Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1902-12-03

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foreigners When this is done, they can
| rest assured that, be they strong or weak.
| they have nothing to dread from outside
| interference. More and more the increas-
ing interdependence and completely Of
| international political and economic rela-
| lions render II incumbent on all civilized
and orderly powers to insist on the proper
During the fall Of 1901 communication
was addressed to the secretary of state
| asking whether permission would be
granted by the president to a corporation
| to lay cable from point on the Cali
fornia coast to the Philippine Islands by
tons or terms upon which such corpora
| ton would undertake to lay and operate
| a cable was volunteered.
Inasmuch as the congress- was shortly TO
convene and Pacific cable legislation had
| been the subject Of consideration by the
congress for several years, 1t seemed to
ton until the congress had first an oppor-
tunity to act. The congress adjourned
without taking any action, leaving the
which 1t stood when the congress con-
vened.
| Meanwhile 1t appears that the CONNER
! proceeded with preparations for laying its
! cable. 1t also made application to the
| president for access to and use or sound
! ings taken by the United States steamship
| Nero for the purpose of discovering a
practicable route for a transpacific cable.
| the company urging that with access to
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much sooner than II 1t were required to
| take soundings upon its own account.
| Pending consideration of this subject II
| appeared important and desirable to at
tach certain conditions to the permission
| to examine and use the soundings II II
| 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 to these sound
| ings and to consent to the landing and
| laying of the cable, subject to any altera-
| lions or additions thereto imposed by the
congress. This was deemed proper, espe-
| cially as II was clear that cable con-
| nection of some kind with China, a for
| eign country, was a part Of the company's
| plan. This course was, moreover. in ac-
| ing President Grants action in the case
| Of the first French cable, explained to the
congress in his annual message OF De-
| in 1879 of the second French cable from
Brest to st. Pierre, with a branch to
Cape Cod.
! These conditions prescribed, among 9TH
er things, a maximum rate for CONNER
cial messages and that the company
should construct line from the Philip
| pine Islands to China, there being at pres
emit, as is well known. a British line from
| Manila to Hongkong.
The representatives Of the cable compa-
ny kept these conditions long under con-
| sideration. continuing in the meantime to
prepare for laying the cable. They have,
| however. at length acceded to them. and
an all American line between our racine
coast and the Chinese empire by way Of
| Honolulu and the Philippine Islands is
thus provided for and is expected within
a few months to De ready Tor business
the power of the congress to modify or re-
peal any or all OF them A copy OF the
or Porto Rico it is only necessary to say
that the prosperity Of the island and the
wisdom with which it has been governed
have been such as to make 1t serve as an
!
ministration.
On July 4 last. on the one hundred and
twenty sixth anniversary OF the declare
nesty were promulgated in the Philippine
Islands. Some trouble has since from
time to time threatened with the Moham-
medan Moros, but with the late insurrec-
tionary F'ilipinos the war has entirely
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 be-
fore known during the recorded history OF
the islands. but the people, taken as a
whole, now enjoy measure OF self gov
eminent greater than that granted to any
other orientals by any foreign power and
orientals under their own governments
save the Japanese alone. We have not
gone too far in granting these rights OF
| liberty and self government but we have
certainly gone to the limit that in the in
terests of the Philippine people themselves
it was wise or Just to go. To hurry mat
tiers, to go faster than we are now going.
would entail calamity on the people OF
the islands. No policy ever entered into
self in more signal manner than the poll
cy of holding the Philippines. The tri-
umph Of our arms above all the triumph
er than we had any right to expect. Too
much praise cannot be given to the army
for what 1t has done in the Philippines.
tive standpoint. In preparing the way for
civil government. and similar credit be-
longs 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 I'M
flinching endurance. the high soldierly eff
and humanity OF our troops have been
strilxingly manifested. There now remain
only some I5.0o0 troops In the islands. Al
course there have been individual In
stances Of wrongdoing among them. They
warred under fearful difnclities OF ell .
they continually received from their foes
OecaTred nWerg sffors has been made 10
prevent such cruelties. and finally These
efforts have been completely successful
tse srs and e punish n the he w G After
making all allowance for these misdeeds
It remains true that few indeed have been
waged BY a civilized power against semi
| civilized or barbarous forces where there
| has been 50 little wron8dotng by the VIC
tors as In the Philippine Islands. On the
| other hand, the amount Of difficult. impor-
| tant and beneflceut work which has been
| done1s well nigh tncalculable.
Taking the work Of the army and the
| civil authorities together, II may be Ques-
toned whether anywhere else In modern
| times the world has seen q better exam
| pie Of real constructive statesmanship
| than our people have given in the Philip
|, pine Islands. High praise should also be
given those Ftlipinos - In the aggregate
|, | very numerous-who have accepted the
| new conditions and joined with our repre-
| sentatives to work with hearty good will
for the welfare Of the islands.
The army has been reduced to the mini
mum allowed by law. 1t Is very small FOL
| the size of the nation and most certainly
should be kept at the highest point OF efh.
| cheney. The senior officers are given scan'
| chance under ordinary conditions to eY.
, | ercise commands commensurate with then
, | rank under circumstances which would Il,
| them to do their duty In time of actua
| war. A system of maneuvertng our army
| In bodies Of some little size has been be
| gun and should be steadily continued
| Without such maneuvers II Is folly to ex
| pect that in the event of hostilities with
| any serious foe even small army corps
| could be handled to advantage Both oul
officers and enlisted men are such tina
| we can take hearty pride in them. NJ
, | better material can be found But they
| must be thoroughly trained. both as indi
| viduals and in the mass. The marksman
| | ship Of the men must receive special at
/ tenfion In the circum stances of modern