The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-06-19

yana, and hot frenzy Cf indignation swept
over our people, and conflict seemed in
evi-ahle. he faced popular cIsmor and heat
ed coCEsels, ard still believed that the
wrongs cf Cuba could be reme6ied and re-
dressed without an appeal 70 the arbltra-
msnt CT war.
The folly OF spain and the Indignation
OF the American people forbade a peace
ful solution Then the President. second
ed by Republican Congress. before a gun
was 6red, declared 10 the world ,hs lofty
and uDse!lsh motives that alone actua-5d
the nat.C1- 10 man now OF in the c5nyu-
ries 20 come. when history, which alone
'triCmphs over time rec0uu-s the marvel
GUS story OF the war which changed the
map Cf the world. shall ever JruIhrUIy say
that this Republic was animated by any
bCt TIE nO1-eSt purposes Recorded tine
tells Of no such war, for i- was fought,
with bloody sacrifice, by a great and free
Republic. for tho freedom OF another race,
while its own liberties were unaszziled-
The InsuIar PosseS>ious-
Until cur soldiers and sailors had land
ed at Manila We had known little Of the
conditions Of the people CT The Philippines
We soon asceVtained that the cruelties and
expressions existing in Cuba were mild
compared wish the treatment 10 which
Z eight millions Of people n thCse islands
were subjected. We realized that II We
relinquished the archipelago 10 Spain We
consigned its inhabitants again 20 con-
ditiOn worse than slavery, worse than bar
barism. We had put cur hands 10 the
plow, and every instinct Of honor and hu-
Uanity forbade US 10 turn back. A uni
I veTsal demand arose from all over the
( country that We should retain oar hold Up-
/ on these islands. afford their people The
! protection Of our laws, lift them out OF
/ their unfortunate condition. and st them
| II possible, for government. Any
| agreement by our Commissioners to give
/ back the Philippines 70 Spain. reserving
4 for ourselves an island CT a cOaIiGS sta
! tiCn. would have aroused . universal na-
| tional indignation, and would never have
! been ratified By the representative OF The
people.
No man saw this so clearly as did the
| President. IN his advice 10 the C0umis-
| sioEers he told them il was imperative
| that We should be governed only by mo
/ Jiyes that should exaIt the nation. that
territorial expansion was our least con
cern, but that, whatever else was done,
the people OF the Philippines must be lib
Grated from Spanish domination. and he
reached this view solely through eonsid-
eratiOns Of duty and humanity.
We assumed dominion Of Porto Rico,
Cuba, and the Philippines for reas-ns dif-
feTing as TO each Of them.
We took 10 ourselves the little island o.
Porto Rico because il lay under the sh.d "
OF our own shores aGd because its continued
occupancy by Spain or BY any foreign gov
eminent would be a constant menace tc
the States, and 10 that great inter-oceaniC
waterway which We shall build and Owl
and operate as an American canal. We
found il impoverished by years OF colonial
misgoyerEuent and without any system o.
revenue laws Sooa after the peace its
people were further stricken b. food and
famine We assumed toward them every
obligation which sympathy ard friend hip
could prompt We contributed IS q nation
large sums Of money 60 ameiiOTata J1eiT
condition ard TO enable them L Plant and
garner their crops Then we said TO them:
We shall give you q just and equitable
form Of free government, with po-ser "a
. manage your home 2fI3irs. Uutil you shall
devise proper and efficient methods Of rev
enue and taxation, your needed funds sha
+ raised as follows: You shall pay up-u
your imports 10 per cent Of the presea;
tariff rate governing impOrtations into tic
United States. which means an average
duty Of about per cent Al the necessa-
ries Of life and building materials for TIE
structures yCu reed shall be free. On March
1, 1902, all these duties shall cease in any
event, and shall cease scorer II before that
time you can arrange for Ii, needed rev.
enues OF the island.
The recommendations Of the President