The Republican
Broken 15o\v ,
The Question of the >
Hour.
Conclusions Arrived nt After Intended
Personal Investigation Hon. Ilovor-
edgo's Grcut Speech Delivered la
the Soimto January 0 , 1UUU.
The secretary read the joint resolu
tion ( S. R. 53)deflning ) the policy of the
United States relative to the Philip
pine Islards , as follows :
He it resolved by the Semite nnd House of
Representatives of the United Stales of Ameri
ca In Congress assembled , Thai Iho 1'hUlpplno
Islands nro territory of the United States ; that
it Is the Intention of Iho United Stnles lo retain
them us Mich nnd to establish und maintain such
governmental control throughoul Iho urchlpcl-
ngo ns Iho situation may demand.
Mr. UKVEUIDGE. Mr. President , I
address the Senate at this time because
Senators and Members of the Ilause
on both sides have asked that I give to
Congress and the country my observa
tions iu the Philippines and the far
East , and the conclusions which those
observations compel ; and because of
hurtful resolutions introduced and tit-
torances made in the Senate , every
word of which will cost and is costing
the lives of American soldiers.
Mr. President , the times call for can
dor. The Philippines are oui\s forever ,
"territory belonging to the United
States , " as the Constitution calls them.
And just beyond the Philippines arc
China's illimitable markets.Vo will
not retreat from either. Wo will not
repudiate our duty in the archipelago.
"Wo will not abandon our opportunity
iu the Orient. Wo will not renounce
our part in the mission of our race ,
trustee , under God , of the civilization
of the world. And we will move for
ward to our work , not howling out re
grets like slaves whipped to their bur
dens , but with gratitude for a task
worthy of our strength , and thanks-
giAing to Almighty God that lie has
marked us as his chosen people , hence
forth to lead in the regeneration of the
world.
I'lUI.IIM'INES COMMA > I > TUB PACIFIC.
This island empire is the last ladn left
in all the oceans. If it should prove a
mistake to abandon it , the blunder
once made would be irrretricvable. If
it proves a mistake to hold it , the error
can be corrected when we will. Every
other progressive nation stands ready
io relieve us.
But to hold it will be no mistake ,
our largest trade henceforth must .be
with Asia. The Pacific is our ocean.
More and more Europe will mamifae-
tttre the most it needs , secure from its
colonies the most it consumes. Where
shall we turn for consumers of our sur
plus ? Geography answers the ques
tion. China is our natural customer.
She is nearer to us than to England ,
ticrmany or Ilussia , the commercial
.powers of the present and the future.
They have moved nearer to China by
securing permanent bases on her bor
ders. The Philippines give us a base
at the door of all the East.
Lines of navigation from our ports
lo the Orient and Australia ; from the
isthmian canal to Asia ; from all Ori
ental ports to Australia , converge at
-and separate from the Philippines.
They are a self-supporting , dividend-
paying fleet , permanently anchored at
-j\ spot selected by the strategy of Prov
idence , commanding the Pacific. And
the Pacific is the ocean of the com
merce of the future. Most future wars
will be conflicts for commerce. The
power that rules the Pacific , therefore ,
is the power that rules the world. And ,
with the Philippines , that power js
and will forever be the American Re
public.
VAI.UB OF CIIIJfA'S TKADK.
China's trade is the mightiest com
mercial fact in our future. Her for
eign commerce was 8285,738,300 in 1897 ,
of which we , her neighbor , had less
than I ) per cent , of which only a little
more than half was merchandise sold
to China by us. We ought to have 50
percent , and we will. And China's
foreign commerce is only beginning.
Her resources , her possibilities , her
wants , all are undeveloped. She has
only 310 miles of railway. I nave seen
trains loaded with natives and all the
activities of modern life already ap
pearing along the line. Hut she needs ,
-and in fifty years will have , 20,003
7niles of railway.
Who can estimate her commerce
-then ? The statesman commits a crime
against American trade against the
American grower of cotton and wheat
and tobacco , the American manufac
turer of machinery and clothing who
fails to put America where she may
command that trade. Germany's Chi
nese trade is increasing like magic.
Hlie has established ship lines and se-
onred a tangible foothold on China's
very soil. Russia's Chinese trade is
yrouing beyond belief. She _ is spend
ing the revenues of the Empire to fin
ish her railroad into Pekin itself , and
fche is in physical possession of the im
perial province of Manchuria. Japan's
Chinese trade is multiplying in volume
and value. She is bending her energy
to her merchant marine , and is located
along China's very coast ; but Manila is
nearer China than Yokohama is. The
Philippines command the commercial
situation of the entire East. Can
America best trade with China from
Han Francisco or New York ? From
San Francisco , of course. Iut ! if San
Francisco were closer to China than
New York is to Pittsburg , what then ?
And Manila is nearer Hongkong than
llabana is to Washington. And yet
American statesmen plan to surrender
this commercial throne of the Orient
where Providence and our soldiers'
lives have placed us. When history
conies to write the story of that sug
gested treason to American supremacy
and therefore to the spread of Ameri
can civilization , let her in mercy write
that those who so proposed were merely
blind and nothing more.
WliSOUllCKS AMU l.MXir.\SB BIZK OF T1IIJ
ISLANDS.
