The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1900-09-22

Feb. 10, 1900, says that he was present at
| the Interview between Admiral Dewey and
| the lnsurgent leader. and that In this Inter
view Admiral Dewey made no promises
whatever. He adds:
"He Agulnaldo) asked me IL my govern
ment was going to recognize his govern
| ment. ! answered that was there simply
| In a military capacity; that could not ac-
knowledge his government because had no
authority to do So
Easy to Find Fault
Would not our adversarles have sent
| Dewey's fleet to Manila to capture and de-
stroy the Spanish sea power there, or, dls-
patching IL there, would they have with
drawn II after the destruction OF the Span.
lsh fleet; and II the latter, whittier would
| they have directed TO sail? Where could
It have gone? What port In the Orient was
DO our adversarles condemn the expedl-
| tlon under the command OF General Merritt
| to 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 at every
| vulnerable point. that the war might be
successfully concluded at the earliest prac-
| ticable moment?
| Asks for Honest Opinion.
And was II not our duty to protect the
| lives and property OF those who came within
our control by the fortunes Of ware Could
we have come away at any time between
| May 1, 1893, and the conclusion OF peace
without stain upon our good namet Could
we have come away without dishonor at any
| by the Senate OF the United States?
There has been no time since the destruc-
| ton OF the enemy'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 mas not
| seen ut to do the one or the other, and the
| President had no authority to do either, IL
he had been so inclined, which he was not
| So long as the sovereignty remains In us IL
| IL the duty OF the executive. whoever he
| may be, to uphold that sovereignty, and III II
be attacked to suppress Its assalants. Would
our political adyersaries do less?
Begun by Insurgents.
1t has been asserted that there would have
| been no fighting In the Philippines III Con
| grcss had declared Its purpose to give indie
pendence to the Tagal Insurgents. The IN
surgents did not walt 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 1t 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 TO
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 One Course Open.
| Their unprovoked assault upon our sol
| diers at a time when the Senate was delib
| Grating upon the treaty shows that no ne
| ton on our part except surrender and nbnn
donment would have prevented the lighting,
| and leaves no doubt In any fair mind where
| the responsibility rests for the shedding OF
| American blood.
| With all the exaggerated phrasemaking
lac 10 oil In Ip nf
| being diverted from the real contention. We
| are In agreement with all OF those who sup
ported the war with Spain, and also with
| those who couRseled the ratification OF the
| treaty OF peace. Upon these two great es-
| sential steps there can be no Issue, and out
| OF these came all OF our responsibilities. If
| others would shlrk the obligations imposed
by the war and the treaty we must decline
to act further with them. ana here the Issue
| was made.
| Ii Is our purpose to establish In the Philip.
| pines n government suitable to the wants
| and conditions OF the inhabitants. and to
| prepare them for sclfgovernment. and to
| give them scf-government when they are
ready for It, and as rapidly AZ they are
| ready for It. That am aiming to do under
| my constitutional authority, and will con
| tinue to do until Congress shall determine
| the political status OF the Inhabitants OF the
archipelago.
Plea for Consistency.
Are our opponents against the treaty? III
so. they must he reminded that II could not
have been ratified In the senate but Tor their
assistance. The Senate which ratified the
treaty and the Congress which added Its
sanction by large appropriation comprised
Senators and Representatives OF the people
OF all parties.
Would our opponents surrender to the In
surgents abandon our sovereignty or cede Ii
to them? IL that be not their purpose then
IL should be promptly disclaimed. for only
evil can result from the hopes raised by our
opponents In the minds Of the Fllipinos, that
with their success at the polls In November
xxIII In xs.lt N xxo1 f.f nd
| of American sovereignty over the archpea-
so, the complete Independence OF the Taga.
log people recognized and the powers OF
government over all the other peoples OF the
archipelago conferred upon the Tagalog
| leaders.
/ ProIongs the Rebellion.
The effect of a belief In the minds Of the
insurgents that this will he done has al
ready prolonged the rebellion and Increases
the necessity for the continuance Of u large
army. II 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 Macarthur
under my direction. But for these false
hopes u considerable reduction could have
ben had In our military establishment In the
Philippines and the realization Of Il stable
government would be already. at hand.
The American people are asked by our OPP
ponents to yield the sovereignty Of the
, United States In the Philippines to small
fraction OF the population, single tribe out
B.
| faction which wantonly attacked the
| American troops in Manila while In right
full 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
| United States. We are asked to transfer
our sovereignty to small minority In the
Islands without consulting the majority and
| to abandon the largest portion OF the popu-
lation. which has been loyal TO us, to the
cruetles OF the guerrilla lnsurgent bands.
Demands Cannot BE Met.
More than this, we are asked to protect
and to this end repress all opposition Of the
ma jorlty. We are required to set up a sta
Bile government In the Interest OF those who
have assailed our sovereignty and fired upon
our soldiers. and then maintain II 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 and still more In excess OF what Will
be necessary with the full recognition Of our
sovereignty. A military support Of author
ity not our own, as thus proposed, IL the very
essence OF mllltarlsm, which our opponents
In their platform oppose. but which by their
policy would of necessity be established In
It's most offensive form.
No Premium on Murder.
The American people Will not make the
murderers of our soldiers the agents OF the
republic to convey the blessings OF liberty
1 A..