Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-09-13


the Tagal insurgents. The insurgents
! did not wait for the action of congress.
They assumed the offensive; they OPP
| ened fire on our army. Those who
assert our responsibility for the be-
ginning of the conflict have forgotten
that before the treaty was ratified in
the senate and while it was being
debated in that body, and while the
| Bacon resolution was under discus
sion, on Feb. 4, 1899, the insurgents
attacked the American army, after
being previously advised that the
| American forces were under orders
not fire upon them except in defense.
WHERE THE ISSUE is MADE.
President Declares 1t Matter of Obliga-
| tion Imposed by War,
with all the exaggerated phrase
making of this electoral contest, we
are in danger of being diverted from
the read contention. We are in agree
ment with all of those who supported
the war with Spain, and also with
those who counselled the ratification
of the treaty of peace. Upon these
two great essential steps there can be
| no issue, and out of these come all of
our responsibilities. IT others would
shirk the obligations imposed by the
war and the treaty, we must decline
to act further with them, and here
| the issue is made. 1t is our purpose
| to establish in the Philippines gov
eminent suitable to the wants and
conditions of the inhabitants and to
prepare them for Self-government
when they are ready for it. That 1
am aiming to do under my constitu-
tional authority-and will continue to
do until congress shall determine the
political status of the inhabitants of
the archipelago. Are our opponents
against the treaty? If so, they must
| be reminded that it could not have
| been ratified in the senate but for
their assistance. The senate which
ratified the treaty and the congress
which added its sanction by large
| appropriation, comprised senators and
representatives. of the people of all
| parties. Would our opponents surren-
der to the insurgents, abandon our
sovereignty or cede it to them? If that
be not their purpose, then it should be
/ promptly disclaimed, for only evil can
result from the hopes raised by our
opponents in the minds of the Filipi-
| nos, that with their success at the
polls in November there will be a
| withdrawal of our army and of Amer
lean sovereignty over the archipelago;
the complete independence of the Ia
galog people recognized and the pow
ers of government over all the other
parties of the archipelago conferred
upon the Tagalog leaders.
'srhe effect of a belief in the minds
of the insurgents that this will be
done has already prolonged the rebel
lion and increases the necessity for
the continuance of a large army. 1t is
now delaying full peace in the archi-
pelago and the establishment of civil
governments, and has Influenced
many Of the insurgents against ac-
cepting the liberal terms Of amnesty
offered by General Macarthur under
my direction. But for these false
hopes considerable reduction could
have been had in our military estab-
lishment in the Philippines and the
realization of stable government
would be already at hand. The
American people are asked by our op-
ponents to yield the sovereignty Of the
United States in the Philippines to
small fraction Of the population, a
single tribe out Of eighty or more in
hahitfng the archipelago, fraction
which wantonly attacked the Ameri-
can troops in Manila while in rightful
possession under the protocol with
Spain, awaiting the ratification of the
treaty of peace by the senate, and
which has since been inactive. open
rebellion against the United States.
We are asked to transfer our sover-
eighty to n small minority in the ISL
ands without consulting the majority
and to abandon the largest portion
of the population, which has been 10y
al to us, to the cruelties of the guer-
lila insurgent bands. More than this,
we are asked to protect this minority
IN establishing government and to
this end repress all opposition Of the
majority. We are required to set ND
a stable government in the interest Of
those who have assailed our sovereign.
ty and fired upon our soldiers, and
then maintain it at any cost or sacrt.
fee against its enemies within and
against those having ambitious de-
signs from without
PROPOSITION OF TIE DEMOCRATS
Argument to Show That 1t Would Not
Work Well In Practice.
| Ii snoit, tue pTOpOSlllOn OF those
opposed to US is to continue all the
obligations in the Philippines which
now rests upon the government, only
changing the relation from principal,
which now exists, to that of surety.
Our responsibility is to remain, but
our power is to be diminished. Our
obligation is to be no less, but our
title is to be surrendered to another
power, which is without experience
or training, OF the ability to maintain
a stable government at home and alb
solutely helpless to perform it's inter-
national obligations with the rest of
the world. To this we are opposed. We
should not yield our title while our
obligations last. In the language of
our platform, Our authority should
not be less than our responsibility
and our present responsibility Is to
establish our authority in every part
of the island. No government can
so certainly preserve the peace. re-