Hut if they did not command China ,
/ndia , the Orient , the whole Pacific for
purposes of ofl'enbc , defense , and trade ,
the Philippines are t > o valuable in them
selves that we should hold them. 1
have cruised moro than 2,000 miles
through the archipelago , every moment
a surprise at its loveliness and wealth.
1 have ridden hundreds of'miles on the
Islands , every foot of the way a revela
tion of vegetable and mineral rlchca.
No laud in America surpasses in fer
tility the plains and valleys of Lur.ou.
Rice and colVe , sugar and cocoanuts ,
hemp and tobacco , and many products
of the Temperate as well as the Tropic
zone grow in various sections of the
archipelago. I have scon hundreds of
bushels of Indian corn lying in a road
fringed with banana trees. The for
ests of Negros , Mindanao , Mlndora ,
Paluan , and parts of Luzon are invalu
able and intact. The wood of the
Philippines can supply the furniture of
the world for a century to come. At
Cebu the best informed man in the
island told mo that -10 miles of Ccbu's
mountain chain are practically moun
tains of coal. Pablo Majia. one of the
most reliable men on the islands , con
firmed the statement. Some declare
that the coal is only lignite ; but ship
captains who have used It told mo that
it is better steamer fuel than the best
coal of .Japan.
I have a nugget of pure gold picked
tip in its present form on the banks of
a Philippine creek. I have gold dust
washed out by crude processes of care
less natives from the sands of a Philip
pine stream. Both indicate great _ de
posits at the source from which they
come. In one of the islands great de
posits of copper e.\-ist untouched. The
mineral wealth of this empire of the
ocean will one day surprise the world.
I base this statement partly on per
sonal observation , but chiefly on the
testimony of foreign merchants in the
Philippines , who have practically in
vestigated the subject , and upon the
unanimous opinion of natives and
priests. And the mineral wealth is but
a small fraction of the agricultural
wealth of these islands.
And the wood , hemp , copra , and
other products of the Philippines sup
ply what we need and cannot ourselves
produce. And the markets they will
themselves afford will bo immense.
Spain's export and import trade , with
the islands undeveloped , was § 11,534 ,
731 annually. Our trade with the
islands developed will bo 8125,000,000
annually , for who believes that we can
not do ten times as well as Spain ?
Consider their imperial dimensions.
Luzon is larger and richer than New
York , Pennsylvania , Illinois , or Ohio.
Mindanao is larger and richer than all
New England , exclusive of Maine.
Manila , as a port of call and exchange ,
will , in the time of men now living , far
surpass Liverpool. Behold the ex-
haustlcss markets they command. It
is as if a half dozen of our States were
set down between Oceanica and the
Orient , and those states themselves un
developed and unspoiled of their primi
tive wealth and resources.
Nothing is so natural as trade with
cue's neighbors. The Philippines make
us the nearest neighbors of all the
East. Nothing is more natural than to
trade with those you know. This is
the Philosophy of all advertising. The
Philippines bring us permanently face
to face with the most sought-for cus
tomers of the world. National pres
tige , national propinquity , these and
commercial activity are the elements of
commercial success. The Philippines
give the first ; the character of the
Amcrtftn. people supply the last. It is
a proHdential conjunction of all the
olcments of trade , of duty , and of
power. If we arc willing to go to war
rather than let England have a few
feet of frozen Alaska , which affords no
market and commands none , what
should we not do rather than let Eng
land , Gjprmauy , Russia , or Japan have
all theT'hilippines ? And no man on
the spot can fail to see that this would
be their fate if we retired.
1'IIir.iri'INK CUMATK.
The climate is the best Tropic climate
iu the world. This is the belief of
those who have lived in many Tropic
countries , with scores of whom I have
talked on this point. My own experi
ence with tropical conditions has not
been exhaustive ; yet , speaking from
that experience , I testify that the cli
mate of lloilo , Sulu , Cebu , and even of
Manila , greatly surpasses that of
Hongkong. And yet on the bare and
burning rock of Hongkong our con
structing race has buildcd one of the
noblest cities of all the world , and
made the harbor it commands the focus
of the commerce of the Kast. And the
glory of that achievement illumines
with a rarer splendor than that of
Waterloo the flag that floats above it ,
for from Hongkong's heights civiliz
ation is irradiating all the Orient. If
this be imperialism , its final cud will
be the empire of the Son of Man.
Yet fifty years ago this English out
post of empire was a smooth and tree
less mountain , blazing like a ball of
fire beneath the tropic suns. The
Philippines arc beautiful and rich ,
with the healing seas pouring round
and through them and fanned by a
thousand winds. liven in the hottest
season , under severest conditions , 1
found the weather tolerable and often
delightful ; and in Luzon , Panay , Cebu ,
Negros , and Sulu 1 have been in the
sun and rain without protection from
either for hours at a time , traveling
from place to place on horseback , on
foot , or in a boat , rising at dawn , re
tiring at midnight , week after week ,
without injury to health.
General MacArthur , commanding a
force which had been fighting continu
ously for three months and which was
under fire practically every hour , was
in excellent health every time 1 saw him
at San Fernando , our extreme front.
