The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-07-01
A MAGNIFICENT SPEECH,
The Last Republican Administration
Forced War on Spain
HOW WE TREATED OUR FILIPINO ALLIES
RooseyeI.'s Butts in His Memorial Day Ad
dress. What the Money We Have
Speat Would Have Done
f Spent Here,

Hon. Jno H. Smalls in the House on
the Philippine Bill He had made the
effort to find out the facts Just as they
We're; he contemplated them without
bias or heat excuse or palliation, and
| came to the logical conclusions in ma
turaI sequence. Portions of the speech
rang with magnificent denunciation and
scathlng criticism.
The principal question before Congress.
he said is What shall we do with this
piece of property?" The answer de-
ponds upon several important considera-
tiors. First. how did we come by it?
Second, is it worth keeping?'
In discussing the question of how the
war with Spain began, he stated that the
time had come to reveal the actual facts
in the case. to correct the impression
that the last Republican administration
had done all N its power to prevent
hostilities. This was now possible, for
the letters and dispatches of Gen. Stew
art L. WoOdford. minister at Madrid,
after having been suppressed for three
years had at last been CXtorted from
tho Secretary Of State.
''These dispatches show beyond any
doubt said Mr.. Small, that John
Sherman. then Secretary of State, and
Gen. Woodford made a most earnest and
patriotic effort to prevent the war. and
that their efforts were brought to nought
By their being arbitrarily overruled. Gen.
Woodiord was superseded sin recognition
OF his efforts to preserve the peace. and
jchn sherman superseded by Day won't
down to hi; grave cmbitterod by his
treatment and bcmaoning the war which
had resulted"
In proof Of this quotations were read
from the dispatches. On April 5tn. 1888,
the Queen Of Spain offered to proclaim
immediate and unconditional suspension
Cf hcstilitics in the island of Cuba for
the space of six months, in order to
avert the war, Secretary Day made no
answer to this Offer, but pigeon holed it
for six days Woodford telegraphed him
that if this were secured. he beloved
nc could get final settlement before Au-
gust 1st on the basis Of autonomy or
recognition by Spain of the indeocGGence
of the island. or cession of tn island
to tho United States.
But the President launched his var
message the very next day.
MI Small then showed how Admiral
Dewey had appealed to Agunaldo TO help
him, how Aguinaldo and the Filiplnos
had cordially responded ard lad done
everything in their power to aid tic
American forces, and then how with
rcrfidy uncxamplcd in history, they
wore left to suffer from the fire of the
common cncmy.'
Unmstakable evidence was produced
by the speaker to show that the hos
t,iities between the Americans and the
Insurgents were commenced by the
Americans Manila fell IN the first
half of August; in tho last half OF t2=
following December the President issued
proclamation commanding his army 10
soize the entire Philippine archipelago
and subjugate 20 American arms.
THE Treaty of Paris, technically CON
veying the islands to the United States,
was not yet ratified so that it could not
be oven pretended that We had any claim
whatever to the archipelago.
Our arr at Manila now assumed the
aggressive. pressing forward and push
ing tho Filipinos beyond the surburbs
in spite of the repeated ana pitiful ap
pcals Of AguinalGo that peace night 5e
preserved These appeals were Do n
laniod by a warning that his people
would fight for their independence and
would be subjugated by no nation what
ever. Then came the clash-February
the 4th. 1899. It took place in the
Santa Mesa district. outside of the
boundaries ot Manila, whore, under the
terms OF the PROTOCOL. VIC had no right
to he"
Official proofs. cable dispatches from
Manila % President Mckinley were sub
mttod by the speaker 10 show that the
frat firing was done by tho Americans.
Coming TO our present relations 10 the
Filipinos. Mr.. Small said:
Our present relation 20 the Filipino
il undoubtedly Nar-lille, vet in tech
ncal and legal sense war docs not exist.
The Constitution OF tho United states
donies to the President the right 70 make
war by limiting that function wholly 70
tho action OF Congress. Congress de-
clared war against Spain, but that war
came to an official end en- February i,
1896 FOR more than two years now We
have been. fighting in the Philippine
island for the purpose of subjugatins