Willmar tribune., 1900-01-17
BEVERIDGE SPE AXIS.
senator from Indiana Talks ON the.
Philippine Question-Pleads for
Retention of Islands.

@ PhllIDD1ne QuestiOn-Pleads for
Retention of Islands.
Washington. Jan. 10.-At the concl1l-
sion Of the routine business in the SEN
ate Tuesday Senator Beveridge Ind.)
was recognized for his speech on the
Philippine question. The text of his
address was a resolution which he Of
fered few days ago, which declares
that the Philippine islands are terri
tory belonging to the United States;
that ii is the intention of the United
States to retain them as such and to es-
tablish and maintain such government
al control throughout the archipelago
thesituation may demand" Through
out the speech, which was very long,
Senator Beveridge commanded the at
tention of his colleagues of the senate
and of his auditors both on the floor of
the chamber and in the galleries. He
spoke rapidly. with notably clear enun-
citation. and at times with passionate
force and dramatic fervor. He said in
part:
"The times call for candor. The Philip
ing TO the United States,' as the consti-
tuition calls them. And just beyond the
Philippines are China's illimitable mar
kets. We will not retreat from either. We
will not repudiate our duty in the archi-
pelago. We will not abandon our oppor-
tunity in the orient. We will not renounce
our part in the mission of our race. trus-
tee. under God, of the civilization of the
world. And we will move forward to our
work. not bowling our regrets like slaves
whipped to their burdens, but with graft
tude for task worthy of our strength.
and Thanksgiving to Almighty God that
He has marked us as His chosen people.
hencefor,h to lead in the regeneration of
the world.
This island empire is the last land left
in all the oceans. If it should prove a
mistake to abandon it, the blunder once
made would be irretrievable. If it proves
a mistake to hold it. the error can be cor
rected when we will; every other progress
i've nation stands ready to relieve us.
But to hold 1t will be no mistake. Our
largest trade henceforth must be with
Asia. The Pacific is our ocean. And the
Pacific is the ocean Of the commerce of
the future. Most future wars will be con-
the Pacific therefore is the power that
rules the world. and, with the Philippines,
that power is and will forever be the
American republic"
I'VE have been delayed, first, by a fall
ure to comprehend the immensity of our
acquisition. and. second, by insufficient
force. and, third. by our efforts for peace
A lasting peace can be secured only by
overwhelming forces in ceaseless action
until universal and absolutely final defeat
is Inflicted on the enemy.
"Our mistake has not been cruelty. it
has been kindness. 1t has been the applica-
tion to Spanish Malays of methods appro-
ia ~ nyry EY7er1 md 1F
mercy, every method of conci!iation has
been employed by the peace-loving presi-
dent Of the American republic to the
amaZement of nations experienced in orr
entail revolt. The friendly methods of
peace have been thoroughly tried, only to
make peace more difficult. There Is not
lioW. and never was, any possible course
but ceaseless operations in the field and
loyal support of the war at home. Had
Aguinaldo not understood that in America,
even in the American congress, even here
in the senate, he and his cause were sup
ported; had he not known that it was
proclaimed on the stump and in the press
Of faction in the United States, that every
shot his misguided followers fired into the
breasts Of American soldiers was like the
volleys fired by Washington's men against
the soldiers of King George, his insurrec-
ton would have dissolved before it entire
ly crystalHzed
we uuSt uGVeI 1OESGI LudL III uGdlluS
with the Filipinos we deal with chill
dren. And so our government must be
simple and strong. Simple and strong;
the meaning Of those two words must be
written in every line of Philippine legis-
lation; realized in every act of Philip
pine administration.
What shall history ay~of US? Shall
1t say that we renounced that holy trust,
left the savage to his base condition. the
wilderness to the reign Of waste, desert
ed duty, abandoned glory, forgot our sOr-
did profit even, because we feared our
strength and read the charter of our pow
ers with the doubter's eye and the quib-
bler's mind? Shall it say that, called by
events to captain and command the proud
est, ablest, purest race of history, in his
tory's noblest work, we declined that great
commission? Our fathers would not have
had it so. No. They founded no paralytic
government incapable of the simplest acts
of administration. They planted no slug
gard people. passive. while the worlds
work calls them. They established no re-
dictionary nation. They unfurled no re-
treating flag.
THAT flag has never paused on its on
ward march. Who dares halt it now
now when history's largest events are
carrying it forward, now when we are
at last one people, though strong enough
for any task, great enough for any glory
destiny can bestow?
Mr.. President and senator's, adopt the
resolution offered that peace may quickly
come and that we may begin our saving,
regenerating and uplifting work. Adopt
1t and this bloodshed will cease when
THESE deluded children of our islands learn
that this Is the final action of the rep
resentatives of the American people in con-
gress assembled Reject it and the Ameri-
can people will know where to forever fix
the awful responsibility for the conse-
quences that will follow such failure to
do our manifest duty. How dare we delay
when our soldiers blood is howing?"
Senator Hoar declared that practically
every statement of fact in the speech was
refuted by government reports received
from Admiral Dewey, Gen. Otis and from
other official sources. Where did Spain get
pines, Senator Hoar asked. Where did
the United States get the right to buy and
sell people like sheep? He was certain
that. for all the wealth and commerce and
glory which he had eloquently depicted,
the senator from Indiana would not have
great injustice done. Senator Hoar de-
clared the Filipinos had the Spaniards
hemmed in Manila and the latter were
obliged to surrender. He thought it would
be necessary to revise the constitution be-
fore those Filipinos could be bought and
sold. He did not believe Senator Beveridge
would advise the American people to do
this thing or to do anything so base as to
strike down the infant Filipino republic.
After reading some passages from official
reports Senator Hoar concluded, promising
to discuss the question fully in the near fu-
ture.
Two Perish by Fire.
New York, Jan. 10.-The handsome
n-.1s