The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-28
The Real Contention.

CFrom President NcKinlcy's Letter Of Accept.
ancc.l
vt HAS BEEN asserted that there
would have been no fighting in
4 the Philippines if congress had
declared its purpose to give in
dependence to the TaEal insurgents.
The insurgents did not wait for the
action of congress. They assumed the
offensive, they opened fire on our
army. Those who assert our respon-
sibility for the beginning of the con-
tict have forgotten that before the
treaty was ratified in the senate and
while it was being debated in that
body and while the Bacon resolution
was under discussion, on February 4,
1898, the insurgents attacked the Amer
lean army, after being previously ad-
viscd that the American forces were
under orders not to FIRE upon them
except in defense. The papers found
i'm the recently captured archives Of
the insurgents demonstrate that this
attack had been carefully planned for
weeks before it occurred. Their un-
provoked assault upon our soldiers at
Il time when the senate was deliberat-
ing upon the treaty shows that no
action on our part except surrender
ard abandonment would have pre-
vented the fighting and leaves no
doubt in any fair mind of where the
responsibility rests for the shedding
of American blood
With all the exaggerated phrase
making of this electoral contest, we
are in danger of being diverted from
the real contention. We are in agree
ment with all of those who supported
the war with Spain. and also with
those who counselled the ratification
of the treaty of peace. Upon these
two great essential steps there can be
no issue, and of these came all of our
responsibilities. If others would
shirk the obligations imposed by the
war and the treaty, we must decline
to act further with them, and here
the issue is made. 1t Is our purpose
To establish in the Philippines a gov
ernment suitable to the wants and
conditions of the inhabitants and to
prepare them for self-government,
and to give them government
when they are ready for it. That 1
am aiming to do under my constitu-
tional authority. and will continue to
do until congress shall determine the
political status of the inhabitants of
the archipelago.
I,n
treaty? If so, they must be reminded
that it could not have been ratified
in the senate but for their assistance.
The senate which ratified the treaty
ana the congress which added its
sanction by large appropriation
tives of the people of all parties.
Would our opponents surrender to the
| insurgents, abandon our sovereignty
or cede it to them? If that be not
their purpose, then it should be
promptly disclaimed, for only evil can
| result from the hopes raised by our
| opponents in the minds of the Filipi-
nos, that with their success at the
| polls in November there will be a
| withdrawal of our army and of Amer
| lean sovereignty over the archipelago;
| the complete independence of the
| TagalOg people recognized and the
powers of government over all the
other people of the archipelago con.
ferred upon the Tagalog leaders.
| The effect OF a belief in the minds
of the insurgents that this will bC
done has already prolonged the rebel.
lion and increases the necessity for the
continuance of a large army. 1t Is
now delaying full peace in the archl.
| pelago, and the establishment of civi
governments, and has Influenced MANY
Of the insurgents against acceptini
the liberal terms of amnesty Offered
by General Macarthur, under my di
rection. Rut for these false hopes {
considerable reduction could have
been had in our military establishment
in the Philippines, and the realization
of a stable government would be al
ready at hand.
The Paris exposition seems TO hav,
been suffering from too much Midway