The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-09-10

\ Sheago kAnias City Omaha
ST. Loui St Joseph St. Paul
Wheeling Branch, so.s4 Sixteenth Street
American forces were under orders no,
to fire upon them EXCEPT In dcfencr
The papers found In the recently can.
t,lrcd archives OF the Insurgents demon.
dtrate that this attack had been care.
fnlly planned for weeks before IL &C.
Cured. Their unproyoked assault upou
our soldiers at q time when the sen.
ate was celebrating upon the treaty
SHOWS that no action on our part excep,
surrender and abandonment would
nave prevented the fighting and leaves
no doubt In any fair mind OF where the
responsibility rests for the shedding OF
American blood. q :.
Diverted From the Real Question.
with all the exaggerated phrase
making of this electoral contest. we arc
In danger OF being diverted from the
real contention. gGtl +
we are In agreement with all of those
who supported the war with Spain, and
also with those who counselled the rati-
iicatlon OF thu trraty of peace. Upon
these Two great essential steps there
can BE- no Issue. ana out of these came
al OF our responsibilities. II others
weaid shirk thn obligations imposed,by
tne war ana thS trraty. ne. must decline
70 act EuFtAer with them aud hare the
issue was made, II ia cur purpose 10
establish In the Philippines n goyef,rn-
ment suitable TO the wants and contil-
tons OF the inhabitants and TO prepare
them for self government, and 10 ylva
them sclt-governmeGt when thay are
ready for 1t and as rapidly as they are
ready Cor 1t. That am aiming 10 do
under my constitutional authority, and
VIII continue to do until Congress shall
determine the political status OF the in
hahitants OF the archipelago,
Are our opponents against the treaty?
II go. they must be reminded that II
could not have been ratifcdtIn the SEN
ate but for their assistance, The SEN
ate which ratified the treaty and the
Congress which added Its sanction by
large appropriation. comprised sena-
tors and representatives OF the people
of all parties.
Would our opponents surrender to the
Insurgents, abandon our sovereignty or
cedes 1t TO them? II that be not their
purpose. then 1t should be promptly
d!sclaimed, for only evil can result from
the hopes raised by our opponents in
the minds OF the Fi}!pinos. that with
their success at the polls In November
there VIII be withdrawal OF our army
and OF American sovereignty over the
arcnipeiaSo;t the complete Independence
OF the Tasalog people recognized and
the powers OF government over all the
, other peoples OF the archipelago confer
red upon the Tagalog leaders.
!8: Prolonged the Rebellion.
The effect OF a belief In the minds Of
the Insurgents that this will be done
has already prolonged the rebellion and
increases the necessity for the continu-
ance OF large army. Il Is now delay
ing full peace In the archipelago and
the establishment Of civil governments,
and has influenced many OF the lnsur-
gents against accepting the liberal
terms OF amnesty offered by General
Macarthur under my direction. But
for these false hopes, considera Bile re-
ductlon could have been had in our
military establishment in the Philip
pines. and the realization OF stable
government would be already al hand.
The American people are asked by
our opponents TO Yield the sovereignty
of the United States In the Philippines
to a small fraction of the population. u
single trioe out OF eighty or more IN
habitlng the archipelago, 4 faction
which wantonly attacked the American
troops In Manila while in rightfui pos
session 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 n
small minority In the islands without
consulting the majority and TO ADAM
don the largest portion OF the popula-
tion, which has been loyal to US. TO the
cruelties OF the guerrilla insurgent
bands. More than this, we are asked 10
protect this minority In establishing a
government and to this end repress NIL
opposition OF the majority. We are re-
quired to set up stable government In
the Interest OF those who have assailed
our sovereignty and fired upon our SOL
oilers. and then maintain It at any cost
or sacrifice against Its enemies within
and against those having ambitious de-
signs from without.
This would require an army and navy
far larger than Is now maintained In
the Philippines and s;lll more In excess
OF what:will be necessary with the full
recognition Of our sovereignty. A mill
tary support OF authority not our own
rs thus proposed is the very essence OF
milltarism, which our opponents in their
platform oppose, but which by their
policy would of necessity be establish
cd In Its most offensive form.
Murderers of Our Soldiers.
The American people will not make
the murderers OF our soldiers the agents
OF the Republic TO convey the blessings
of liberty and order to the Philippines.
They Will not make themN the builders
OF the new commonwealth. Such Il
course would be n betrayal OF our sn-
cred obligations TO the peaceful Fill
pinos. and would place at the mercy
OF dangerous adventures the lives and
property OF the natives and foreigners.
1t would make possible and easy the
commission OF such atrocities Us were
planned. to be executed on the ed Of
February, 1899. In the city OF Manila,
when only the vigilance of our army
prevented the attempt TO assaHsinatc
our soldiers and lll foreigners and Pill
iage and destroy the city and It's sur
roundings. In short, the proposition of
those opposed to us 10 to continue all
the obligations In the Philippines which
now rest upon the government. only
changing the relation from principal,
which now exists. to that OF surety.
Our responsibility Is to remain. but our
power is TO be diminished. Our obli-
gution Is to be no less. but our title
Is to be surrendered to another power.
which Is without experience or train
ing. or the ability to mnintain n gtablc
government ut home and absolutely
helpless TO perform Its international OBJ
legations with the rest of the world. To
this VIC are opposed. We should not