Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1900-09-13
ATGELD ANSWERS ROOSEVELT.
Extract From Illinois Governors Great
Speech, Delivered Before Ohio Az
ISOLATION Of Democratic Clubs
at Toledo, August !, 1900.
[Concluded.l
Philippine Army.

1870 ABuih0iNO HpfCi hhHNhb "P1
piled repeatedly to President Me-
Kinley for an expression as to the
policy that he intended to pursue
toward the Philippines, asking
whether the Philippine people were
to be treated like the Cubans. This
was all they wanted. They were
already cooperating with us against
Spain. They had hailed us as
friends and they simply wanted a
declaration as to our intentions.
But the President, having already
secretly embarked upon policy Of
imperialism, evaded an answer.
lie gave them lofty platitudes about
the blessings OF civilization and
about our benevolent purpose, but
this was all. Had he told them
they were to be treated like the
Cubans, not n man would have
been killed in the Philippines. In
The meantime, the Philippine army,
which numbered about 30, 900 men
altogether, made itself master Of
the whole Of the Philippine Islands,
excepting Manila, which was held
by us. Remember, ii was the Phil
ippine army and not the American
army that did the fighting on the
Philippine Islands. They whipped
the Spaniards and took them pris-
oners they made the escape Of the
Spanish army from Manila even
impossible they captured oil Of
the cities Of the archipelago except
ing Manila. We have now the IN
disputable evidence Of men who
were on the ground, who travelled
over the country aud saw the con
ditions with their own cyes, that
the Philippine government up to
the time 1t was destroyed by our
forces maintained law aud order
and performed oil the functions
that could be expected Of new
government.
Treaty Of Peace With Spain.
The treaty Of peace with Spain
was signed on Decem Der ~, 1898.
st the time the Americans held
Manila, with territory Of about
fifteen miles square, aud the Phil.
ipplne government and the Philip.
pine army were in possession Of all
the remainder Of the Philippine
Islands with the exception Of Iloilo,
which was captured a week later.
With the capture Of this city, the
last yestige OF Spanish authority
was gone in The Islands. The Phil
ippine government and the Philip.
pine army were supreme, save
alone in Manila. What did we get
by our treaty? Suppose Spain had
been in actual possession Of all OF
the islands she could not sell the
inhabitants against their will. A
government cannot sell its people
it cannot sell human souls. II can
only sell property and agree not to
interfere in certain territory. SO
that Spain could not have sold us
those people If she had been in pos
session. At the time of making
the treaty she had nothing to sell.
The inhabitants Of the islands, to
whom the country belonged, we're
in possession and were IN control,
and her deed to us was not worth
recording. But the treaty did lot
60 in force until it was ratified by
both the Senate OF the United
States and the Spanish Cortes. 1t
was not ratified by the Senate un-
til February 9, 1899. 1t was not
in effect until that day,
Military Government,
But the President did not and
does not rely on this treaty, for on
December p, 1898, nearly weeks
before the treaty was ratified and
before we could get any rights I'M
der the treaty, and while the Phil
ippine government and Philippine
army were in possession Of the Phil
ippine Islands, excepting Manila,
the President issued his order to
General Otis, who then commanded
our forces, to extend the military
government Of Manila over the
whole of the Philippine Islands,
to compel tho philippine pennle To