The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-22
Mr.. HOAR'S SPEECH
United States Is Fighting for Sover-
eighty, Not for Liberty.
WICKED CHAPTER IN HISTORY
But the Men Who Were RESPONSIBLE
for 1t Were Neither Wicked
Nor Foolish.

Washington, May Ex-senator Hoar
spoke at length in the senate to-day on
the government OF the Philippines. He
maintained that this country was not at
war
s'You are fighting for sovereignty he
said, you are fighting for the principal
Of eternal dominion over that people and
that is the only question in issue in the
conflict" ...-
When it had been determined to resort
to force in the Philippines, he said,
the government took upon itself the
natural consequences OF that decision.
The result Of the conflict of arms Of such
character inevitably was that there
would be cruelty on one side and retalia
ton by cruelty on the other; and the re-
sponsioility rested upon those who made
the policy.
A Wicked Chapter in Our History.
Mr.. Hoar said he intended to discuss
and to denounce what seemed to him one
OF the most wicked and foolish chapters
In history: yet he was compelled to ad
NIT, he said that the men who were re-
Sponsible for it were neither wicked nor
foolish.
Mr.. Hoar maintained that his con-
science was the only authority he felt
bound to obey in this matter. He said
that the share which it was proposed to
give Lue lllplnOS II TIE piupoSeu SCLSLuS
of government was an admission that
many of them were fit for self-govern-
ment. The United States was fighting to
secure a dependency not a republic; a
government of our making and not a gov
eminent of the Filipinos making.
Discussing the testimony taken by the
Philippine committee Mr.. Hoar said it
had contained some pregnant admissions.
All that vindicates what has been done is
the saving Of the islands from anarchy
and the material benefit conferred upon
the Philippine people.
What the fathers of the republic said,
and our century Of glorious history, were
appealed to in vain.
Their lessons fell upon the ears Of
men dazzled by military glory and de-
nrious with the lust of conquest"
He compared the situation in Cuba with
that in the Philippines and demanded to
know which was the better.
Monroe Doctrine Contradicted.
Mr.. Hoar recited a chapter Of the his
tory Of this country which, he said,
showed that the present policy Of the gov
eminent was a contradiction Of the Mon
roe doctrine as it was a contradiction of
the Declaration Of Independence. He said
that if the present way was followed the
Declaration of Independence would be re-
pealed and nothing would be left of the
Monroe doctrine except the principle of
brutal selfshness.
This government had erected republic
In Cuba and a despotisn in the Philip
pines. Six hundred millions of treasure
and ten thousand American lives had been
sacrificed in that endeavor. In the Phil
ippines the American flag had been made
the emblem Of sacrilige and Of the burn
Ing Of homes and of the horror Of the
water torture. He believed that our Off
GERS in general were humane
''But in some cases they have carried
on your warfare with a mixture of Anti
lean ingenuity and Castilian cruelty"
60 What have your ideals cost you?' in
quired Mr.. Hoar. For the Philippine
islands you have had to reveal the Dec
laration Of independence. For Cuba you
have had to reafHrm and give it new lus-
ter. For the Philippine islands you have
had to convert the Monroe doctrine into
doctrine OF mere selhshness. For Cuba
you have acted on it and vindicated it.
In Cuba you have the eternal gratitude of
a free neo1le. IN the Philippine islands
you have the hatred and sullen submits
sion OF a subjugated people. From Cuba
glory. From the Philippine YOU have
brought home nothing OF glory
Referring to the cruelties committed in
the Philippines, Mr.. Hoar said he be
lieved the American soldiers were as
brave and humane AS ever lived. They
dorae in like conditions. The chief guilt
was uron the heads of those who created
the conditions.
"Horrors" in the Philippines.
After reviewing briefly the capture of
Aguinaldo by General Funston the meth
DDS of whom he sharply criticized, Mr..
Hoar expressed the belief that the senate
did not know what it was doing when it
consented to General Funston's promo
ton, and intimated that the result might
have been different if the senate had
been fully cognizant Of all the facts. Ad-
yerting again to the horrors which have
occurred in the Philippines, Mr.. Hoar
said:
IT hope and believe they were unknown
to the war department. I know they
were unknown to President Roosevelt
dent Mckinley" He did not believe
ht viewer, that the statement that the war
had been conducted with uneXampled hui
manity on our part would be accepted by
the people. He denounced the order al
legged to have been given by General
Smith and put particular stress upon the
horrors OF the Recommendation camps
which he likened to the dreadful scenes
In Andersorville prison during the civil
war.
He demanded that these things cease
ard that the administration declare on
what eternal principle IT would act IN
the Philippines. lie believed that it
would be impossible absolutely to pacify
the Philippines
A Hope for Better Counsel.
In conclusion Mr.. Hoar believed that
better counsel yet would prevail than now
seemed to exist. The irrevocablc step
had not yet been taken.
"Let US at least have this to say: We,
too have kept the faith OF the fathers,
We took Cuba by the hand. We delivered
her from her age-long bondage. We
welcomed her to the family Of nations.
We set mankind an eaxmple never beheld
before in modern history. We led hest
tating and halting Europe to the deliv-
GRANGE of their belea guered ambassadors
IN China We marched through hostile
country-a country cruel ard barbarcus-
without anger or revenge. We returned
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