General Lawtou , that perfect soldier ,
whom I have seen ride , order , plan , and
execute all day. and then ride , order ,
plan , and execute all night , until the
Tagals named him "the soldier of the
night , " told mo that his health was
perfect. General Otis , that devoted
servant of the Republic , who toils
ceaselessly , does not fall ill , nor grow
weary , nor complain. I could give the
names of scores of our ollicers and de
scribe their feats of endurance wit
nessed by me that would have taxed
their strength oven in America. Yet
they do not succumb. I have seen cor
respondents exert themselves in all
kinds of weather without food or sleep
in a way that would prostrate them in
the hottest days of our summer in Chicago
cage or New York. Major lloyt , chief
medical olllccr with MacArthur , told
me that San Fernando is as healthy as
the average American town. The Eu
ropean business men of Cobu , lloilo ,
and Manila work as hard and as many
hours a day as those of New York , and
a liner body of physical manhood can
not be gathered at random in America.
This proves that this garden of the
seas is not the sweltering , steaming ,
miasmatic swamp that it has been de-
bcribcd. ,
CHAKACTKU OF THK 1'KOl'K AC1UIXAI.DO.
It will bo hard for Americans who
have not studied them to understand
the people. They are a barbarous race ,
modified by three centuries of contact
with a decadent race. The Filipino is
the South Sea Malay , put through a
process of three hundred years of su
perstition in religion , dishonesty in
dealing , disorder iu habits of industrVi
and cruelty , caprice , and corruption in
governmi'tit. It is barely possible that
1,000 men in all the archipelago are
capable of self-government in the
.Anglo-Saxon sense.
My own belief is that there are not
100 men among them who compreheiWl
what ? Anglo-Saxon hclf-government
even means , and there are' over 5,000-
000 people to bo governed. I know
many clever and highly educated men
among them , but there are only three
commanding intellects and characters
Arellani , Mabini , and Aguinaldo.
Arellano , the chief justice of our supreme
premo court , is a profound lawyer and
it brave and incorruptible man. Ma-
blni , who , before his capture , was the
literary and diplomatic associate of
Aguinaldo , is the highest typo of sub
tlety and the most constructive mind
that race has yet produced. Aguinaldo
is a clever , popular leader , able , brave ,
resourceful , cunning , ambitious , un
scrupulous , and masterful. Ho is'ull
of decision , initiative , and authority ,
and had the confidence of the masses.
He is a natural dictator. His ideas of
government are absolute orders , im
plicit obedience , or immediate death.
He understands the character of his
countrymen. Ho is a Malay Sylla ; not
a Filip'iuo Washington.
These conclusions were forced upon
me by observing the people in all walks
of life in the diiroront islands , and by
conversations with foreign merchants ,
priests , mestizos , pure Filipinos , and
every variety of mind , character , and
opinion from San Fernando , in Luzon ,
on down through the entire archipelago
to the interior of Sulu. These conver
sations were had informally at dinner
tables , on journeys , and the like , and
always under conditions favorable to
entire frankness and unreserve. Their
chief value is that they arc. the real
opinions of their authors and not pre
pared and guarded statements. I will
read to the Senate salients points from
a few of my notes ot these conversa
tions , reserving the names of the per
sons interviewed , except that of Pablo
Majia , of Cebu , who was assassinated a
week after I met him , and whose fate
I will not risk bringing down on oth
ers. Their names and residences are
here in this book , and will bo gladly
given to any Senator or to the Senate
in executive session. The conversa
tions themselves , of course , are many
of them quite extended. 1 give hero
only the brief extracts , which may be
helpful to a correct understanding of
the subject immediately in hand.
Ono of the principal merchants of the
Philippines and the far East said ,
among many other things :
The whole country Is Incalculably rich. With
only ordinary good government commerce woult
bo Immense. Spanish rule was corrupt , but
commerce accustomed Itself to Iho conditions
und nourished In splto of them. So rich Is Iho
counlry that commerce will survive any sltua
niton , however bad , if It Is only llxed und cor
tain. The people nro Incapable of self-govern
inent. The few exceptions nro no examples of
the masses. For years to como it very strong
government will be necessary. The cllmato 1
very good. I have lived hero elghlecn years
und my health was novcr better.
One of the principal business men o
the Philippines and the far East said :
I have no fault to llml with the1 cllinnto. My
health Is very lino. Business hero , largo as 1
Is , Is only n hint of whnt will bo under u good
government. I think It folly to talk of giving
Iho unlives any part In the government. They
nrc incapable. Of course Uiero tire , possibly
half u dozen who might bo capable , but I doub
the result of such an experiment , oven with the
best. Anything but it strong 'government n
llrst will result In dlsastor. IJo not put courts
Into their hands at all , except the minor um
villngo courts , of courso. You might glvo them
municipal self-government In the smaller mu
nlcipalltles , but even then only uudur earcfu
supervision.
The most eminent educator in the
Philippines , of very wide information
about the people and the country , said
It Is a most marvelous countrv. The cllmulo
Is Iho Ideal Iroplcal cllmalo of the world. Also
it presents every variety of cltmulo. Only i
moderate dlstnnco from Manila , In the province
of Uenguet , there uro oaks , pines , frost , nnd yoi
niusl use blankets ut night. It is the riches
und most vurleguted portion of the earth's sur
face. My health has always been good. Yet
must Introduce u strong , decisive , nnd pure gov
eminent. The natives might possibly bo per
milled lo lake u prucltcal purl In municipal af
fairs.
