Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-09-20

49,
Feb. 10, 1900, says that he was present at
the Interview between Admiral Dewey and
the lnsurgent leader. and that In this Inter
view Aemiral Dewey made no promises
whatever. He adds:
HE tAguinaldol asked me II my govern
ment was going TO recognize mis- govern
ment. | answered that ! was there simply
In II military capacity; that l could not ac-
knowledge his government, because ! had no
authority to do So"
Easy to Find Fault.
Would not our adversaries have sent
Dewey's fleet TO Manila TO capture and de-
stroy the spanish sea power there, or. dis
patching IL there. would they have with
dra wn Il after the destruction Of the Span
ish feet; and IL the latter. whittier would
they have directed to sail? Where could
II have gomez What port In the Orient was
opened to lit
DO our adversarles condemn the expedi-
tlon under the command of General Merritt
TO strengthen Dewey In the distant ocean
and assist In our triumph over Spain, With
which nation we were at war? Was 1t not
our highest duty 10 strike Spain at every
vulnerable point, that the war might be
successfully concluded at the earliest prac-
ticable moment?
Asks for Honest Opinion.
And was II not our duty TO protect the
lives and property Of those who came within
our control by the fortunes OF war? Could
~ - NNAAN y" - 10y
May 4, 1898. and the conclusion OF peace
without a stain upon our good name! Could
we have. come away without dishonor at any
time after the ratification OF the peace treaty
by the Senate of the United Statesf
There has been no time since the destruc-
ton of the epemy's feet when we could or
should have feft the Philippine archipelago.
After the treaty OF peace was ratified no
power but Congress could surrender our
sovereignty or ALLEVIATE n foot OF the terri
tory thus acquired. The Congress has not
4 Snan At IN do tho m lnr tho nthAF and thf.
President had no authority to do either, III
he had been so inclined, which he was not.
So long as the sovereignty remains In MS II
Is the duty of the executive. whoever he
may be, to uphold that sovereignty. and IL u
be attacked TO suppress Its assallants. Would
our political adversaries do less?
Begun by Insurgents.
1t has been asserted that there would have
been no fighting In the Philippines IL Con.
gress had declared Its purpose TO give indie
pendence to the Tayal insurgents. The In
surgents did not walt for the action OF Con
gress. They assumed the offensive, they
opened fire on our army.
Those who assert our responsibility for
the beginning of the conflict have forgotten
that before the treaty was ratified In the
Senate, and while liz was being debated In
that body, and while the Bacon resolution
was under discussion, on Feb. A. 1909. the
Insurgents attacked the American army,
] after being previously advised that the
American forces were under orders not to
fire upon them except In defense. The pa
pers found In the recently captured archives
of the insurgents demonstrate that this at
tack had been carefully planned for weeks
before Ii occurred.
Only One Course Open.
Their unprovoked assault upon our sol
diers at a time when the Senate was DELHI
Grating upon the treaty shows that no ac-
tion on our part except surrender and aban-
donment would have prevented the fighting,
and leaves NO doubt In any fair mind where
the responsibility rests for the shedding OF
With all the exaggerated phrasemaking
of this electoral contest, we are In danger of
being diverted from the real contention. We
are In agreement with all of those who sup
ported the war with Spain, and also with
those who counseled the ratification OF the
treaty of peace. Upon these two great es-
sential steps there can be no Issue, and out
of these cam all Of our responsibilities. II
others would shirk the obligations imposed
by the war and the treaty, we must decline
to act further with them, and here the Issue
was made.
1t Is our purpose to establish In the Philip
pines a government suitable TO the wants
and conditions OF the Inhabitants. and 10
prepare them for self government, and TO
give them self-government when they are
| ready for II, and as rapidly as they are
ready for 1t. That ! am aiming to do under
my constitutional authority, and will con-
rinue TO do until Congress shall determine
the political status of the Inhabitants Of the
archipelago.
/, Plea for Consistency.
Are our opponents against the treaty? IL
so, they must be reminded that IL 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 a large appropriation comprised
Senators and Representatives or the people
OF all parties.
Would our opponents surrender TO the in
surgents, abandon our sovereignty or cede Ii
TO them? Ii that be not their purpose. then
IL should be promptly disclaimed, for only
evil can result from the hopes raised by our
opponents in the minds of the Filipinos, that
with their success at the polls In November
there will be a wal OF our army snd
OF American sovereignty over tie archipela-
go. the complete Independence OF the Taga-
government over all the other peoples OF the
archipelago conferred upon the Tagalog
leaders.
Pr~longs the Rebellion.
The effect of a belief In the minds OF the
insurgents that this will be done has al
ready prolonged the rebellion and increases
the necessity for the continuance Of a large
army. 1t Is now delaying full peace In the
archipelago and the establishment of civil
governments, and has Influenced many OF
the insurgents against accepting the liberal
terms of amnesty offered by Gen. Macarthur
under my direction. But for these false
hopes a considerable reduction could have
ben had In our military establishment In the
Philippines and the realization OF a stable
government would be already at hand.
The American people are asked by our OPP
A BVbth " h&H@ - SakJ VI tAS
United States in the Philippines TO a small
fraction Of the population. a single tribe out
of eighty or more inhabiting the archipelago.
a faction which wantonly attacked the
American troops In Manila while In right
ful possession under the protocol with
Spain, awaiting 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
onr sovereignty TO a small minority In the
Islands without consulting the majority and
TO abandon the largest portion OF the popu-
latlon. which has been loyal 10 Us, TO the
cruelties of the guerrilla lnsnrgent bands.
Demands Cannot Be Met.
Mere than this. we are asked TO protect
this minority In establishing a government.
and to this end repress all opposition OF the
majority. We are required 10 set up a sta
BILE government In the interest OF those who
have assalled our sovereignty and hred upon
our soldiers, and then maintain IL at any
cost or sa crifice against It's enemies within
and against those having ambitious designs
from without.
This would require an army and navy far
larger than Is now maintained In the Philip
pines and still more In excess OF what will
Y be necessary with the full recognition OF our
sovereignty. A military support OF author
Ity not our own, as thus proposed. Is the very
essence OF militarism. which our opponents
In their platform oppose. but which by their
| nnlfev would of necessity his eSfahIIShed I'm