BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1900-03-08
tionally, Was brought to our outposts
under a flag of truce.
CONTINUED on second pagel.
Filipino
independence.

Senator Richard r. Kenney of
Delaware speaking on the Philip
pine question said:
am one of those senators who
voted for the ratification of the tre-
atty of Paris, believing that ratifica-
tion meant the end of the war we
bad commenced for humanity's sake,
and that the s 2O,OOO,OOO awarded
Spain Was the act not only of a
magnanimous victor, but as we'll a
tlibute placed on liberty's altar by
a people who knew the value of fire.
edom. Are there any who know
the history of the last two years who
will contend that if at the time the
vote on the treaty was taken it had
been stated ON the floor of this Sc
nate that war in the Philippines was
to go on, and that the millions aWar-
ded to Spain was the purchase price
for people to be held in perpetual
vassalage, that instrument would
have beeen ratified? 1 do not think
there are any such.
" do know, that of the infuen-
ces which moved members OF this
Senate to vote for the treaty, the
most powerful were the desire to
end the war and commence the work
of liberty and freedom in those far
islands. L believe that there fare
senators to-day who are supporting
the policy of the administration who
at the time of the vote on the peace
treaty never dreamed that now they
would be advocating territorial and
foreign policies for this government
which are as strange to its institu-
tiODs and traditions as they are un-
lust and iniGuitous. But under the
lash and spur of party policy and
expediency they have wheeled into
line and now stand ready, not me,
rely as passive agents, but as actiYe,
workers, to cOnsumInate that which
must then have been the hidden
purposes Of persons who dared not
that the light of public discussion
should shine on their nefarious sche-
mes.
. THAT which has occurred in the
Philippines since the Senate ra-
titled the treaty of peace is as little
chargeable to that act of the Senate
as it is to those who voted against
ratification. The reasons for the
war with the FilipinOs and the i'm
perialiStic policy of the Republican
administration must be sought for
outside of the treaty of Paris, for in
it there will be found authority for
neither.
+" We have in honor left us but a
single course, to give the islands
back into the hands of their own
people, and in doing thSt we must
be satisfied that there is in them and
their leader, Agulnaldo, fitness and
ability for self government"
The American people are too
great and free to be unjust. JUS
tice alone should govern us in our
action with the Philippines, so that
in the years to come no blush of
shame shall be ours. We should
now and at once say to those brave
men of the Pacific 'Our war with
you is not for conquest, but that
peace in the islands may be restored;
and so soon as peace does come
American duty and honor will be
the American policy, and the fire.
edom and independence of the Phi
lippins Islands guaranteed, if need
be, for all time by American arms"
Let it not be said of the American
people that they who first wrested
freedom from a crown and proved
to the world that people could CO.
vern themselves, in the zenith Of
their greatness, flushed with victory,
forgot what liberty meant"