The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1902-12-04

and to discharge It's just obligations to
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 tho increas-
Ing interdependence and complexity Of
international political and economic rela--
tons render 1t incumbent on all civilized
and orderly powers to insist on the proper
policing Of the world.
During the fall OF 1901 communication
sana to the secretary Of
granted oy the president to O corporation
70 lay cable from q 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
q cable was volunteered.
convene and Pacific cable legisla tion had
been the subject OF consideration by the
congress for several years. 1t seemed to
me me, wise to defer seton upon the applica-
tunity to act. The congress- adjourn ed
WITHOUT taking any cotton. leaving the
mater mate IN exactly tho same condition in
vened.
Meanwhile It appears that the CONNER
cial Pacific Cable company had promptly
proceeded with preparations for laying its
cable. It also made application to the
president Tor access to and use OF sound
ings taken BY the United States steamship
nero ior the purpose Of discovering q
the company urging that with access to
these soundings It could complete its cable
much sooner than II It were required to
Pending Ron If Of this suSsos
appeared important and desirable to at
tach certain conditions to the permission
to examine and use the soundings IL it
should be granted.
In consequence Of this solicitation OF. the
cable company certain conditions were
formulated. upon which the president was
n a %
ings and to consent to the landing and
laying OF the cable, subject to any altera-
tons or additions thereto imposed by the
cialIy as 1t was clear that q cable con
nection OF some kind with China, for
eign country, was part OF the company
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 branch to
Cape Cod
These conditions prescribed. among 9TH
cial messages and that the company
should construct q line from the Philip
pine Islands to China, there being at pres
ent as Is well known a British line from
The representatives OF the cable compa-
ny kept these conditions long under con-
sideration. continuing in the meantime to
prepare for laying tho 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 is
a 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. copy OF the
conditions is herewith transmitted.
OF Porto Rico 1t Is only necessary to say
wisdom with which It has been governed
example OF all that L. best in irsular adj
ministration.
On July last, on the one hundred and
twenty sixth anniversary Of the declara-
nesty were promulgated in the Philippine
Islands. Some trouble has since from
time to time threatened with the Mohan-
tionary Filipinos the war has entirely
ceased. Civil government has now been
introduced Not only. does each Filipino
pursuit Of happiness as he has never be-
fore known during the recorded history Of
the islands. but the people. taken as
whole. now enjoy measure of self gov
eminent greater than that granted to any
other orientals by any foreign power and
creates. than that enjoyed by any other
orient ais Under their own
gone too far in granting these rights Of
liberty and self government. but we have
certainly gone to the limit that in the In
it was wise or just to 60 10 hurry mat
tiers. to go faster than we are now going,
would entail calamity on tho people OF
BY the American people has vindicated it.
self in more signal manner than tho poll
cy Of holding the Philippines. The tri-
Of our laws and principles. has come soon
or 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
self government In the ground thus made
ready for them. The courage, the un-
finching endurance. the high soldierly eff
and humanity OF our troops have been
strikingly manifested There now remain
only some 1900 troops In the islands. All
told. over 100000 have been sent there OF
course there have been Individual In
stances OF wrongdoin8 among them. They
warred under fearful difficulties of eli
mate and surroundings. and under the
strain of the terrible provocations which
they continually received from their foes
occasional instances Of cruel retaliation
occurred. Every effort has been made to
efforts have been completely successful.
Every effort has also been made to de-
tect and punish the wrongdoerS. After
making all allowance fer these misdeeds
1t remains true that few indeed have been
the instances in which war has been
waged by a civilized power against semi
civilized or barbarous forces where there
has been SO little wrongdoing by the vic
tors as in the Philippine Islands. On the
other hand. the amount Of difficult iupor-
tant and beneficent work which has been
done Is we'll nigh incalculGble.
Taking the work e-of the army and the
civil authorities together. 1t may be Ques-
toned whether anywhere else in modern
times the world has seen better exam
pie Of real constructive craftsmanship
than our people have given in the Philip
pine Islands. High praise should also be
given those Filipinos = in the aggregate
new conditions and joined with our repre-
sentatives to work with hearty good will
for the welfare of the islands.
The army has boon reduced to the mini
mum allowed by law It Is very small for
the size of the nation and most certainly
should be kept at the highest point Of eff
cheney. The senior officers are given scant
chance under ordinary conditions to ex-
ercise commands commensurate with their
them to do their duty In time of actual
war. A system Of maneuvering our army
in bodies Of some little size has been be-
gun and should be steadily continued.
Without such maneuvers 1t is folly to ex-
pect that in the event Of hosti1ities with
any serious foe even small army corps
could be handled to advantage. Both our
officers and enlisted men are such that
we can take hearty pride In them. No
better material can be found. But they
must be thoroughly trained, both as indi-
Ncrs1yrv