The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-06-24

| 4
| them, Andrew Carnegie,
Charles Francis Adams, Carl Schurz.
Edwin Burritt Smith and Herbert
| Welsh, has memorialized congress to
hold a grand inquest of Philippine con-
ditions; to forthwith provide for the
appointment of a committee Of investi-
cation of it's own number, to proceed al
the earliest practicable moment to the
| Philippine archipelago and there enter
upon such an investigation as will cause
the people of the United States to feel
| assured that full Information is being
elected, that all grievances will be con-
| sidered, that any measures necessary
| to the protection and Il re-established
prosperity of our dependents will in
due time be instituted, and that, in the
! light of the fullest possible knowledge
of facts and conditions, the American
people may form their judgment of the
policy so far pursued, as well as that
! to be adopted for the future"
| For this proceeding the committee
| has discovered u precedent. "ln 1865,
| it's memorial says, ''at the close of our
altogether dissimilar to that in the
| Philippine archipelago existed in the So
called Confederate states, cognizance
| was taken of the fact. and congress, by
a concurrent resolution of December
| IS, acting as the grand national inquest,
| appointed such a committee as is now
| suggested. Composed of six members
| Of bn to nj
members on the part of the house of
representatives. William Pitt Fessen-
| den, of Maine, was chairman on behalf
of the former, and Thaddeus Stevens, of
Pennsylvania, on behalf of the latter;
while among those composing the COM
mittee were James w. Grimes, Jacob
NJ. Howard, Reverdy Johnson, Il. B.
Washburne, Justin Il. Morrill,, Roscoe
Conkling, and George S. Boutwell,. The
committee, thus composed, then made
as respects the region which had con-
stituted the so-called Confederacy, an
investigation similar in character to
hat we now ask for as respects the
Philippine archipelago
The memorial explains that its sign
CTS WOulu tilcillStlNtS bc WlllllS W per-
form this inuuisitoria work, had they
the necessary authority and power; but
lacking these they ask congress to
name d joint special committee. "of suf-
flciont size to command public conf
dence by containing representatives of
both parties and advocates of all diff
ferent lines of policy; to the end that
full Information may be elected. and
the greatest possible volume of variant
light shed upon the duties and obliga-
tons which this people have had forced
upon them or voluntarily assumed
The memorial further requests that this
committee be so constituted as to en-
able it to cover the entire field Ae in
yestigation within the limited ti.He at
its disposal. To make this possible it
should, the petitioners believe, be ac-
companied by body of experts, mill
tary and civil representing the medi-
cal, sanitary, industrial, and other
scientific phases involved in the great
and complex problem to be considered,
and upon which the committee will be
called to pass intelligently. "On the
spot, and in this way only, we submit,
can the American people be properly
and fully advised as to the duties and
obligations now imposed upon them.'
Accompanying this memorial, as it
We're the preamble upon which it is
based, is Il statement OF facts purport-
ing to be without bias. 1t is worthy OF
notice:
The United States, as "A nation. has as
sumed charge of communities of Asiatic
descent, occupying many islands of an
archipelago at a great distance from our
nearest continental possessions. Those
communities, numbering millions, are of
race wholly distinct from ourselves.
with other traditions and habits, speak
ing foreign and, In many cases unknown
tongues. The acquisition of the Philippine
islands and their inhabitants, while inn
posing on us treaty obligations, has been
followed by prolonged war-lke operations
marked by acts of fierce resistance, not
quickly overcome, ON the part of the
Flipinos, and by military seventies on
our part of a character unprecedented in
our annals. Those islands are now held
by us partly under military law, and
partly under civil authority, but in alb
seute subjection. In the course of this
mixed administration of affairs no in
considerable degree of friction has exist
ed, and apparently still does exist be-
tween our military and civil representa-
tives. Such could, indeed, hardly he
avoided, In the prosecution of military
movements the establishment of camps
of concentration for the inhabitants of
large districts has been thought eXpedi- |
ent and the people of those districts of
both sexes and all ages thus gathered
from their home and usual vocations
have therein been compelled to live, with |
sanitary results concerning which only |
very indefinite information has been re- |
ceived In the course of military opera |
tions, also. large regions have been de-
yastated, towns have been burned, and |
the food supply of the country destroyed |
1t has hence resulted that when the in ]
habltants have been returned from the |
camps of concentration to their former |
places of abode, they have found their
shelters gone and the means of subsist- |
ence greatly impaired or wholly lacking |
1t Is known that the epidemics usually |
and, indeed, inevitably incident to such |
a state of affairs are now raging in the |
islands, though only very partial statis- |
ties as respects mortality are made pub
lie; If, indeed, they are in any wise obtain
able. Extensive districts inhabited by |
our dependents have thus been scourged |
and are now stricken with war famine |
and pestilence. For tho people thus af- |
nicted. whether excusably or otherwise |
America stands responsible. That re- |
n hA .Inl Il.