The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-06

WYE ARE IN the Philippines. Our flag Is
w there; our boys in blue are there. They
w are not there for conquest; they are not
there for dominion. They are there be.
cause, in the providence Of God, who moves mys.
terously, that great archipelago has been placed
in the hands Of the American people.
Duty determines destiny. Destiny which
results from duty performed may bring ankle.
ty and peril, but never failure and dishonor.
Pursuing duty may not always lead by smooth
paths. Another course may look easier and
more attractive, but pursuing duty for duys
sake Is always sure and safe and honorable.
The sovereignty of the United States in the
Philippines cannot be given away by presi.
dent. That sovereignty belongs to the people;
and so long that territory is ours the presi.
dent Of the United States has but one duty
TO perform, and that is to maintain and estab.
lish the authority of the United States in
those islands.
The boys who carry our flag in that distant
sea will be sustained by the American people.
1t is the flag Of our faith and our purpose;
it is the flag Of our love. 1t represents the
conscience Of the country and carries with
it, wherever il goes education, civilization,
and liberty. And let those lower it who will
The ohstructionsts are here, not elsewhere.
| They may postpone, but they cannot defeat
| the realization of the high purpose of this ma
| tion to restore order in the islands and cstab
| lsh just and generous government in which
the inhabitants shall have the largest partci
| patton Of which they arc capable.
We will fulfill in the Philippines the obli
cations imposed by the triumphs Of our army
| and the treaty Of peace, by international law,
| by the nations sense Of honor, and more than
| all, by the rights, interests, and conditions
Of the Philippine people themselves.
Shall we distrust ourselves, shall we pro.
| claim to the world our inability to give kind.
| ly government to oppressed peoples whose
| future by the victories Of war is confded to
| us? We may wish il were otherwise, but who
will question our duty now2
Our soldiers carrying our flag in Luzon will
be supported by the people Of the United
States and hostilties will stop in that dis.
tant island OF the sea when the men who
assaulted our flag and soldiers shall lay
down their arms.
| The patriotism Of the American people
| takes the place of a large standing army
| We do not need such an army in the United
| States We can have an army on any notice
if the nation is in peril or its standard IS
threatened
| No terms until the disputed authority Of
the United States shall be acknowledged
throughout the archipelago! After that con-
| grcss will make a government under the
| sovereignty Of the United States.
| The Philippines are ours, and American au.
thority must be supreme throughout the archi-
pelago; there will be amnesty broad and
| liberal lint no abatement of our rights.
abandonment Of our duty.
| No imperial demands lurk in the American
| mind. They are alien to American sentiment,
| thought and purpose Our priceless princi-
| pies undergo no change under tropical sun.
They go with the flag.
| It is no longer a question OF expansion with
us; we have expanded. II there is any ques-
| t1on at all, it is a question of contraction;
and who is going to contract?
| Not a blow has been struck except for
liberty and humanity and none will be; we
| will perform without fear every national and
| international obligation.
| We have been moving in untried paths, but
our steps have been guided by honor and
duty; there will be no turning back, no
| vavering no retreat.
| There can he no imperialism. Those who
fear it are against it. Those who have faith
in the republic are against it.
| No political outcry can abrogate our treaty
OF peace with Spain or absolye us from its
solemn engagements.
There must be no scuttle policy.