Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1900-09-13

this end is the true American policy. The
past three years have been more satistac-
tory to American workngmen than many
preceding years. Any change OF the
present Industrial or financial policy OF
the government would be disastrous to
their highest interests. With prosperity
at home and an increasing foreign mar
ket for American products, employment
should continue to wait upon labor, ana
with the present gold standard the Work
tngman is secured against payments Tor
his labor in a deprecated currency. FOR
labor short day is better than a snort
dollar; one will tighten the burdens; the
other lessons the rewards of toll. The
one will promote contentment ana lnde-
pendence; the other penury and want.
The wages of labor should be adequate
to keep the home in comfort, educate the
children and, with thrift and economy,
lay something by for the days of in
trinity and old age.
ways had the support and encourage
ment of the Republican party. The 1u-
ture of the merit system is safe in its
hands.
Gratitude to the Soldiers.
The American people are profoundly
grateful to the soldiers. sailors and ma
rines who have in every time OF conllict
fought their countrys 5 battles ana ue-
Tended its honor. The survivors ana the
widows and orphans of those who have
fallen are justly entitled to receive the
generous and consderate care OF the ma
ton. Few are now left OF those VINO
fought in the Mexican war, and while
many of the veterans of the civil war are
still spared 20 us, their numbers are rap
idly diminishing and age and inllrmlty
are increasing their dependence. These,
with the soldiers of the Spanish war,
will not be neglected by their grateful
countrymen.
We have been in possession of Cuba
since the first of January. 1899. We have
col liGlA cd
tranquility. We have fed the starving,
clothed the naked and ministered to the
sick. We have improved the sanitary
condition of the island. We have slim
ulated industry. introduced public educa-
ton and taken full and comprehensive
enumeration of the inhabitants Ihe
qualification of electors has been settled
and under it officers have been chosen for
all the municipalities of Cuba. These
local governments are now in operation,
administered by the people. Our mill
tary establishment has been reduced from
$43 600 to less than $1,000. An election has
been ordered to be held on the 18th of
September. under a fair election law al
ready tried in the municipal elections, to
choose members of Il constitutional con-
vention, and the convention OF the same
order is to assemble on the first Monday
of November to frame constitution
upon which an independent government
for the island will rest. All this Is a
long step in the fulilllment of our sacred
guarantees to the people of Cuba.
We hold Porto Rico by the same title
as the Philippines. The treaty OF peace
which ceded US the one conveyed to us
the other. Congress has given to this
island government in which the inhabi-
tants participate, elect their own legisla-
ture, enact their own local laws, provide
their own system of taxation. and in
these respects have the same power and
privileges enjoyed by other territories be-
longing to the United States, and much
larger measure of self government than
was given to the inhabitants of Louisiana
under Jefferson.
All of the duties from Nov J. 1898, to
June 80, 1900. aggregating the sum of ST.
2j0 523 81 paid at the custom houses in the
United States upon Porto Rican products,
under the laws existing prior to the re-
cent act of congress, have gone into the
treasury of Porto Rico to relieve the des-
ttute. and for schools and other public
purposes. In addition to this we have
expended for relief. education and i'm
provement of roads the sum of 81, ,5l3 :
0S4.95. The United States military force
in the island has been reduced from II 000
to 1,5O0, and native Porto Ricans consti-
tute for the most part the local con-
stabulary. Under the new law and the
Inauguration of civil government there
has been a gratifying revival of business.
The president then enters into an ex-
hauStiVe discussion OF the events pre-
ceding and during the war with Spain,
the appointment of the various commits
sions, and quotes at length from his in
structions to the commissioners and their
reports. Addressing the Paris peace com
mission on Nov. 49, 1885, the president
said:
Our obligations to the FiIipinOs.
From the standpoint of indemnity both
the archipelagoes porto Rico and the
Philippines are insufficient to pay our
war expenses, but aside from this do we
not owe an obligation to the people of the
Philippines which will not permit us to
return them to the sovereignty of Spain? -?
Could We justify ourselves in such a
course or could we permit their barter
TO some other power? Willing or not we
have the responsibility of duty which We
cannot escape. The president
cannot believe any division of the arch
ipelago can bring US anything but en-
barrassment in the future. The trade and
commercial side, as well as the indemnity
for the cost of the war, are questions we
might yield. They might be waived or
compromised. but the questions of duty
and humanity appeal TO the president so
strongly that he can find no appropriate
answer but the one he has here marked
out.
Referring to the commission appointed
in January, 1899, consisting of Jacob q.
Schurman Admiral Dewey. Charles Den
by, Dean c. Worcester and Major General
Otis, the president says:
As early as April, 1899, the Philippine
commission. of which DIR. Schurman was
president. endeavored to bring about
peace in the islands by repeated confer
enCeS with leading laIdlOSS representing
the SO-Calied inSurgcnt government, 10
the end that some general plan of gov
ernment might be offered them which
they would accept. SO great was the sat
isfaction of the insurgent commissions
ers with the form of government pro-
posed by the American commissioners
that the latter submitted the proposed
scheme TO me for approval, and my ac-
tion thereon is shown by the following
cable message of May 3, 1899:
You are authorized to propose that un-
der the military power of the president,
pending action of congress. government OF
the Philippine islands shall consist of a
governor general appointed by the presi-
dent, cabinet appointed by the governor
general: general advisory council elect
ed by the people. the qualifications OF
electors to be carefully considered and
determined; and the governor general to
have absolute veto: judiciary strong and
independent; principal judges appointed
by the president. the cabinet and judges
10 be chosen from natives or Americans
or both, having regard for fitness. The
president earnestly desires the cessation
of bloodshed, and that the people Of the
Philippine Islands at an early date will
have the large measure of local self gov
ernment consistent with peace and good
order.
In the latter part of May another group
OF representatives, came from the insur-
gent leader The whole matter was fully
discussed with them ana promise of ac-
ccptance seemed near at hand. They
assured our commissioners thcy would rec
turn after consulting with their leader
but they never did. 81.
As result eff the views expressed by
The FIRST Tagalog representative favor
able 10 the plan of the commission Il
appears that he was, by military order
shoulder straps. d missed from the army
and sentenced t0 l1 years. Imprisonment
After tue most thorough study 0t thg
pD9pl. ~ tle aienlte ahp lhe commission