The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-05
THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
The leading features of the Presidents
inaugural address are the prevailing pros
perity. our relations with Cuba and our
| intentions in respect to the Philippines
1t Is but natural that the President
should claim for himself and his party
the credit for the existing prosperity. A
great change has taken place in bust
ness and industrial conditions within the
last four years. but it is by no means
certain that the change is due to MIR.
McKinley's craftsmanship or Republican
policies. Still. in support Of his claim he
has the advantage that the change has
taken place since he became President
and his party came into control of the
government. though there were signs of
better times when the Republican party
came into power.
The President wishes It distinctly under
stood that both political parties were re-
sponsihle for the war with Spain. and that
the war was begun against his earnest
efforts to prevent 1t, Why he brings this
fact to the front at this time is not APP
parent, unless it is that he wishes he
couhtry to understand that If at any time
it should become apparent that the United
States were harmed rather than bene-
fitted by the war the responsibility for It
does not rest upon him.
He takes the position that the war inn
posed upon the American people obliga-
lions which they cannot escape, and from
which it would be dishonorable to attempt
to escape. He does not of course point
out in detail what these obligations are,
but he no doubt means that We cannot
leave Cuba until there is liberal intel
ligent and stable government established
there and that we cannot permit the Fill
ipinos to have self-government until they
are ready for It.
The President has nothing to say in
reference to the failure of the United
States to keep their pledge to Cuba, ex-
cept inferentially. It may be that he
intends his statement that it is the duty
of the United States to see to it that the
peace they establish in Cuba is perma-
nent TO be an excuse for that failure. And
the inference may be drawn from his ut
terances that the suzeranity which Con-
gress insists upon establishing over the
island at this time win be withdrawn
when it has been clearly demonstrated
that Cuba is fully able TO take care of her
self. If this is the policy of the President
and his party there ought to be a clear
understanding to that effect. Without
such an understanding there would be
nothing upon which the Cubans could
base a demand for unabridged indepe-
dence at some future time
With reference to the Philippines the
President says: 1.-The settled purpose,
long ago proclaimed, to afford the inhab-
itants of the islands self-government as
fast as they were ready for it will be
pursued with earnestness and fidelity"
The President does not mean of course
that the islands are to have their indie
pendence. He simply means that they
are to have control of their local affairs.
There is no doubt that IL is his intention
and the intention of his party that they
shall be a permanent possession of the
United States.
There are two things in his inaugural
address which leave no doubt that this
is his meaning. One is the need of this
country for wider markets and the other
is that the opposition which has develop
ed to the Philippine policy of the Repub-
lican party is compared to the opposition
which has confronted every onward
movement of the Republic. 1t is true
that in connection with wider markets
the President mentions only reciprocity
treaties, but there are excellent reasons
for thinking that he has also In mind
the need of holding the Philippines per-
manently for their trade. He would have
made no reference to the opposition if it
were not the purpose of his party to make
the Philippines a permanent possession,
because the opposition asks nothing more
than that the F1lipinos shall have their
independence when they are ready for it.
The inaugural has the merit of brevity.
Judging from the Presidents messages
to Congress an inaugural two or three
times as long would not have been a
surprise.