Self-government Is out of the question. I fear
the Insurrection will last for months. The nn
lives nro like buffalo Mills they get mud um
then want to light , no mailer whelhcr right or
wrong. You cannot successfully deal will
them by gentle means ; thov nbsolutely misun
derstand such treatment , while In nrms thoj
must bo fought , fought ceaselessly und remorse
lessly. Otherwise they will keep It up forever
The most eminent scientist of the
far East , better informed on the Phil
ippines and their people and moro ex
perienced in the whole situation thai
any man now living , said :
The cllmato Is the best tropical cllmato in th
world. My healih Is excellent nnd has been fo
\ears. Nearly evorythlng can bo raised In Ih
Islands. Also nearly nil cllmalcs can be had 1
the various altitudes practically acccsstblo. I
will take u long llmo lo prepare Iho people for
self-government. Certainly they uro not so
now. I think everything must for years bo
llrmly controlled by the Americans.
Ono of the largo planters and busi
ness men of the interior of Luzon , a
pure Filipino , with intimate relations
with the insurgents :
II Is hard to say how long the contest will
lust. The very common people care lltllo nboul
Iho mailer , but have been told and believe
many bud things about the Americans. What
Filipinos want is to govern themselves. No , of
course , they do not know nnythlng nbout gov
ernment except thai Spain gave ihem , which
w as most corrupt. If you gave these Islands u
government where justice would bo adminis
tered freely und without price , property pro
tected , and free sp'jcch secured , you ask mo If
the common people would bo sutisllcd. I do
not know.
The common people do not know whut they
waul. Are they capable of self-government
of voting intelligently ? What difference does
thai makeV They would vote just exactly as
the better classes say. I employ several hun
dred men. Well , I expect and would sco to It
that they have the same opinions I have. Humph !
It would bo Impossible otherwise. What the
Filipino leaders talk about nnd Insist upon Is n
guaranty. Hy this they mean'Flllplnos to have
exclusive government fn the islands , the United
Stales to keep a llect hero to protect that gov
ernment nnd the Islands generally In every pos
sible slumtlon. and this iiL'reement witnessed
bv n third nation , strong enough lo compel the
Untied States to carry out Its contract. The
people are not capablu of self-government , but
the leaders are , or will be after souiu practice ;
so It Is just the same thing.
A pure Filipino , a physician , a man
of wealth , in the interior of Luzon
ono of the most intelligent men of the
many I met and talked to :
It Is hard to say how long this struggle will
continue. The leaders say they want Indcpen-
dcnco : the common people probably want so
cialism. To bo definite und particular , they
probably do not know whut they want. No ,
they uro not capable of self-government. If you
glvo them puru government , free speech and ull
Dial , they would not understnnp and appreciate
It ut llrst ; would not bellevo it , as it wore.
llut when , after u while , three or four years ,
say , they como to understand your good Intcn-
lions und actually experience good govern
ment , there will bo no trouble. Oh , yes ; the
islands nro mnrvolcmsly rich , After good gov
ernment Is once In operation , they will pa.\
their way many times ever My people uro not
it bud people ; they dun't understand ; they uro
children yet.
The principal British merchant of
lloilo said :
The cltmnto Ui simply splendid , even here on
10 sen. A very short dlstnnco Inlnnd you must
invo lire every night. I hnvo been hero moro
inn twenty years , nnd my health Is nnd nl-
nys him been most excellent. The only time I
ve'r felt liont badly was In New York last Sep-
ember. It goes without snylng that the conn-
ry It enormously rich. Its resource * hnvo not
e't oven begun to bo developed. Vast as com-
nerco Is or wni. It Is only it suggestion to what
my be. The natives nro it kind , nlTectlonnto
t-oplo when properly treated. They lire suspl-
lous. thoui'h. and once nnmscd , very obstinate ,
urely they nro capable of self-government In
nunlclpal matters , Kurllmr than that 1 think
. not safe to go nt pre.sent. The common peo-
ile probably do not understand the meaning of
.elf-government . ns we do.
There Is no doubt that they would l > o com-
rtetoly dominated by their leaders. 1 should
hlnk It it vi'ry risky business to put the courts
i the hands of the tint ) TS , oven If you allow
liem n largo measure of snlf-govcrnuiei.\ -
Ise. You see ; they do no * , understand the Just
ml pure ndmlnlstratlon of law through courts ,
low should they ? The whole secret of your
uccess will bo to ndopt some dellnlto plan ,
tick to It , govern Justly nnd tlrmly , bo patient ,
o not expect everything In it day , nnd very
radually nnd wisely tntroduco them Into the
( ovurnnumt. llul nil will full If you bciul uny
jut pure nnd incorruptible men here.
A highly educated and bright Span-
sit mesti/o. claiming to be pure Fill-
> ino , employed In lloilo , said :
No ono can tell when the lighting will censo.
t all depends upon what Agulnnldo nays. The
ommon people lutvo absolute faith in him. His
rdcr among those now In rebellion In this Isl-
nit would bo promptly obeyed. The common
> coplo say they uro lighting for their Independ-
nee. They mean by this the right to manage
heir own government ; make nnd execute their
wn laws. Their Ideas of it proper relation bo-
ween the Philippine Islands and people of the
United Suites Is that of n protectorate. The
endcrs absolutely control the people. A man
f properly expects his working people to have
ho same opinion ns he has. I do myself.
