Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-04-11
Philippines HIS Them.
President Roosevelt, in Address at
Fargo, N. D., Tells What Has
Been Done for Islands.
PROMISES OF NKINLEY FULFILLED.
Bravery and Falthfulness of Army in
Its Services In Islands Referred To
-Splendid Tribute Paid to Gov.
Taft-Work of Congress in Behalf
of Islands.

splendid Tribute Paid to Gov.
Taft-Work of Congress in Behalf
of Islands.
Fargo, N. D., April s.-Notwith-
the weather Tuesday was clear and
bracing and the programme for the
reception and address of President
Roosevelt was carried out according
to plans. The special train arrived
here during the early morning, and
at $3.50 o'clock the local reception
committee waited on the president
and after brief and informal recep-
ton at the train, escorted him in car
riages through the business portion
of the city. One of the features was
the welcome accorded by the children
of the city, several thousand of
whom were assembled together
where the president was able to greet
them. After the drive the president
was escorted to a stand in front of
the Waldorf hotel, where he ad-
dressed an immense and enthusiastic
crowd on the Philippines.
The Address Of the President.
The president began his address by
referring to the loyal and brave
service of the sons of the north
west in the war with Spain and
the restoring of peace in the Phil
ippines. He quoted from speech de-
livered by President Mckinley in
Minnesota on the return of the SOL
diers from the Philippines in which
Mr. Mckinley promised, that congress
would provide for the islands ''gov-
eminent which will bring them bless
ings, and which will promote their ma
terial interests as we'll as advance
their people in the path of civilization
and intelligence"
This, President Roosevelt went on
to say, had been done, and he declared
credit was due to the men who had so
admira bly, managed the military and
civil affairs of the islands, and to the
men in congress who had SO heartily
backed them.
Splendid Work of the Army.
The work of the army-composed OF
regulars and volunteers alike-in re-
storing order in the islands and pre-
pairing the way for civil government
was most faithfully and bravely done.
among a hundred thousand hot
blooded and powerful young men serv-
ing in small detachments on the other
side of the globe, it was impossible
that occasional instances of wrong
doing should not occur. But these Of
lenses were the exception and not the
rule. AS a whole our troops showed
not only signal courage and efficiency,
but great humanity and the most sim
cere desire to promote the welfare and
liberties of the islanders.
"As rapidly as military rule was ex-
tended over the islands by the defeat
of the insurgents, just so rapidly was
it replaced by the civil government.
At the present time the civil govern
ment is supreme and the army in the
Philippines has been reduced until it
is sufficient merely to provide against
the recurrence of trouble.
Work Of Congress.
"The congress which has just adj
iourned has passed legislation of high
Importance and great wisdom in the
interests of the Filipino people. First
and foremost they conferred upon
them by law the present admirable
civil government; in addition they
gave them an excellent currency; they
passed a measure allowing the organ
ization of a native constabulary; and
they provided, in the interests of the
islands, for reduction of rs per
cent. in the tariff on Filipino articles
brought to this country. 1 asked that
still further reduction should be
made.
Tribute to Gov. Taft.
'The best thing that can be done in
handling such problem as that in the
Philippines, so peculiar, so delicate, so
difficult and so remote, is to put the
best man possible in charge and then
give him the heartiest possible support,
and the freest possible hand This is
what has been done with Gov. Taft.
There is not in the nation higher or
finer type of public servant than Gov.
Taft. He has rendered literally ines
timable service, not only to the peo-
pie of the Philippine islands, but also
to the people of the United States, by
what he has done in those islands. He
has been able to do it, because from
the beginning he has been given abso-
lutte support by the war department,
under Secretary Root. With the ces-
sation of organized resistance the civil
government assumed its proper posi-
ton of headslip. The army in the
Philippines is now one of the instru-
ments through which Gov. Taft does
his admirable work. The civil govern
ment, of which Gov. Taft is the head,
is supreme, and it will do we'll in the fu-
ture as it has in the past, because it
will be backed up in the future as it
has been in the past.