The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-03-07
PHILIPPINE POLICIES.


Wars have resulted from the omis-
sion Of a word from letter. Great
powers sometimes so to war for fan
cied sights or insults. one vote in the
senate Of, the United States little
over a year ago would have doubtless
prevented the present war in the Phil
ippines.
II the Bacon resolution, which failed
because Of the deciding vote Of the
vice president, had passed the senate
in January. 1859. and the presidents
message Of the month before had never
reached the Filipinos except as revised
and edited by General Otis, who sensed
the injustice and danger Of the policy
Of the administration. there would have
been no insurrectiOn-
The policy of the administration has
been concisely stated in the following
resolution:
Resolved That the Philippine islands
are territory belonging to the United
States: that il is the intention of the
United States to retain them as such and
TO establish and maintain such govern
mental control throughout the archipelago
as the situation may demand
This is Chairman Hanna's position;
this is the doctrine preached Ivy the
president.
After the president had taken the
oath of office. he said. I'VE want no
wars Of conquest; we must avoid the
policy of territorial aggression which
under the American code of morality
would be criminal" When we an
nounced TO the world that we were
about 10 interfere in the colonial az
fairs of Spain, no one dreamed that
any people but the Cubans would be
liberated or that any island but Cuba
would be concerned. and we. called
UFon the world TO witness the purity
Of our motives. the absolute unselfish-
ness of our purpose in breaking that
peace. We sOlemnly declared as a
nation that the United States hereby
disclaims any disposition or intention
TO exercise sovereignty. jurisdiction or
control over said island, except for the
pacifcation thereof. and asserts its de-
termination. when that is accomplished,
to leave the government and control
Of the island to its people"
The reason other islands and other
colonists of Spain were not included
in that resolution. says its author,
Senator Teller, was because no one
could foresee that others would be-
come similarly involved with this gov
eminent in the event Of a war with
Spain.
When inducements We're held out to
the Tagals 70 reorganize their army
and take a hand as allies Of the United
States. and the attitude Of this gov
eminent toward the Cubans was point
ed out as a guarantee of Independence,
another resolution representing the
same generous disposition. the same
American spirit, was introduced by
Senator Bacon. It was rejected by a
majority of one vote. and there is
every reason to believe there would
have been no uprising among our late
allies had this resolution passed. But
the lust Of conquest was upon the ad-
ministration then. The shylocks were
saying; You forced US into this war
with Spain. and Wen try and get
something out Of it for ourselves" So
the resolution was voted down.
Ten months later, upon the reas-
sembling Of congress. Senator Bacon
introduced a resolution TO end the war
covering the ground Of the first reso-
luton and expressing the position of
the Democratic party in reference to
the Philippines exactly.
The full text Of the Bacon resolution
Is found elsewhere on this page.
Compare the policies Of each party in
reference to these people who strug-
gled with Spain 200 years as desperate
~ as they are now opposing Spain's
r.Sht TO sell them like so many cattle.