The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1900-09-12


my recommendation by removing, on
the first day of May last S5 per cent. of
the duties and providing for the remOv-
al of the remaining 10 per cent. on the
lst of March, 1902 or earlier If the
legislature of Porto Rico shall provide
local revenues for the expenses of con-
Quoting the government. During this
intermediate period Porto Rican
products coming into the United States
pay a tariff of Is per cent. Of the rates
under the Dingley act, and our goods
to Porto Rico may pay like rate. The
duties thus paid and collected both in
Porto Rico and the United States are
paid 10 the government of Porto Rico
and no part thereof is taken by the ma
tional government.
There has been no time since the de-
structlon of the enemy's fleet when we
could OF should have left the Philippine
archipelago. After the treaty Of peace
was ratified no power but congress
could surrender our sovereignty or
ALLEVIATE foot Of the territory thus ac
quired. The congress has not seen fit
10 do the one or the other, and the pres
ident had no authority to do either, II
he had been so inclined, which he was
not. SO long as the sovereignty re-
mains in us it is the duty of the execu
tive, whoever he may be, to uphold that
sovereignty and If 1t be attacked to
suppress it's assailants. Would our po-
litical adversaries do less?
The American people are asked by
our opponents to yield the sovereignty
of the United States In the Philippines
to small fraction of the population,
single tribe out of 80 or more inhabit-
ing the archipelago, faction which
wantonly attacked the American troops
In Manila while in rlghtful 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.
This would require an army and navy
far larger than is now maintained in
the PHILIPPINES and still more in excess
of what will be necessary with the full
recognition of our sovereignty. A mil
tary support of authority not our own
as thus proposed Is the every essence
of militarism which our opponents in
their platform oppose, but which by
their policy would Of necessity be
established in its most offensive form.
Those who profess to distrust the
liberal and honorable purposes of the
administration in Its treatment of the
Philippines are not justified. Imperial
ism has no place in its creed or con-
duct. Freedom is a rock upon which
the Republican party was builded and
now rests Liberty is the great Re-
publican doctrine for which the people
went to war and for which a million
lives were offered and billions of dol
lars were expanded to make 1t lawful
legacy Of all without the consent of
master or slave. There is a strain OF
ill-concealed hypocrisy in the anxiety
to extend the constitutional guaran-
tees to the people of the Philippines,
while their notification is openly ad-
vocated at home. Our opponents may
distrust themselves but they have no
right to discredit the good faith and
patriotism Of the majority of the peo-
pie, who are opposed to them; they
may fear the worst form of imperial
ism with the helpless Filipinos in their
hands; but If they do, it is because they
have parted with the spirit and faith
of the fathers and have lost the viril-
ity of the founders Of the party which
they profess to represent.
Empire has been expelled from Por-
to Rico and the Philippines by Ameri-
can freemen. The flag Of the Republic
now floats over these islands as an
emblem of rightful sovereignty. Will
the Republic stay and dispense to their
inhabitants the blessings of liberty,
education and free Institutions, or steal
away, leaving them to anarchy or i'm
perialism?
The American question is between
duty and desertion-the American ver-
dict will be for duty and against des-
ertion, for the republic against both
anarchy and Imperialism.
The country has been fully advised of
the purposes of the United States in
China and they will be faithfully ad-
hered to as already defined.
The nation is filled with gratitude
that the little band. among them many
of our own blood, who for two months
have been subject to prlvations and
peril by the attacks of pitiless hordes
at the Chinese capital exhibiting su-
preme courage in the face of despair,
have been enabled by Gods favor to
greet their rescuers and find shelter
under their own flag. The people
not alone of this land but of all lands
have watched and prayed through the
terrible stress and protracted agony of
the helpless sufferers in Pekin. and
while at times the dark tidings seemed
to make all hope vain, the rescuers
never faltered in the heroic fulfillment
of their noble task.
We are grateful to our own soldiers
and sailors and marines, and to all
the brave men who though assembled
under many standards representing
peoples and races strangers in country
and speech were yet united in the sac
red mission of carrying succor to the
besleged, with a success that is now the
cause Of a worlds rejoicing.
Not only have we reason for thanks
giving for our material blessings, but
we should rejoice in the complete uni
fcation of the people Of all sections Of
our country, that has so happily de-
veloped in the last few years and made
for US a more perfect union.
The obligation of old differences, the
common devotion to the flag and the
common sacrifices for its honor so con-
spicuously shown by the men of the
North and South in the Spanish war
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