The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-10-10
ROOSEVELT
in ST. LOUIS
Continued srom First page.


certain of our own states-I thsnk # he
would devote attention 10 the wrongs OF
the black American here. rather than 10
the wholly fanciful injuries done Tag&l
bandits on the other side OF the ocean,
that his work would bear more useful
fruit
Now one moment as to the Philip
pines. We cannot in honor shirk our
work in the Philippines We are there
and we have got TO stay. Peace has
come through the last century to large
sections of the earth because the civil
lied races have spread over the world
dark places. 1t Is a good thing for the
world that France should be in AIgiers,
England in the oSudan and Russia. in
Turkestan. 1t is a good thing for the
world; and above all it is a good thing
for the people Of those countries. Now,
what is our duty IN the Philippines? 1t
is a duty to govern those islands in the
interest of the islanders. not less than
in accordance with our own honor and
interest. We are not to be excused II
we do not make it better for the island
ers that we have taken charge OF the
islands Liberty? Yes, the island shall
have such liberty as they could never
know under the leadership of a syndi-
cate of inconceivably corrupt and cruel
half breeds But it shall be a liberty in
fact and no travesty; II shall be liberty
with order.
''Now, I have used certain terms, in
conceivably cruel and corrupt, have no
business to use these words about any
man, Malay or half-breed. or Chinaman,
or anyone else, il 1 cannot make them
good; but can make them good. ask
you to turn TO any responsible history Of
the conditions in the Philippines, to any
such books as that of Mr.. Foreman's de-
scribing the conditions before and after
the taking of Manila by our troops, and
I ask you to turn to the report cabIed
here by the Philippine commission con-
sisting of Republicans like Judge Taft OF
Ohio, and Democrats like that gallant
ex-Confederate soldier General Lucas
Wright of Tennessee and then I would
wish you to see some Of the letters of
which I have received scores, which
have in my possession, from truthful and
responsible men. 1 wish you could see
the descriptions Of the fearful cruelty
and corruption of the insurgents ard
year ago when Aguinaldo was the para
mount issue of our opponents. Do you
recollect how some not very strong
minded enthusiasts called him the
George Washington OF the Philippines?
Do you recollect his career? He started
the insurrection and he sold out for four
hundred thousand dollars to Spain. Not
a George Washington in that. At that
point he bacon a Benedict Arnold. But
I must no do injustice TO Arnold. Arnold
stayed bought. Aguinaldo didn't. With
the money OF the Spanish government
in the equivalent for his trousers pocket
he came back under our protection, nom
inally to fight with US. and within two
months was negotiating with the remains
of the Spanish armies to join forces with
them against us. So that four times
within one year he broke his faith and
he sold out for money once. and once
he changed after he had got the money
that should have guaranteed that he
would not change So much for the heed
of the insurrection.
I've have heard from unimpeachabIe
authority how the friendly natives who
have trusted to our good faith are tor
tured for their friendliness TO our flag,
how their limbs are broken and their
tongues torn out, and how they are sub
jected to all the cruelties that could be
imagined. because they have been
friendly with us in this struggle. Now,
shall We abandon them TO such a fate as
that? Never while we keep faith with
friend or foe