Rocky Ford enterprise., 1900-09-14
Mr.. M'KINLEY'S LETTER
ACCEPTING THE NOMINATION

title as the Philippines. The treaty OF
peace which ccded us the one conveyed
TO us the other. Congress has given
To this island government in which
the Inhabitants participate. elect their
| own legislature. enact their own local
laws. provide their own system of tax
alton. and In these respects have the
same power and privileges enjoyed by
! other territories belonging to the Unit
ed States. and n much larger measure
OF seif-government than was given to
the inhabitants OF Louisiana under
jefferson. \ District Court OF the
United States for Porto Rico has been
established, and local courts have been
lnaugurated, all OF which are In opera
tIon.
"The tariff duties paid and collected
both In Porto Rico and the United
States are paid to the government OF
Porto Rico. and no part thereof is TAX
en- by the national government.
Mr.. Mckinley goes Into the Philip
pine question nj length. After recit-
the islands. futile negotiations for
peace with the Filipinos. the insfruc-
tions to the commission and Its report.
he says:
There hns been no time since the
destruction OF the cnemy's fleet when
we could or should have left the Phil
ippine archipelago. After the treaty Of
peace was ratified no power but Con
grcss could surrender our sovereignty
or ALLEVIATE foot OF the territory thus
acquired. The Congress has not seen
ilt TO do the one or the other, and the
President has no authority 10 do either.
| II he had been so Inclined. which he
was not. 40 long rs the sovereignty
Il N... A. Il, al. .I..s.. 81 t.... nv
ecutivc. whoever lie may he. TO uphold
the sovereignty. and II II bc attacked
TO suppress Its assalianis. Would our
political advcrsarics do icssr
1T has been asserted that there
would have been no lighting In the
Philippines II Congress had declared
Its purpose to give Independence to the
| TnEnl Insurgents The Insurgents did
not walt for I'll. action of Congress-.
They assumed the offensive. They
opened fire ON our army. Those who
asserted our responsibility for the be.
ginning Of III. conflict have forgotten
that before the treaty was ratified In
the Senate nni while II WAS being de-
batcd In that body. and Will. the Ba-
con resolution was under discussion
on February I. ls:9. the insurgents Mt.
tackled the American army after being
previously advised that the American
forces were under orders not to open
fire upon them except In defense. The
papers found In the recently captured
archives OF the Insurgents demonstrate
that this attack had been carefully
planned for weeks before II occurred.
Their unprovokcd assault upon our sol
,iIcrs Mt n time when the Senate was
dclibcrnting upon the treaty shows that
no action ON our part except the sur
render and abandonment would have
prevented the fighting. and leaves no
doub; In fair minds where the rcspon.
sibiiity rests for the shedding OF Amcri-
can blood.
With NIL the exaggerated phrase
making of this electoral contest we are
In danger of being diverted from the
real contention.
I'VE are In agreement with nll OF
those who supported the war with
Spain and also with those who coun-
sclcd the ratification OF the treaty OF
peace. Upon these two great. essential
steps there can he no issue and out OF
these came NIL OF our responsibilities.
II others would shiri; the obligations
imposed by the war and treaty. we
must decline to act further with them.
and here the issue IN made. II Is our
purpose to establish IL the Philippines
government suitable to the wants
and conditions OF the Inhabitants. and
to prepare them for self.eovcrnmcnt,
and to give them self.govcrnment
when they are ready for II. 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.
"Thc American people are nsked by
| our opponents TO yield the sovereignty
OF the Islands OF the Philippines TO n
small fraction OF the population, n sim
gle tribe out OF eighty or more inhabit-
ing the archipelago, u fraction which
wantonly n attackcd the American troops
In Manila willie in rightful possession
under the protocol with Spain, await
! ing the ratification OF the treaty of
peace by the Senate, and which has
since been in active, open rebellion
against the United States. We are
asked TO transfer our sovereignty TO n
small minority In the islands without
consulting the majority. and abandon
| ing the largest portion of the popula-
tion. which has been loyal to us. to the
| crucltics of the guerilla insurgent
| bands. More than this, we are asked
TO protect this minority In establish
| ing n government. and to this end re-
press all opposition Of the majority.
We are required TO set up n stable gov
ernmcnt in the interest OF those who
have assailed our sovereignty and fired
upon our soldiers, and then maintain
1t at any cost or sacrifice against Its
enemies within and against those hay
ing ambitious designs without.
"This would require an army and
navy far larger than is now main
tanned in the Philippines and still
more In excess of what will be neces-
sary with the full recognition of our
sovereignty. a military support of au-
| thority not our own, rs thus proposed,
| Is the very essence of militarism,
which our opponents. in their platform,
| oppose, but which by their policy
| would of necessity be established In Its