It Is , perhaps , true that the musses do not un-
lerstand what self-government menus. I thliik
hat Unit there tire enough capable und educated
men nmong our people to control government ,
ml I do not believe that the great muss ot the
icoplo are nt nil lilted fcr self-governmnnt now
mil will not bo for a long time. You should
have uniform laws over the entire nrehlpehigo.
If youhavo ono thing nt one place nnd another
nt nnolher pnice , each will think nnd say that
ho other Is belter treated , nnd you will have
constant nnd serious disturbance. Already the
people of this Island are very nngry beenusu No-
tros is given n United States constitution. Tlint
s it profound mistake. Don't experiment , bo-
cot your plan and execute It. English ought to
bo mydo the ono langugo of the Island ,
A rich planter of Painty , pure Filipino
pine , but moderate in views , said :
The common people have no opinions nnd nro
lot capable of voting. If the Filipinos estnb-
Ishcd n government , of eonrso the property und
educated class would , beyond doubt , run such
government. Not moro than S5 per cent of the
) coplo nro lilted to take part In the selection of
lubllo ofileors. The 'people nro nt present In-
iipahle of self-government , though they might
bo Intrusted with purely municipal affairs. Ks-
tubllsh precisely the butno laws through the
irehlpelago. Kngllsh should bo unlversnlly
taught. The common people know und oaro
nothing nbout self-government or nny other
government. Thov nro principally Interested In
simply living. Self-government can only mean
government by the upper classes.
A prominent but verjr conservative
business man of Panay :
You mny bo n long time subduing this iusur-
rcetlon. The people urc not yet capable of self-
government In tno archipelago. It is well ,
: houeh , to trust them with muhlclpal adminis
tration , provided everything is under your llnnl
supervision. The proposition to hnvo the same
commercial laws everywhere Is to plain for ur-
gutnent. The cllm.ita Is not bad nt all. You
see that for yourself. It Is verv cool hero , you
see , this evening. My own health has been ex
cellent , nnd Is now. There Is very little hick-
ness nmong the Ungllsh here.
A leading mesti/.o of Negros :
The Islnnd of Negros Is far uhcad of nny other
Island In the culture of Us people. Our chief do-
slro now Is to get utterly uwny from Spanish
customs , laws , and traditions. 1 think wo nro
qulto capable of self-government under Amcricnn
protection. If the Philippine Islands nro made
Into n federal nysteni wo would expect to boone
ono of the States. Certainly wo ean manaso
the local affairs of the Island. Kxcluslvo of the
savages of the mountains , I should say thut 4 or
fi per cent of the people are now capable of In-
lolllgenly voting.
I think the voting should bo by those who own
property , eau read and y'rllc ' , or nro established
householders nnd heads/ families , with doll-
nlto residences. I w'oultt llml out who should
vote by hnvlng u committee In each town make
out n list and then notify the ones chosen. Cer
tainly I would expect the common people to
follow tho'ndvlco of the leaders nnd vote for
whom the leaders said. 1 should think my own
employes would take my view of n situation. If
you glvo us u government where justice is ml-
ministered without corruption or delay , proper
ty protected without u fee. free speech Insured ,
commercial language provided , the people will
bo snltslled.
Spain did none of this , but the reverse. That
Is , and was , our complaint. Kngllsh should bo
Immediately made the language of the whole
archipelago. I do not think the same political
Isws should prevail throughout the Islands. Ono
place should have laws adapted to It ; nnother ,
laws adapted to It. The reason for this Is
that the people of the various Islands nro of
different degrees of culture. Of course , though ,
I think the whole urchlpelago u commercial
unit.
Pure Filipino and large planter of Ne
gros :
I Ivnvo working for me nbout 100 men. They
nro good , nveragu examples of the common people
plo of the Island. I should say that not over 'A
or I per cent of them nro capable of self-govern
ment or In nny true sense umlerstnnd the term.
If the ballot were given them , or oven If It were
restricted to tlioso .1 or 4 per cent , I should ox-
l > ect them to vote us the leaders might Indicate.
I think the Kngltsh language should bo Imme
diately adopted throughout the entire archipel
ago. It would simplify matters Incalculably. No ,
I do not bellevo the same laws should prevail
everywhere. Wo of Negros uro moro cultivated
than in I'aiiny. Wo deserve better laws.
Very largo planter and influential
man of Negros , claiming to be pure
Filipino , but with some Chinese blood :
The cllmata Is most excellent. The wealth of
these islands Is beyond imagination. Wo have
only begun to develop our icsources. For cx-
umplo , wo have not touched our minerals prac
tically. Lands you sco yonder nro really better
for agricultural purposes than this low. Hal
coast land. No ; It is nol yet occupied , nnd the
Itle lo It is still in the government.
1 have several American plows. They do
good work. Wo do not use moro because they
urc not brought to us. The native plow has
served our purpose and our Inertia makes It In
convenient to chnnge , If effort Is necessary.
Yes ; enterprising agency would sell many
> lows. I hnvo several carriages made In Amen-
a. I have from 1,000 to 1 , . " > UU men working for
no. Of these practically all nro capable of
self-government. Would they vote ns I wished1/
dost assuredly they would. Hv nil means make
English Iho language of these Islands ns speed-
ly us posslble.lt will Increase commerce nnd
get im further nwny from the old uud haled re-
'ime.
