Norwich bulletin., 1920-06-07

policy of benevolent assimi-
Iation" in the Philippines.
1S99-Feb. 4, the Philippine War
began.
Feb. 6, treaty Of peace rati-
fed by the senate.
Sept. 6, Sec. Hay called on the
Power to agree to the open"
door" in China.
19oo-Aug, Is, the Allied Expedition
to Pekin.
Events make sport Of the schemes Of
mice and men. Mckinley entered the
race for the presidency on the tariff is
sue was elected on the money issue.
and the greatest problems
that confronted him in the White House
were the fate Of chain OF islands of
the coast of Asia and the destiny Of
China!
Spain had been engaged for two years
in desolating struggle to hold in sub
lection the revolving island Of Cuba, and
| two happenings pushed Mckinley into
the conflict in spite of himself. In n pri-
vate letter. the Spanish Minister at Wash
ington scoffed at the President as
''politicastro"-in plain American, "a
peanut politician"-and plainly intimated
/ that the fair promises which the Span
iards were giving him were only a trick
to fool the administration and the Amre>
! lean people. Within the week OF that
exposure, the battleship Maine was blown
up in Havana Harbor. with the loss Of
25e American lives.
After understanding for nearly two
months the popular outcry Of "Remem-
Der the Maine" the President yielded.
and war was declared. In ten days Dewey
had smashed the enemy squadron in
Manual Bay; in ten weeks another
squadron was sunk or captured OFF
Santiago; in three months and half,
poor old Spain threw up the sponge.
Our navy proved itself efficient and
quickly destroyed what small resistance
the unmatched foe could hope 10 oire-
Our little army OF 275.jo0 men proved 70
be its own worst enemy, losing only 3I5
killed in action OF dying OF wounds, but
sacrificing 1855 lives to disesse-pitiful
victims, for the most part. OF unsanitary
camps here at home.
The small expeditionary force in Cuba
easily whipped the armed foe in front
of it, but was nearly compelled to re
treat by invisible foes in its rear
pleagues and hunger. Unframed and in.
competent line and staff officers-poli
ticians and sons Of somebody"
largely responsible for the breaking dowr
of camp hygiene, the medical servic,
and the service of supply.
: 1t took twice as long TO make peaci
as to make war. The Philippines caus
ed all the trouble. AS we had not cap
: tured the islands in the war, many be
l lieved that we should let them alone
= Bnt Mckinley decided 10 demand from
Spain the surrender Of the Philippines.
1 The MEMBERS of the Cabinet were di
vided, Judge Day, the secretary of state
who became the head Of our peace com
. mission, favoring the annexation O
: nothing more than naval base. A
the end of a long discussion the secre
tary asked why his motion was not pu
= to a vote. " Twas afraid it would b
I, to a vote. Il was afraid it would b
! smile.
McKinley's course was Influenced b,
/, a fresh outbreak of rivalry among tn
: European powers for ports and island
and spheres Of influence. particularly i
! the Far East, and the president was am
: bilious to open for the country ne'
era in its relation to the world. 9Th
G currents of destiny are flowing throug
: the hearts of the American people" h
= confidently announced as he felt the put
- lie pulse on a Western tour.
cry of imperialism was raise
: against this nlurea ia'o Asia. The "ar
ti-imperialists'' included some distinl
: uished repuDIica..- virtually all IN
Y democrats, and the treaty OF peace wa
ratified at last with only one vote I
spare in the senate.
Without waiting for ratification, tn
president dispatched a military expeditio
to take over the Philippines, proclaim
ing to the revolving Gcilipinos the pol
! cy of benevolent assimilation" The II
sulting war dragged its unpleasant lengt
u Two years before the inhabtant
unwillingly bowed to their new master
Not yet feeling the economic urge thi
drove Europe into the race for exploit
ing far-off lands. Americans have col
tinued to be indifferent TO commerce.
opportunities 10 the Philippines, and Il
archipelago remains liability rath'
than an asset on the national ledge
Having all that We can do at home. in u
development of resources infinitely ricl
er than those of any foreign field, the
has been tendency to leave the island
more and more 10 the Filipinos on som
what the same terms that We left Cut
to the Cubans,
1t was the strange fortune Of pr
dent whose entire public life had be-
given exclusively TO domestic question
to plant the flag in the distant Phil
pines and to send it to the pink wal