The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-08-28
He Discussed the Policy of the President
in the Philippines.
THE FlLIpINos ACTED ON THE DEFENSIVE.
Had Fought Their Freedom for Years and the Present
Struggle a Continuation of Fight.
President McKnIey's Plan

ferring to the outbreak OF actual hostil- |
ties between US and the Fidpinos as
though the latter were The aggsessors ana |
much Is attempted 10 BIZ made out OF such |
expressions as that they fired on our |
flag"
but Of course. since we had secretly |
formed determination to seize the |
islands, IL is apparent that whenever that |
design became manifest or we attempted |
TO put 1t into effect. the Filipinos, IL they |
were earnest when declaring their object |
to be independent, would resist IT, The
aggressor, regardless OF who struck the |
frs. hlow. would be not he who stood IN |
defense OF right. but he Who by act or
threat compelled the other TO defend 1t
The development OF the hostile design |
was Itself an attack. The wonder is, Goa
sidering the tropical nature of the island
crs and the ongcontnued course OF ouc |
mingled retlcence, ambiguity and oftonse |
that they were not betrayed into violence /
long before any physical clash actually oc- |
cured. AS matter OF fact, however. as |
shown by Otis official report. our troops |
fired the first shot and the Eilipinos stood |
on the defensive.
The plan to possess the whole Philippine |
archlpolago and TO subdue it, If necessary. |
by force Of arms, was bluntly set forth by |
the president IN his instruction to Com |
eral Otis under date Of December n, 1898. /
which was embodied by the latter in the
famous proclamation OF January 5, 1899.
1T Is Important to bear in mind the time
when this proclamation was made. as
touching the question Of the presidents
right To issue It, It's responsibility for the
warfare that followed and its relation To
tho general subject OF arbitrary power,
whose increasingly easy assumption and
exercise are the invariable accompani-
ments of imperialism.
He then discussed the protocol and the
treaty of peace and the proclamation OF
January 3, 1893, at Manila which he de-
clared is OF the very essence OF imperial-
ism Divested OF its cant and made over
into plain language, the proclamation
tells the Fflipinos that we have seized
their country by brute force and propose
to hold It, and that they must submit to
our pretension, yield to our assumed au-
thorlty, or be shot to death. II boldly
proclaims the right of conquest, the
highway robbery of nations. For the first
time in American history it is asserted by
the responsible leader OF great party
and president OF the Republic that we
may rightfully wage war for purposes OF
dominion and acquire property in the land
| OF other nations and jurisdiction over
their Liberties and persons by the mere
| test of superior strength. II violates tho
most sacred traditions OF our history.
But what is probably as sinister in this
proclamation as even this fagant lndorse-
menl OF force as the basis of political au-
thlrity and as significant Of imperialistic
Tendencies in the executive, is the cool
assumption by The president of the power
70 act before the execution Of the treaty.
The treaty was not yet ratified II had
not, indeed, been approved by the senate,
but might easily never have been APP
proved, since the final action of that body
81 said to have been by bare majority
OF one vote.
Taking up Governor ROoseyelts speech.
he declared 1t II be enormously disap-
pointing, Neither In matter nor in man-
ner is It worthy OF Its occasion. In re-
spect OF argument the speech is. with
rare exceptions, an alienation Of evasions
and assertions. In spirit, It is q COM
pound of scold aud scullon. 1t abounds
In Inaccuracies which II not accidental.
are ineXplicable as coming from a man
who has performed credltably in history
and biography But the world Ia accus-
toned TO Inconsistencies from Mr.. Roasc-
Welt II has long looked upon his as pro
destined and inc9rrlgible eccentric. Il
has given up attempting to explain him
and to reconcile him with himself. 1t is
quite impossible, whether It would be
worth while otherwise or not to make an
entirely satisfactory diagnosis OF Il civil
rctormer In partnership with Thomas @.
Pfatt; q citlzen-soldier who ridicules tha
volunteer; leader In battle who finds
glory In being rescued from an ambush;
hero who boasts OF shooting a fleeing
foe in the back; 2 candidate who plays and
poses to delegates and galleries to obtain
nomination that he does mot want: a
gentleman who charges G.500000 OF his
fellow c.untrymen with lawlessness. dis
honesty md cowardlce statesman who.
mounted on a hobby. rides roughly Mt
grave questions In economics and politics
swinging his partisan isriat and yelling
liko an intellectual Comanche"
Mr.. Towne then read quotations from the
81. Paul sreach OF Governor Roosevelt
which he said showed the truth e. what
he had eaid Of the speech as whole. He
arrued at considerable len9th against any
possible constitutional rlPht under which
the United States could hold and govern
colonies. ridlcullng the alleged elaim that
this right was given by that provision OF
the constitution which gives congress tie
power TO make al needful rules and reg
ulatlons respecting tho territory md other
property "of the United States"
Mr. Towns VIII leave Tuesday or
Wednesday for Omahq and other western
points to enter actively into the work Of
tho enmraign.