The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-12-02
A PACIFIC CABLE

PACIFIC CABLE.
During the fall Of 1901 communica-
tion was addressed 20 the Secretary OF
State, asking whether permission would
be granted by the President TO corpora
tion to lay a cable from a point on the
California coast 10 the Philippine ISLANDS
by way OF Hawaii A statement OF
conditions or terms upon which such
corporation would undertake to lay and
operate cable was volunteered.
Inasmuch the Congress was shortly
TO convene, and Pacific-cable legislation
had been the subject OF consideration by
the Congress for several years. II seemed
TO me wise to defer action upon the APP
piicataon until the Congress had first an
opportunity TO act. The Congress ad-
journed without taking any action. leav-
ing the matter in exactly the same con-
diuion I'm which 81 stood when the Con-
gress convened.
Meanwhile IL appears that the Com
mercial Pacific Cable Company had
promptly proceeded with preparations for
laying It's cable. IL also made applica-
hion TO the President for access to and
use OF soundings taken by the u. s. s.
Nero. for the purpose OF discovering
practicable route for trans-Paciic
cable. the company urging that with ac-
cess 10 these soundings IL could complete
Its cable much sooner than IL II were fe-
auired to take sounding upon its own uc-
count Pending consideration OF this
subject, IL appeared important and desir-
able to attach certain conditions to the
permission to examine and use the sound
:ngs. IL IL should be granted.
In consequence OF this solicitation of the
cable company. certain conditions were
formulated. upon which the President was
willing to allow access 20 these soundings
and to consent to the landing and laying
OF the cable. subject Ito any alterations
or additions thereto imposed by the Con-
gress. This deemed proper, es-
peoially az IL was clear that a cable con-
nection OF some kind with China, a
| foreign country. was a part OF the com
panys plan. This course was, more
| over I'm accordance with a nne of pre-
! cedents, including President Grants ac-
| ton In the case of the first French cable.
explained to the Congress In his Annual
| Message OF December. 1876. and the IN
stance occurring In 1879 OF the second
| French cable from Brest to St Pierre.
with branch TO Cape Cod.
These conditions prescribed. among
| other things, a maximum rate for COM
! mercial messages and that the company
should construct a line from the Philip
| pine islands to China, there being at
present. as Is well known. n British line
| from Manila 10 Hong Kong
The representatives Of the cable com
| pany kept these conditions long under
consideration. continuing, In the mean
time. 20 prepare for laying the cable.
| They have. however. at length acceded to
| them. and an all-American line between
| our Pacific coast and the Chinese Empire,
| by way OF Honolulu and the Philippine
| islands. IL thus provided for. and In ex-
, pected within n few months to be ready
| for business.
| Among the conditions Is one reserving
| the power Of the congress to modify or re-
\ peal any or all OF them A copy OF the
| conditions Is herewith transmitted.
or Porto Rico IL Is only necessary 70
! say that the prosperity OF the island and
| the wisdom with which II has been gov
/ erned have been such as 20 make II serve
| as an example OF all that Is best In msu-
| lar administration.
THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.
On July 4 last. on the one hundred and
| twenty-sixth anniversary OF the declara
tion OF our independence, peace and am
| nesty were promulgated In the Philip
| pine islands. Some trouble has since
| from time to time threatened with the Mo-
| hammedan Moros. but with the late In
surrectionary Filipinos the war has en-
tirey ceased. Civil government has now
| been introduced. Not only does each
| Filipino enjoy such rights TO life. liberty.
| and the pursuit OF happiness as he has
| never before known during the recorded
| history OF the Islands. but the people
/ taken as whole now enjoy a measure OF
| self -governemnt greater than that grant
| ed to any other ortentials by any foreign
/ power and greater than that enjoyed by
\ any other orientials under their own gov
| ernments, save the Japanese alone.
We have not gone too far In granting
! these rights of liberty and self-govern
/ ment: but we have certainly gone to the
limit that I'm the interests OF the Philip
| pine people themselves IL was wise or just
| to GO To hurry matters. to go faster
| than we are now going. would entail ca
4 L.. tl.< nf N
| policy ever entered into by the American
people has vindicated itself in more signal
| manner than the policy OF holding the
| Philippines. The triumph OF our arms,
| above all the triumph OF our laws and
| principles. has come sooner than we had
/ any right TO expect Too much praise
| cannot be given TO the army for what II
| has done I'm the Philippines both In war
| fare and from nm administrative stand
| point in preparing the way for civil gov
| ernment; and similar credit belongs to the
| civil authorities for the way In which they
| have planted the seeds OF self government
| In the ground thus made ready for them
The courage. the unflinching endurance
| the high soldieriy efficiency. and the gen
| erai kind -heartedness and humanity oi
| our troops have been strikingly manifest
| ed.
thousand troops In the islands. All told
| over one hundred thousand have been
| sent there. OF course. there have beer
| individual instances OF wrongdoing amonG
them. They warred under fearful din
culties OF climate and surroundings; and
| under the strain OF the terrible provoca
tions which they continually received
| from their foes, occasional instances OF
cruel retaliation occurred. Every effor'
has been made TO prevent such cruelties
and finally these efforts have been com
| pleteiy successful Every effort has alsC
been made to detect and punish the
wrongdoere. After making all allowance
for these misdeeds, II remains true tina
few indeed have been the instances u
which war has been waged by civilized
power against semi-civiiized or barbarou'
| forces where there has been so little
wrongdong by the victors "a In the PM
ippine Islands. On the other hand. tn
| amount OF difficult. important and bench
cent work which has been done Is wen
| nigh incalucable.
Taking the work Of the army and tn
| civil authorities together. ~ may be cues
Il -. L.. staV1