I regard these Islands ns n commercial unit ,
nnd ihlnk uniform laws should prevail through
out the nrehlpehigo. Your young men could
como hero und buy land and soon get enormous-
y rich. You need not fear thai we leaders would
)0 able to control elections. The government
tself would nominate nil the ntllcers or cumu
lates ; so you bee , the people would have to vote
'or good men. What would I do If nny man
spoke against or criticised the government ?
Why , unyono rising against the government
would bo tried und shot If condemned.
Pablo Majia , pure Filipino , rich , able ,
lioncst , and moderate , lie was stabbed
to death in Cebu , and this is why 1
withhold the names of the others :
I do not think anyone could ask for n better
cllmato than this. It Is much better than
Hongkong. The resources of this Island have
not begun to bo developed. Our coal is very
good , mueh better than Jnpall coal. Thcro Is
copper-too , on this island , not yet worked. 1
am sorry lo say that very few of our population
uro cupablo of self-government.
Of course the wealthy and educated classes
are entirely competent to run the government.
I do not expect nor desire any government except -
cept ono founded on und dUected by America.
Oh , yes ; to such extent ns the ballot may bo
given , there in no doubt thai wo of Iho upper
classes can control. I employ 100 men nowIn
good times more. All these would vote UK 1
say.
say.All
All educator of Cebu , who has lived
among the Filipinos for twenty-live
years , and one of the ablest men 1 over
met :
For general health und for nil human condi
tions I consider this climate unexcelled in the
world. When I left ICurupo twenty-llvu years
ugo und cnmo hero my health wns wrotchod.
Hero I tun never 111. The resources of these Isl
ands uro simply marvelous. Think of thu agri
cultural rlchiiuhx of Negros ! Think of the min
eral wealth of Cobu. For -10 mlles this elm In of
moimtulns back of us IK ono continuous coal
mlnu. Thocoul Is excellent. It IN fur bettor
than the Japan coal. And there uio very rich
copper depohltw over yonder ; nobody ever
worked ihein yet. There Is guld hero , too.
Here , 1 will nwlto you n present of ttiN gold
rtuit ! II wim scooped from ono of our streams
here. It proves the exlstonro of very heavy de
posits nl ( hi1 point troin which Iho.so fragments
were wushcd dou ti. In nnother Island then ) nro
very rich gold deiKislts , hot me present you
with UilH nugget. 11 was picked \ip just ns .you
see It. 1 lmu < seen nuggets from thorn us hirgo
us your thumb pure , solid gold. Why nro limy
not worked ? Ohohnvn been so fur out of
the world , you Uuuw , the world 1ms forgotten
us. And , thru , the strange iipnthy of the Span-
l.sh OovcTiimcnt und "people. Hut that Is nil
good luclc for you. These people nro not capa
ble of self-government. Thnt otixlit to bon | > -
patent to liny thoughtful ) > crnon. Thny nro
Htrnnitcly childish. They ifo not themselves
umlerstnnd olcnrly what they uio lighting for.
liidopondunce to the ronimon people mentis nil *
urchy , or , rather , socialism.
To the upper classes It menus rule nnd domin
ion. If the ballot were plneed In thuhiuuls the of
people , they would vote ns their lenders suld. It
would 1)0 well to nmUo Kngllsh the language of
nil the Islands -but , dcur me , what n fcnrful
time you will hnvo teaching It. Why , mv denr
friend , wo hnvo Itccn teaching them punish
for three hundred yoursworking UnrO , too
nnd yet they sponk It very badly even now. They
nro not bright ; realty , they nro htunld. They
resemble very much the earlhon. They lonrn
with nif lit dinU'utty. Ooino Into the Islands
with practical common sense , nntscholastlcnlly ,
theorullcally , or expcrliuentnlly. The Islands
can bo made n grlnl blessing to vou , nnd you to
them , und they also ean bo made n great eurso.
A gentleman living' in Hulu und who
has spent his entire Hfo in various
tropical conntriua Haul :
The resources of these Islands nro not oven
guessed. This hunt wo stnud on grows cocoa ,
sugar , rice , coffee , and hemp , nnd nil of the Iln-
csl quality. AH to the health the conditions nro
perfect. I um thoroughly nequnlnlcd with
Asiaticnnd Vaclllo Tropics , mid I consider this
the Ideal climate of them nil. I hope you nro
not contemplating such n thing ns self-govern
ment for the archipelago. It would bo n hide
ous mistake. They nro utterly Incapable of
participating In government.
May bo In some places municipal government ,
might , to n limited extent , be put In the hands
of the more competent natives , but oven then , I
four , It would work badly. Hut government of
the nri'hlpehigo by natives would mean contin
uous civil war. I want you people to succeed ,
but you will Ignoinlnlnusly nnd frightfully fall
If you put up n weak or n half-hearted govern-
mcnthcre. I have spent my life horn , ( n Hor-
neo.Java , Straits Settlements , and other such
places , and I know this people thoroughly. You
hnvo n glorious opportunity hero nnd you must
not ruin It.
I will close those few extracts , which
are a fair sample af a grunt number of
others , all of which L am willing to
submit to the Senate at any time , by
reading a few suggestions made to me
by the first statesman of the far East ,
who hail had practical experience with
similar problems. In the course of a
long interview he said.
