Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
There are still troubles ahead in the islands. The insurrection has
become an affair of local banditti and marauders, who deserve no higher
regard than the brigands of portions of the Old World. Encouragement,
direct or indirect, to these insurrectors stands on the same footing as
encouragement to hostile Indians in the days when we still had Indian
wars. Exactly as our aim is to give to the Indian who remains peaceful
the fullest and amplest consideration, but to have it understood that
we will show no weakness if he goes on the warpath, so we must make it
evident, unless we are false to our own traditions and to the demands
of civilization and humanity, that while we will do everything in our
power for the Filipino who is peaceful, we will take the sternest
measures with the Filipino who follows the path of the insurrecto and
the ladrone.
The heartiest praise is due to large numbers of the natives of the
islands for their steadfast loyalty. The Macabebes have been
conspicuous for their courage and devotion to the flag. I recommend
that the Secretary of War be empowered to take some systematic action
in the way of aiding those of these men who are crippled in the service
and the families of those who are killed.
The time has come when there should be additional legislation for the
Philippines. Nothing better can be done for the islands than to
introduce industrial enterprises. Nothing would benefit them so much as
throwing them open to industrial development. The connection between
idleness and mischief is proverbial, and the opportunity to do
remunerative work is one of the surest preventatives of war. Of course
no business man will go into the Philippines unless it is to his
interest to do so; and it is immensely to the interest of the islands
that he should go in. It is therefore necessary that the Congress
should pass laws by which the resources of the islands can be
developed; so that franchises (for limited terms of years) can be
granted to companies doing business in them, and every encouragement be
given to the incoming of business men of every kind.
Not to permit this is to do a wrong to the Philippines. The franchises
must be granted and the business permitted only under regulations which
will guarantee the islands against any kind of improper exploitation.
But the vast natural wealth of the islands must be developed, and the
capital willing to develop it must be given the opportunity. The field
must be thrown open to individual enterprise, which has been the real
factor in the development of every region over which our flag has
flown. It is urgently necessary to enact suitable laws dealing with
general transportation, mining, banking, currency, homesteads, and the
use and ownership of the lands and timber. These laws will give free
play to industrial enterprise; and the commercial development which
will surely follow will accord to the people of the islands the best
proofs of the sincerity of our desire to aid them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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