Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-05
The Presidents Speech.

fSubect TO Decision Of Senatorial Convention!
The Presidents Speech.
Philadelphia Press,
The President S Arlington speech
is Il militant and powerful deliver
ance, and is sure to have deep
effect of possibly varying shades on
public opinion. 1t is full of the
fighting quality. 1t has all the
rugged strength of his virile and
strenuous nature. 1t is the robust
and ringing utterance of a leader
who has faith in himself, faith in
his country, faith in it's spirit and
its mission, aud who summons the
the people to follow him in the
yindication of American honor and
American fiber. From the start
the President assumes the aggres-
sive, and he at once puts the critics,
the censors and the cynics on the
defensive.
The speech divides itself into a
series of sequences: First, as to the
criticisms on Philippine campaign;
second, the truth about that cam
paign and the attitude of the Gov
eminent; third, the real freedom
and advancement which American
control gives to the Philippines;
ana forth, the duty and the outlook
of the future. When he snarling
and pitiful criticism of the past few
months finds itself reflected in the
mirror the President holds up and
measures itself by the relentless
tests he applies, it will either confess
and shriye itself or it will skull<
away from the issue. 1t cannot
face and answer the plain truths
which the President presents.
On the first blush the Presidents
pointed reference to the lynchings
will provoke resentment in some
quarters. But look out. critics,
that you understand his logic and
see where your own leads. The
fact of lynching is unchallenged.
Does their existence brand cammu-
mites inwhich they are perpetrated?
President doesn't say so. On the
contrary, his argument is that you
have no more right to condemn a
whole army or whole campaign
because of some cruelties. Is this
6rue or not? What fault can be
found except upon the plea that a
reference to lynchings is an indict-
ment of q section? And do not
those whe offer such plea them
selves imply precisely what the
President does not?
As to the character of the cam
paign in the Philippines and the
attitude of the Government the
President is clear and explicit.
He plainly condemns all unnec-
essary severity. He declares that
unswerving effort must be made to
probe every instance or cruelty
and punish every perpctrator.
But then he adds, upon his
responsibility as President, that
thecruelties on the part of American
soldiers "have been wholly excep-
tional and have been shamelessly
exaggerated. p" He aflirms that
"our warfare il the Philippines has
been carried on with singular
humanity" He asserts that ''for
every act Of cruelty by our men
there have been innumerable acts
Of forbearance, magnanimity and
generous Kindness" This is the
declaration of the President of the
United States What American
ventures to impeach his testimony?
VIVA slanderer of the American
name will have face enough not to
sliuE away under singing rebuke?
Next as to results-as to the
ehacter and effect Of American
ooatrol. The President puts this
pom with great power. "Wher-
eyar II the Philippines the insur-
rect.gn has been definitely and
firmly put down, there the individ-
u2i Filipino already enjoys such
freedom, such personal liberty,
uuaes our rule, as he could never
dra@n OF under the rule Of an
independent Aguinaldian oligar-
sAs Again who will dispute the