Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-06-06
ALTRU|SM OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE
SECRETARY TAFT POINTS TO
RECORD OF uNsELFlsHNEss.
FROM OUR ISLAND CHARGES
Based Upon Desire to Discharge a
Duty to Misunderstanding of
Schools and Establishment Of Bet
ter Civilization--.nteres Sta
tistics Showing Great Growth.

st. Louis, Mo. May s1.--"We ex.
pended in the Cuban war upwards OF
$500, 100000 and we never have in.
vited from Cuba the return OF !.
single cent. We offered up in deaths
and wounds ana disease in that war,
the lives of las officers and over 4,l00
enlisted men. We paid $20,000,000 to
Spain under the treaty of peace.
| The exact consideration for lhis sum,
| it may be difficult to state, but the
result of the payment was the treaty
and by that treaty was secured a
cession of Cuba and Porto Rico and
the Philippines freed from the debts
which Spain had incurred in their
maintenance. 1t is not too much 10
say, therefore. that by this payment
the United States freed the islands
from a heavy burden OF debt which.
under ordinary conditions of trans
fer. might have followed them under
American sovereignty
Citing the above facts and many
others of similar import Secretary OF
War w. H. Taft, in an address before
the National Millers' association, told
his hearers that he preferred to speak
to them as citizens and patriots and
would take for his subject, Recent In.
stances of our National Altruism
AS we read the history of man
Or a nation, that which excites our al
miration is courageous action for
which no motive can be found save
that of desire to discharge duty to
mankind. A study of the conduct OF
our nation with respect to Cuba,
Porto Rica, and the Philippines, COW
ering now nearly decade, ought to
fill every American with pride. | do
not mean to say that there were not
Americans who entered upon the war
or favored the Cuban or the Philippine
policy from motives of selfshness
and with hope OF increasing oul
trade and enlarging our dominion
from the mere love of exploitation and
'empire, but the great body Of the
people went into and fought out the
Cuban war, assumed the burden OF the
temporary government of Cuba, ana
the more or less permanent govern
menf OF Porto Rico, fought out tn
Philippine wars and assumed the gov
eminent OF the Philippines all from
a sense IT duty only. and that most
reluctantly because they could not
foresee the extent of the burdens
which we were taking up In 1898
| 1t is hardly necessary for me to re
call the resistance that President
Mckinley offered to the popular move
rent that carried him slowly bl'
surely to the point OF an open conflict
with Spain That which the Ameri
can people believed to be the %.
preston of the Cuban people, the mis-.
government OF that beautiful island
and the continued failure OF Spain to
restore any kind of order--all com.
PEELED the United States to interfere
to prevent a continuance OF that who h
seemed to our people to be an interna-
tionai scandal at the doors OF this
country and as we went into It. IN
order that we might free ourselves
from the charge Of andrgrabbing or
spirit Of conquest, we made the dec.
laration that we would not retain
Cuba, but would make her an independ-
ent republic as soon as circumstances
would permit. The wisdom of this
self-denying declaration has often been,
questioned, and am not prepared my.
self to say that II was the wiser course
to pursue. SO far as our country was
concerned, II was. But recent events
give, rise to a doubt whether in or
anxiety to make clear our own ul;-
selfish motive. we may not have com
mitted ourselves to policy not best
ada pted to the welfare Of the Cubans.
However that may be, II Ia certain
that when It was adopted, Il was
adopted in what was thought 10 be
the best interests of Cuba, and what
was known to be in accordance with
the unselfish desire Of the American
people to help their oppressed neigh.
borsr
Reviewing then the history Of Amer
lean occupation in Porto Rico he
20 nted out that down to the last day
.of Spanish rule, there was not in this
island, containing a million people. a
single building constructed for or
dedicated to public instruction. and
the enrolment Of pupils was but I'll.
600. There are today in this island.
81 such buildings and the enrolment
Of pupils has reached the number of
10000. In the last year of Spanish
rule there was expended $4,000 in
gold for public education Under the
present government there is expend.
ed total Of ss54Oo0 each wear.
When the Spanish dominion ended
there w2s l72 miles Of nacadam'zed
road Since the United States took
control there have been constructed
POI miles more. making IN all now
total OF 46S miles Of finely pIanre1
and admirably constructed macadani
ized roads--as fine roads az there are
IN the world
There Is complete free trade be.