You must establish government over the Isl-
nnds , because It Is Incalculably to your Interest
In the future , and because , If you do not , mi-
other power -undoubtedly take them , In
volving the world In u war for which you will bo
responsible.
As to the form of government , you should
have n govcrnor-genernl of great ability , firm
ness , nnd purity ; under him subollleers of dis
tricts , niul under them still lower officials for
the municipalities , nil nppolnted by their su
periors nnd not chosen by the people. You
should employ the iiblost natives In the flov-
eminent service In some wny so ns to enlist
them on vour hide. The courts are the most
Important consideration of nil. Don't put Iho
natives In ehnrg'o of them wlmicvor else you do.
In Iho urmed forces , don't glvo nny native su
perior position for n long time. Don't do too
much for them In the beginning. Do It grad
ually , us Iho years go bv. I think your course
is clenr. Don't trent with them until you do-
fenl them. You must do that. You can not
treat nnd light.
Mnku Kngllsh the language of the courts ,
schools , nnd everything else. Let mo Impress
on you Iho necessity of conferring your benellts
on them ( Utllo gradually. If you give them too
much they can not appreciate nor understand
nor rightly use It , und It will thus be thrown
nwnv ; but if you glvo them the blessing of free
inslllulions gradually , you furnish n source ot
constant grntltudo. In Iho other way you exhaust -
haust yourself at thu beginning , und besides
full In your good Intentions.
WK WIM , 11OI.U IT VAST , AND 1IOI.I ) IT
Here , then , Senatorsis the situation.
Two years ago there was no land in all
the world which wo could occupy for
any purpose. Our commerce was daily
turning toward the Orient , and geog
raphy and trade developments made
necessary our commercial empire over
the Pacific. And in that ocean we had
no commercial , naval , or military base.
To-day wo have ono ot the three great
ocean possession of the globe , located
at the most commanding commercial ,
naval , and military points in the east
ern seas , within hail of India , shoulder
to shoulder with China , richer in its
own resources than any equal body
of land on the entire globe , and
peopled by a race which civilization
demands shall be improved. Shall wo
abandon it ? That man little knows
the common people of the Republic ,
little understands the instincts of our
race , who thinks we will not hold it
fast and hold it forever , administering
just government by simplest methods.
We may trick up devices to shift ( un
burden and lessen our opportunity ; but
they will avail us nothing but delay.
We may tangle conditions by applying
academic arrangements of self-govern
ment to a crude situation ; their failure
will drive us to our duty in the end.
MIMTAIIY SITt'ATlOX OTIS D
The military situation , past , present ,
and prospective , is no reason for aban
donment. Ourcampaignhasbccnas per
fect as possible with the force at hand.
We have been delayed , first , by a fail
ure to comprehend the immensity of
our acquisition ; and second , by insuf
ficient force ; and , third , by our efforts
for peace. In February , after the
treaty of peace , ( leneral Otis had only
It.T'-'t ! olHcers and men whom he had a
legal right to order into battle. The
terms of enlistment of the rc'st of hit *
troops had expired , and , they fought
voluntarily and not on legal military
compulsion. It was one of the noblest
examples of patriotic devotion to duty
in the history of the world.
Those who .complain do so in igno
rance of the 'real situation. We at
tempted a great task witli Snsnlllcient
means ; we became impatient that it
was not finished before it could fairly
be commenced ; and I pray we may not
add that other element of disaster ,
pausing in the work before it is thor
oughly and forever done. That is the
gravest riistake we could possibly
make , and that is the only danger be-
foil ! us. Our Indian wars would have
been shortened , the lives of our soldiers
and settlers saved , and the Indians
themselves benefited had we made con
tinuous and decisive war ; and any
other kind of war is criminal because
incnective. Wo acted .towards the In
dians as though we feared them , loved
them , hated them a mingling of fool
ish sentiment , inaccurate thought , and
paralytic purpose. Let us now be in
structed byour own experience.
This , too , has been Spain's course in
the Philippines. I have studied Spain's
painful military history in these isl
ands. Never suflieient troops ; never
vigorous action , pus'.ied to conclusive
results and a permanent peace ; always
treating with the rebels while they
fou'ht , them ; always cruel and corrupt
when a spurious peace was arranged.
This has been Spain's way for three
hundred years , until insurrection has
become a Filipino habit. Never since
Magellan landed did Spain put enough
troops in the islands for complete and
final action in war ; never did she in
telligently , justly , firmly , administer
government in peace.
At the outbreak of the last insurrec
tion , iu August , 1890 , Spain had only
lr > 00 Spanish soldiers in all the Philip
pines , and 700 of those were in Ma
nilla. In November of that year she
had only 10,000 men. The generals id
command of these were criticised and
assailed iu Spain , It is ( 'haractcristlo
of Spain that the people at home do
not supi > ort , but criticise thcirgenerala
in the Held. The Spanish method has
always been a mixed policy of peace
and war , u contradiction of terms , an
impossible combination , rendering war
ineffective and peace impossible. This
was Compo's plan. It was Blanco'a
plan. Those who would make it our
plan Jwill inherit Jtlanco'b fatu ail
failure ,
TIH'IC MIUTAltV I'OI.IUY.
