The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-20
The Soldiers Work.

The SOldlefS' "ork,
But the soldiers work as a soldier was
not the larger part of what he did. When
once the outbreak was over in any place.
then began the work of establishing civil
ndministra ton. Here, too. the soldier did
his part. for the work of preparing for
,he civil authority was often done by the
officers and mon OF the regular army. and
we'll done, too. Then the rea! work OF
building up a system of self-governmcnt
for the people who had become our
wards was begun. under the auspices ot
The Philippine commission, Judge iatt
being made governor. and ] having had
the honor myself to appoint General
Wright as vice governor. During the
critical period when the insurrcction was
ending and the time was one of transl-
1ion between a state of war and a state
Of peace, at the time that I Issued q
proclamat ton declaring that the state or
war. was over and that the civil govern
meut was now in complete command
General Wright served as governor of
the archipelago. The progress of the is-
lands, both in material well-being and
as regards order and Justice under the
administration of Governor Wright and
his colleague has been astounding.
There is no question as to our not
having gone far enough and fast enough
IN granting self-government to the Fill
pinos: the only possible danger has been
lest we should go faster and farther than
was in the interest Of the F'ilipinos them
selves. Each Filipino at the present day
Is guaranteed his life, his liberty. and
the chance to pursue happiness as he
wishes, so long as he does not harm his
fellows, in a way which the islands have
never known before during all their re-
corded history There are bands OF Ia
cIrones. of brigands, still in existence.
Now and then they may show sporadic
increase. This will he due occasionally
to disaffection with some of the things
that our government does which are best
for example, the effort to quarantine
against the plague and to enforce neces-
sary sanitary precautions, gently and
tactfully though it was made produced
violent hostility among some of the more
ignorant natives. Again. disease like
the cattle plague may cause. in some
given province. such want that n part
of the inhabitants revert to their an
ricnt habit of brignndage But the Is
lands have never been as orderly, as
peaceful, or as prosperous as now: and
in no other Oriental country. whether
ruled by Asia tics or Europeans. Is there
ANYTHING approaching TO the amount or
individual liberty and of self-government
which our rule has brought to the Fill
pinos. The nation owes a great debt TO
the people through whom this splendid
work for civilization has been achieved,
and therefore, on behalf of the nation. I
have come here tonight to thank, In your
presence, your feilow-Iownsman. because
he has helped us materially to add q
new page to the honor roll of American
history. General Wright. ] greet you, I
thank you. and ] wish YOU well.
At midnight the presidential party
left for Washington over the Southern
railway. Col. l.. s. Brown. general
agent of the Southern, was in charge
Of the train. No. stops will be made on
the way. The train will reacli Wash
ington at o'clock Friday morning.