The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1900-09-28

lne lnsurgent leader, and that IN tnlS inter
view Admiral Dewey made no promises
whatever. He adds:
He fAguinaldo) asked me If my govern
ment WAS going to recognize his govern
ment. | answered that | was there simply
in military capacity; that | could not &C
knowledge his government, because had NO
authority to do So
Easy to Find Fault.
Would not our adversaries have sent
Deweys fleet to Manila to capture and de-
stroy the Spanish sea power there, or. dis
patching 1t there, would they have with
drawn it after the destruction Of the Span
ish feet; and If the latter, whittier would
they have directed to sail? Where could
it have gone? What port in the Orient was
opened to 1t?
Do our adyersarIes condemn the expedl-
ton 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 1t not
our highest duty to strike Spain at every
vulnerable point. that the war might be
successfull, concluded at the earliest prac-
ticable moment?
Asks for Honest Opinion.
And was 1t not our duty to protect the
lives and property OF those who came within
our control by the fortunes of war? Could
we have come away at any time between
May /, 1898, and the conclusion Of peace
without stain upon our good name? Gould
we have come away without dishonor at any
time after the rdLlncdIlOu Oh the peace treaty
by the Senate of the United Statesf
There has been no time since the destruc-
ton of the enemys feet when we could or
should have left the Philippine archipelago.
After the treaty Of peace was ratined no
power but Congress could surrender our
sovereignty or ALLEVIATE foot of the terri
tory thus acquired. The Congress has not
seen fit to do the one or the other, and the
President had no authority to. do either, II
he had been so inclined, which he was not.
SO long as the sovereignty remains In US IL
is the duty Of the executive. whoever ne
may be, to uphold that sovereignty, and II IL
be attacked to suppress It's assailants. Would
our political adversaries do lessf
Begun by Insurgents.
1t has been asserted that there would have
been no fighting in the Philippines II Con-
gress had declared Its purpose TO give inde-
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 Tor
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 HdQ DeeQ carefully plduucQ LUZ Hcchb
before 1t occurred.
Only One Course Open.
Their unprovoked assault upon our sol
diers at time when the Senate was delib-
Grating upon the treaty shows that no ac-
ton on our part except surrender and aban-
donment would have prevented the fighting.
and leaves no doubt In any fair mind where
the 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, and also with
those who counseled 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 II
others would shirk the obligations imposed
by the war and the treaty, we must decline
to act t, further with themend here the issue
1t Is our purpose to establish in the Philip
pines a government suitable to the wants
md conditions of the Inhabitants, and TO
prepare them for self-goyernment, and to
give them self-governmeAt when they are
ready for 1t, and as rapidly as they are |
ready for 1t. That am aiming to do under |
ny constitutional authority, and VIII CON |
he political status of the inhabitants Of the |
Plea for Consistency.
Are our opponents against the treaty? I'll
20, they must be reminded that Ii could not
nave been ratified in the Senate but for their
assistance. The Senate which ratified the
reaty and the Congress which added Its
sanction by large appropriation comprised !
senator's and Representatives of the people
If all parties.
Would our opponents surrender to the in
;urgents, abandon our sovereignty or cede 1t
o them? If that be not their purpose, then
I should be promptly disclaimed, for only
vii can result from the hopes raised by our
L. ~ k,ff
With their success at the polls In November
here will be a withdrawal of our army and
# American sovereignty over the archipela-
70. the complete independence of the Taga-
government over all the other peoples of the
archipelago conferred upon the Tagalog
eaders.
Prolongs the Rebellion.
The effect of belief in the minds of the
that this will be done has al
eady prolonged the rebellion and increases
he necessity for the continuance of a large
rmy. 1t is now delaying full peace In the
rchipelago and the establishment of civil
and has Influenced many OF
he insurgents against accepting the liberal
erms of amnesty offered by Gen. Macarthur
nder my direction. But for these false
opes a considerable reduction could have
en- had in our military establishment in the
and the realization of a stable
overnment would be already at hand.
The American people are asked by our op-
onents to yield the sovereignty of the
United States in the Philippines to q small
raction of the population. a single tribe out
f eighty or more inhabiting the archipelago, ;
faction which wantonly attacked the
american troops in Manila while in right
nj possession under the protocol with
pain. awaiting the ratification OF the treaty
( peace by the Senate, and which has since ,
cen in active. open rebellion against the
Inited States. We are asked to transfer
Ut sovereignty to a small minority In the ,
stands without consulting the majority and
ltion, which has been loyal to us, to the
ruelties Of the guerrilla insurgent bands.
Demands Cannot Be Met.
More than this, we are asked to protect
his minority In establishing government
nd to this end repress all opposition of the
Majority. We are required to set up a sta
lie government In the interest OF those who
ave assailed our sovereignty and fred upon
ur soldiers, and then maintain it at any
ost or sacrifice against its enemies within
nd against those having ambitious designs
rom without. :
This would require an army and navy far !
Irger than Is now maintained In the Philip I
ines and still more In excess Of what will |
e necessary with the full recognition OF our q
)vereignty. A military support of author I
Y not our own, as thus proposed, Is the very I
;sence OF mlitarism, which our opponents q
their platform oppose, but which by their h
5 most Offensive form. q
No Premium on Murder. a
The American people will not make the I
public to convey the blessings of liberty c
I'd order to the Philippines. They will not 5
axe them the builders Of the new common 8
ealth Such a course would be betrayal o