Mr. President , that must not bo our
plan. This war is like all other wars. '
It needs to bo finished before it 1.1
stopped. I am prepared to vote either
to make our work thorough or even
now to abandon it. A lasting peace
can DO Kccurcu only by overwhelming
forces in ceaseless action until univer
sal and absolutely final defeat is in
flicted on the enemy. To halt befiTra
every armed force , every guerrilla band ,
opposing us is dispersed or extermi
nated will prolong hostilities and leave
alive the bceds of perpetual insurrec
tion.
tion.Even
Even then wo should not treat. To
treat at all is to admit that we are
wrong. And any quiet so secured will
be delusive and lleeting. And a fi'.lso
peace will betray us ; a sham truce will
outsells. It is not to servo the pur
poses of the hour , it is not to salve ti
present situation , that peace should bo
established. It is for the tranquillity
of the archipelago forever. It is for
an orderly government for the Filipinos
pines for all the future. It is to give this
problem to posterity solved and settled ;
not vexed and involved. It is to estab
lish the supremacy of the American
Republic over the Pacific and through
out the East till tnoumd of time.
It has been charged that our con-
duet of the war has been cruel , Sen
ators , It has been the reverse. I have
been in our hospitals and seen the
Filipino wounded as carefully , tender
ly eared for as our own. Within our
lines they may plow and sow and reap
and go about the affairs of peace with
absolute liberty. And yet all this kind
ness was misunderstood , or rather not
understood. Senators must remember
that wo not dealing with American *
or Europeans. We are dealing with
Orientals. Wo are dealing with Orient
als who are Malays. W-e are dealing
with Malays instructed in Spanish
methods. They mistake ikindness for
weakness , forbearance for fear. It *
could not bo otherwise unless you
could erase hundreds of years of sav
agery , other hundreds of years of
Orientalism , and still other hundreds
of years of Spanish character and cus
tom.
OUU K.I'TOHTS TO FiKCUIir. I'KAUK.
Our mistake has not been cruelty ; it
has been kindness. It has been the
application to Spanish Malays of Meth
ods appropriate to New EnglandEv -
cry device of mercy , every method of
conciliation , has been employed by the
peace-loving President of the American
Republic , to the ama/ement of nations
experienced in Oriental revolt. Before
the outbreak our general in command
appointed a commission to make some
arrangement with the natives mutual
ly agreeable. J know the members of
the commission well Giuu ral Hughes.
Colonel Crowdor , and Goiulral Smith
moderate , kindly , tactful men of the
world ; an ideal body for , Bjich negotia
tion. It was treated wl'tis < w > ntempt.
We smiled at intolerable insult and
insolence until the lips of every native
in Manila were curling in ridicule for
the cowardly Americans. Wo 're
frained from all violence until their
armed hravos crossed the lines in viola
tion of agreement. Then our sentry
shot the offender , and ho should have
been court-martialed had ho failed to
shoot. That shot was the most fortu
nate of the war. For there is every
'
reason to believe that Aguinaldo ha'd
planned the attack upon us for some
nights later. Our sentry's shot brought
this attaclc prematurely on. Ho ar
ranged for an uprising in Muni I a to
massacre all Americans , the plans for
which , in a responsible olllcor's hand
writing , are in our possession. This *
shot and its results made the awful
scheme impossible. Wo did not strike
till they Attacked us in force , without ,
provocation. This left us no altorna
live but. war or evacuation.
WOHK OI'-THK COMMISSION1.
Tito patience of our peaee.loring
President was not even then exhausted.
A civil commission wns sent to Manila ,
composed of the president of one of
our great universities , a distinguished
diplomat and an eminent college pro
fessor who had special knowledge of
the country and people and also ( Jon--
eral Otis and Admiral Dewey. These
mini exhauhed the expedients of peace ,
and always were met with the Malay's
ready evasion , the Spaniard's habitual
delay. I am parsnnal witness that m >
effort was neglected by our commission
lo assure the Filipino people of our
good intentions and beneficent pur
poses. The commission entertained
the mestizos of Manila in a way that
'
would have honored the Senate 'of the
United States ; the brown faces of tlm
common people sneered. The commission -
mission treated natives , accustomed to
blows , with kindest consideration ; the
agents of Aguinaldo told tales of our
pusillanimity to the ignorant rura\
masses. This remarkable man sent w > -
called commissions , ostensibly to treat ,
but really to play with ours. His
commissions were conf posed of generals
in uniform. The popuhuu'e gaped in
open admiration when they appeared
in Manila. Our representatives of
peace talked to them , argued with
them , entertained them ; the people
were impressed with their importance.
President Sehurman even rode * with
them through the city. The masses
were confirmed in their reverence for
their broth era who wore thus honored
and distinguished. Then the be
spangled representatives of the Malay
dictator return to their lord , and the
solo effect of these pacific efforts waste
to make : . ' 50 , < > ui ) natives in Manila think
that the only way to win the respect
of the American Republic h to fight
it.
No , Senators , the friendly methods
of peace have been thoroughly tried
only to make peace more dillicult. The
Oriental does not understand our at
tempt to conciliate. Every effort of
our commission which did its work at
Manila so earnestly , so honestly , so
thoroughly , and which , with Ameri
cans or Europeans , would have MJ bril
liantly succeeded , only delayed the
peace it attempted to hasten. There
is not now and never was any pps.siblo
course but ceaseless operations in tha
field mid loyal bupport of the war , at
home.