The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-09-14
M'KINLEYS ACCEPTANCE.
Continued from Third page.
be attacked to suppress its assailants.


have been no fighting in the Philippines
if congress had declared its purpose to
give independence to the Tagal insur.
gents. The insurgents did not wait for
the action of congress. They assumed
the offensive; they opened fire on our
army. Those who assert our response
bility for the beginning of the conflict
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 Feb. 4, 1899, the insurgents attacked
the American army after being previous.
ly advised that the American forces were
under orders not to fire upon them except
in defense The papers found in the re-
Gently captured archives of the insur-
gents demonstrate that this attack had
been carefully planned for weeks before
it occurred. Their unproyoked assault
upon our soldiers at a time when the
senate was celebrating upon the treaty
shows that no action on our part except
surrender and abandonment would have
prevented the fighting and leaves no
doubt In any fair mind of where the re-
sponsibility rests for the shedding Of
American blood.
With all the exaggerated phrase max
ing of this electoral contest we are in
danger Of being diverted from the real
contention.
Proposed Philippine Government.
We are in agreement with all of those
who supported the war with Spain and
also with those who counseled the ratifi-
cation of the treaty of peace. Upon these
two great essential steps there can be no
all -
responsibilities. If others would shirk
the obligations imposed by the war and
the treaty, we must decline to act fur
Their with them, and here the Issue was
made 1t is our purpose to establish in
the Philippines a government suitable to
the wants and conditions of the inhabit-
ants and to prepare them for self govern
ment and to give them self government
when they are ready for it and as rapidly
as they are ready for it. That l am aim
ing to do under my constitutional author
ity and will continue to 10 until con-
gress shall determine the political status
of the inhabitants of the archipelago.
Are our opponents against the treaty?
II so, they must be reminded that it
could not have been ratified in the SEN
ate but for their assistance. The senate
which ratified the treaty and the con-
press which added its sanction by a large
appropriation comprised senators and
renresentatiyes of the people of all par
ties.
Would our opponents surrender to the
Insurgents abandon our sovereignty or
cede it to them? II that be not their
nurnose. then n should he nromptly dis
claimed. for only evil can result from the
homes raised nv our opponents In the
minds of the Filininos that with their
success at the polls in November there
will he n withdrawal of our army and of
American sovereignty over the archipela-
20. the complete independence of the
To1alop neonle recognized and the now
ers of government over all the other Deo-
nles Of the archinelago conferred unon
the Tnealop leaders.
The effect of belief in the minds of
the insurgents that this will he done has
alreadv nrolonped the rebellion and in
creases the necessity for the continuance
of largo army II ia now DELAYING full
peace in the archipelapo and the estab-
lisbment Of civil Governments and has in
Auenced MANY of the insurgents against
accounting the liberal terms of amnesty
offered nv General Macarthur under NV
direction Rut for these false homes n
considerable reduction could have heen
had in orr military esta enlistment in the
phil;nnipas and tho reaIization of n STA
hle aovarnmept would no already at
hand
Tho Amar;can naonle nrp asked nv our
onnonents to Weld the sovereipntv Of the
United Stotes in tho Philinnines to q
small fraction of the incubation a single
trihe ont Of 90 ar more inhabitinp the
orcb;neI,oo n faction which wontonIv M.
tackled the American troons in Manila
while in ripbtful nossession under the
nrotocol with Snain awaiting tbe ratif-
cation of tho treatv az neace nv tho sem
ate and which has since been I'M 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 population,
which has been loyal to us, to the cruel
ties of the guerrilla insurgent bands.
More than this, we are asked to protect
this minority in establishing govern
ment and to this end repress all opposi-
ton of the majority. We are required to
set up a stable government in the interest
OF those who have assailed our sovereign
ty and fired upon our soldiers and then
maintain it 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
Philippines and still more in excess of
what will be necessary with the full rec
ognition of our sovereignty. A military
support of authority not our own as thus
proposed is the very essence of militarism,
which our opponents in their platform