANSWERS
Questions Propounded to Hisn-Hts
Position Regarding the Fiiipinos
and the Governments obligations.

! Questions Fropounded to Hisn-His
| Position Regarding the Fiiipinos
| and the Governments Obligations.
| WILMINGTON, Del, October "a
| The first Of Mr. Bryan's night meet
ings in this city was held in big
! tent, and while the meeting began
much earlier, Mr.. Bryan did not ap-
| pear until o'clock. He had a long
and busy day and found it necessary
to take an unusually prolonged rest
after his arrival In this city. The
/ tent was crowded to. suffocation, and
there were far more people on the out
| side Of the tent and In its immediate
vicinity than there were on the inside
of the canvas.
The great crowd yelled itself hoarse
when Mr.. Bryan entered and some
time was required to secure quiet.
After introducing his speech by ex-
pressing his qualification at being pres
ent, Mr.. Bryan took up the issues of
! the campaign. He took cognizance OF
a series of questions propounded to
him by John P. Neildss, of this city.
These questions were as follows:
l. Viii he, if elected President, as
COMMUNICATIVE Immediately with
draw the army from the Philippine ISL
ands?
2. How soon does he contemplate
that stable form OF government can
be given to the Philippine islands?
3. How soon after a stable form of
government is established does he pro-
pose that Congress shall declare the
independence of these islands?
4. How long after a stable form of
government is established and indie
pendence is declared does he propose
that the American proteetorate over tile
Philippine islands shall continue?
). viii he pay the obligations of this
government in silver of gold if elected
President?
Mr.. Bryan read the questions and re-
piled as he proceeded to each of the
inquiries. He said in effect that ne
would get the army out of the Philip
pine islands as soon as possible and
with reference to the payment Of the
national debt that he would obey tie
law.
He took up the questions and replied
to them seriatim, as follows:
AS a reply to the first question he
quoted from his speech of acceptance,
saying:
Il stated that if elected president
would Immediately convene Congress
in extraordinary session, and would ask
Congress to declare the nations policy
to be to establish stable government
in the Philippine islands, as we are
now establishing stable government
in Cuba; to declare our purpose to give
independence to the Philippines, as we
have promised to give independence
to the Cubans: to declare our purpose
to give protection to the Filipinos, as
we have promised, to give .pIptection
to the Cubans. and have for seventy
five years given protection to the re-
pubhcs of Central and South America. :
On the second question he said:
mo one has attempted to fix the
number of hours or days or weeks or
months necessary, but | will say this.
that l believe that we could establish
stable government IN the Philippine
islands in less time than the Republican
party has established one IN Cuba, and
that think I can promise you that
our officials would not embezzle as Re-
publican officials have enbezzled Cuban
money"
To the third question, he answered
that in his speech Of acceptance it was
proposed to give them independence as
soon as their stable government is es-
tablished. The phrase. "as soon"
means Immediately in our language.
| don't care what it means In Repub-
lican. and answering the fourth ques-
ton, he said:
IF the questioner had read my
speech he would have seen that there
was no limit on the protectorate. and
we believe that this nation can assert
the doctrine that when this nation
helps republic to stand upon its feet
| the ground wherein it stands is holy
ground and that no king shall ever set
his foot on 1t.
On the fifth question. relative to pay
| ing the obligations Of this government