The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1902-07-19

Of the islands, pacify them, civilize them
and establish law ana order and good
President Mckinley was at first loath
20 insist on cession; but when the great
sa9rai problem in all its length and
breadth, dawned upon MIN and he fully
duty seemed plain to him He was no
moral coward, no evader OF responsible
ity, and he represented q people who
/: We owed it to ourselves. to the people
Of the Philippine ISLANDS and to the en-
did do To have dono otherwise would
have rendered our ton moral imbecfle
among the enlightened nations of the
world.
Spain was in undisputed possession and
control of the islands. The insurrection
which Aguinaldo and some of his asso-
ciates had started in 1896 they had com
promised and abandoned for money con
sideration in 1897 and mad taken them
selves to. China, where they were living
when Dewey steamed into the Bay Of
Manila. There was at that time no Phil
ippine .insurrection and no semblance OF
Philippine army or Philippine govern
ment OF any kind. Under the promise,
which turned out to be a mere pretense,
of helping our forces to expel the Span
iards, Aguinaldo and some of his asso-
GATES; with the permission of Dewey, re
turned to Luzon and were furnished with
arms and ammunition. But no sooner
had they landed and secured arms than
they proceeded to organize an army and
tility to our government rather than
Spain. They were even ready at one time
to join and cooperate with the Spaniards
This, insurrection, thus started, and fed
by the ignorant and savage lawlessness
of the people, we have suppressed Most
. of it, except in a few isolated parts and
age tribes, and bands of ladrones or roh-
bers, we suppressed more than a year
ago. .-s IT, r. s..s,a
A yea, ago our army in tne islands
our force to 10000 men. 4 year ago TIE
gnoged Of Td tey95 at h s f cps
Der is only 245. and, deducting from this
the stations in Samar and Batangas,
there. are but 100 left, and these would be
tiers were found for the troops in the
larger towns. In the meantime, under the
Tat we haze
and order, In most of the provinces. In
thirtN-fve provinces civil governments
are established and working most success
fully, chiefly under native officials while
in nine provinces civil government is sue
thority. - =
In thirty-f1ve Of the provinces system
of public schools has been established,
with nearly 1000 Americans and 1900 ma
tive teachers, thus !affording the people
nave sue The tss
eager to attend the schools and to learn
English, and they learn with quickness
and avidity. There are to-day American
teachers in 200 towns and villages where
there is not single American soldier.
With the exception of a few isolated and
barbarious tribes and bands, and the La
,drones, the islands are to-day pacified,
and law and order and civil government
prevails. a civil government more just
and liberal than ever enjoyed under Span
ish rule.
Under a liberal tariff law, enacted by
the Philippine commission and ratified
and supplemented by an act of congress
at this session, which eliminates the
harsh features Of Spanish taxation, ample
penses OF the government of the islands,
Including the maintenance of a liberal
system Of public schools, the improve
! the necessary sanitation Of the country.