The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1900-09-28

ITFWFN
the insurgeni leader. and that In this inter
view Admiral Dewey made no promises
whatever lie adds:
He .(Aguinaldo) asked me II my govern
ment WAS going 10 recognize his govern
mcnt. | answered that | was there simply
In military capacity; that could not ac-
knowledge his government, because had no
authority 10 do so.'
Easy to Find FAINT
Would not our advcrsarIcs have sent
Dewey's feet to Manila TO capture and de-
strOy the Spanish sea power there, or. dis
patching il there, would they have with
drawn 1t after the destruction Of the Span
ish fleet; and II the latter, whittier would
they have directed to sail? Where could
II have gomez What pert In the Orient was
opened 10 IL?
DO our adversarles condemn ths expedi-
tion under the command of General Merritt
10 strengthen Dewey In the distant ocean
and assist in our triumph over spain, with
which nation we were at war? Was IL not
our highest duty TO strike Spain az every
vulnerable point, that the war might be
successfully concluded ut the earliest prac-
ticable moment?
Asks for Honest Opinion.
Aud was IL not our duty to protect the
lives and property OF those who came within
our control 10y the fortunes of wdri Could
we have come away at any time between
May |, 1898. and the conclusion OF peace
without stain upon our good name; Could
we have come awey without ~ honor at any
10y the Senate Of the United States!
There has been no time since the destruc-
tion OF the cnemy's fleet when we could or
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 terri
tory thus acquired. The Congress has not
seen tit to do the one or the other, ana the
President had no authority to do either, IT
he had been so inclined, which he was not.
So long as the sovereignty remains In us 1t
is the duty Of the executive. whoever he
may he. to uphold that sovcrelgnty. and II II
be attacked TO suppress its ASA lants. Won d
our 9cHtical advcrsaries do lessf
Begun by nsur~ents.
Ii has been asserted that there would have
been no fighting in the philippines If Con
grcss had declared IFS purpose to give inde-
pendencc To the Tagal Insurgents. The IN
surgents did not wait for the action of Con
gress. They assumed the offensive, they
opened fire on our army.
Those who assert our responsibility for
the beginning OF the conflict have forgotten
that before the treaty was ratified In the
Senate, and while i was being debated IN
that body. and while the Bacon resolution
was under discussion, on Feb. 4, 1899. the
insurgents attacked the American army.
after being previously advised that the
American forces were under orders not 10
fire upon them except In defense. The pa
pers found In the recently captured archives
of the insurgents demonstrate that this at
tack had been carefully planned for weeks
before Ii occurred.
Only 'ne Course Open.
Their unnrovokcd assault upon our sol
diers at time when the Senate was dcllbi
Grating upon the treaty shows thar no ac'
ton OF our part except surrender and ahan.
donmcnt would have prevented the hghtlnG,
and leaves 40 doubt i'm any fair mind where
he responsibility rests for the shedding OF
American blood
With all the exaggerated phrasemaking
of this electoral contest. we are In danger Of
being diverted from the real contention We
are In agreement with all OF those who sup
ported the war with spain, ana also WI, u
those who counseled the ratification Of the
treaty of peace. Upon these two great es-
seniial steps there can he no issue. ami ou
Of these came all Of our Responsibilities. II
Others would Shirk the obligations imposed
bJ the war and the treaty, we must decline
o act further with them, aud here the isSu@
was made
1t is our purpose to establish In the Philip
pines Cover nment suitable 10 the wants
md cOuditi ions of the inhabitants. and to
prepare them for sclfgovernmcnt. anh TO
dive them self-government when they are
ready for it, aud rs rapidly rs they are
ready fer IT, That am aiming TO do under
my constitutional aui hority. and will con
inuc to do until Congress shall determine
he political status of the inhabitants Of the
| archipelago.
Plea for ConSistcncy.
Are our opponents against the treaty. IA
so. they must be reminded that Il could not
have been ratified IN the Scna g hut for their
assistance. The Senate which ratified the
treaty ana the Congress which aided i;s
sane ion by large appropriation comprised
Senators and Representatives OF the people
of all parties.
Would our opponents surrender 10 the In
surgeuts. abandon our sovereignty or cede II
TO theml If that he not their purpose. then
II should be promptly disclaimed. trr only
evil can result from the hopes raised by our
opponents In the minds OF the FIJI piuos, That
with their success at the polls In November
there will be n withdrawal Of our army aud
OF American sovereignty over the archipela-
! go. the complete Independence of the Taga-
/ log people recognized ana the powers of
government over all the other peoples of the
archipelago conferred upon the Tagalog
leaders
Prolongs the Rebellion.
! The effect of Il belief In the minds Of the
insurgents that This will be done has al
ready prolonged the rebellion ana increases
the necessity for the continuance Of Il large
army. 1t is now delaying full peace In the
archipelago and the establishment OF civil
governments, and has Influenced many of
the Insurgents against accepting the liberal
terms of amnesty offered by Gen. MacAr. hur
under my direction. But for these IN lSC
hopes considerable reduction could have
ben had In our military establishment In the
Philippines and the realization of Il stable
government would be already AZ hand.
The American people are asked by our on
pOnents to yield the sovereignty OF the
United States in the Philippines To small
fraction Of the population single tribe ont
faction which wantOnly attacked the
American troops In Manila while In right.
ful 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
1 United States. We are asked 10 transfer
! our sovereignty TO small minority In the
! islands without consulting the majority and
10 abandon the largest portion OF the popu-
lation. which has been loyal 10 us To the
/ crueltles Of the guerrilla insurgeut bands.
Deman ~ cannot BE Met.
More than this. we are asked 10 protect
! this minority In establishing a government.
and to this end repress all opposition Of the
majority. We are required 10 set MP u S;a.
bile government In the Interest OF those who
have assaled our sovereignty and fred upon
our soldiers and then maintain IL at any
cost or sacrifice against its enemies within
and against those having ambitious designs
from without.
This would require an army and navy far
| larger than Is now maintained In The Philip
pines aud still more In excess Of what viii.
be necessary with the full recognition % our
sovereignty. military support Of author
ity not our own, thus prop sed Is The very
4 essence OF militarlSm. which our opponents
| In their platform oppose. but which 10y their
policy would OF necessity be established in
! its most offensive form.
No Premium on Murder.