Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-06-29
carry because of the war-revenue act, ana
meanwhile we have. out Of surplus revenues.

carry because OF the war-revenue act, and
meanwhile we have, out Of surplus revenues.
$4,000 600 of outstanding bonds. The COM
Ing winter will see enacted into law legisia-
ton which shall rcvivify and upbuild our
ocean merchant marine and enable us to
compete on fair terms with the subsidized
ships of foreign nations which now so large
" m%onopolize the carriage of American
goods. And, above all. we shall, having then
before us the report of the able commission
now ;scertaining the most favorable route,
pass Il law under which we shall build and
own and operate as property of the United
States. under exclusive American dominion
md control. a ship canal connecting the
Atlantic and the Pacific. Through it in time
of peace the of the world shall
pass. II we SHALL be unhapplly engaged in
shall exclude those of the enemy and under
conditions which shall violate no treaty stip-
ulations.
This is the brief account of our steward
ship for four years. During IL portion of that
period we were involved In II war that for IL
time varalyZed business and and
would have taxed heavily the resources and
credit CT any other country than ours; and
for the last year or more we have been en-
ploying an army of some 10000 men III sup
pressing an insnrrection against our author
NY S.UDn miles away. No industry has felt
the strain of these extraordinary expenses,
nor have they affected the general sum of
our prosperity. More than that. the cnndi-
tions resulting from the legislation of the
last four years have obliterated every Issue
that was raised during the last campaign.
The Democracy. having therefore to find
some rallyins cry, seek 1t in the results OF
our late var with Spain. and upon that qucs-
tion, as upon all others, VT stand ready to
meet them In the open.
The speaker reviewed the war with
Spain, the acquiring of the Philippines,
and said:
Until our soldiers and sailors had landed
nj ami tn had 1povrp ItNtI. - tl, .,,
ditions of the people of the Philippines. We
soon ascertained that the cruelties and op-
prcssions existing in Cub were mild com
pared with the treatment to which S,Oo0,0OU
OF people In those islands were subjected.
We realized that If we rel.nuuished the arch
ipe!ago to Spain we consigned its tnhabit-
ants again To IL condition worse than sla-
very, worse than burbarisln. We had put
our hands to the plow, and every instinct of
honor and humanity forbade us to turn back.
"A universal demand arose from all over the
country that we should retain our hold upon
these islands, afford their people the protcc-
ton of our laws, lift them ont of their I'M
fortunate condition and fit them If possible
Tor self-govcrnmcnt. ANY agreement by our
commissioners to give back the Philippines
TO Spain. reScrv.ng for ourselves an island
or a coalins station. would have aroused
II universal national Indignation and would
never have been ratified by the representa-
tivrs of the people.
We assumed dominion of Porto REQ. Cuba
and the Philippines for reasons differing as
10 each of them. We took to ourselves the
little island of Porto Rico because 1t lay
under the shadow of our own shores. and
because its continued occupancy by Spain
or by any foreign government would be a
constant menace to the States and to that
great interocchnic waterway which we shall
Dulld and own and operate as an American
canal. We found 1t Impoverished by years
of colonial disagreement and without any
system of revenue laws. Soon after the
peace Its people We're further stricken by
flood and famine. We assumed toward them
every obligation which sympathy and friend
ship conld prompt. We contributed as n
nation large sums of money to ameliorate
their condition and to enable them to plant
them: We shall give you IL just and cqulta-
Bile form of free government, with power
to manage your home affairs. Until you
shall devise proper and efficient methods of
revenue and taxation your needed funds
shall he raised as follows: You shall pay
upon Your imports Ii per cent. of the pres
ent tariff rate governing importations into
the United States, which means an average
duty of about Z per cent. All the neces-
structures you need shall he free. On the
LIST day of March. 1902. all these duties shall
cease in any event, and shall cease sooner II
before that time you can arrange for the
needed revenues of the island.
The recommendations of the President
were fully and satisfactorily complied with;
the people OF the island are content, the
vast mass of the American people approve,
and we have avoided precedents that might
lens that finally await us in the establish
mcnt of our permanent relations toward the
people Of the Philippine Islands.
- N--x