In order that what I say may seem to merit your confidence and close consideration I may be pardoned for referring to the causes and premises of my own scquaintance with the theme. A devoted student of Pacific and Asiatic peoples, politics, and possibilities for the last six years, four of Which Ihave had the honour to serve as ed States Minister in a land whose inhabitants, climate, resources, and peculiin many respects similar to those of the Philippines; in close touch for a considerable period with the British col-anies of Burma, Singapore, and Hong-Kong and Protected Malay States as well as the French possessions of Indo-China, here problems have had to be solved those that will meet America in the Philippines; an unrelenting—advocate of the development and advancement of American interests in the Pacific and Far Enst, hammering away—as many of you know—for years in official reports, special letters to Chambers of Commerce, and articles in the public Press and reviews, and withal endeavouring to dra special attention to what be termed the "Asiatic Opportunity," I began direct investigations of these marvellous Antilles of the Orient several years ago in the piping times of peace, and continued them by personal presence at the seat of war from May until November of last year.
Lest I may be unjustly charged with speciously resorting to the tempting "I-told-you-so" argument and vaunting the conclusions of retrospective wisdom, I would humbly cite contributions to can publications not only generally treating; of Japan, China, and Siam, but specifically, the resources, opportunities, and importance of the Philippines, written and published Jong before the outbreak or immediate prospects of-war. Principal among these were papers under the captions of America's Interest inthe Far Enst and Cuba of the Far Exst which appeared in the North American Review ducing 1896 and 1897. While gratified beyond measure to see my ishes and prophecies, coming true, it is, ike-wise amusing, now that events have aroused everybody, 10 read articles and speeches, using almost the same language and terms that I employed when interest was ata low ebb and my inpours were almost thankless, by men and papers who then either paid heed to my eutrenties, laughed at my theories, called me a dreamer and other names, or themselves were uninterested in ud future that awaits America i the Pacific, And right here it gives me pleasure to compliment the splendid work done at the same time and along the same fines by a former colleague of mine stationed at this port, Mr. Ternigan, Residence in Siam and in the neighbourhood of British and French colonies where the people and climate, as intimated befure, are not unlike those of the Philippines, gave me a Keener insight into th character, habits, and customs of the Philippines, a better appreciation of tropical conditions, and generally enabled me more readily to uaderstand the situation where otherwise I aight have foundered in doubt, suspicion, and mystery—as it seems too many of my countrymen have been doing and are doing, who never saw a southern Asiatic or felt the rays of a (topical sun until suddenly they came over the seas from their homes in temperate regions, and undertook on the spot and at the moment to diagnose habitants and climate alike as if dealing peoples, and conditions akin to those of their own chosen home and bailiwick.
CREDIT TO ARMY AND NAVY, Fortunately, however, and possibly prosidentially, ihe strong "baud of Admiral Dewey, whom his country implicitly trusts, is guiding affairs in ce-operation with the calm judgment of Genernl Otis and we may hope that their policy will speedily evolve cosmos out of chaos. Speaking of Dewey, I repeat what I said "Ty it not remarkable that, while one great American naval officer, Commodore Perry, was instrumental in introducing new Tapan to the world, another distinguished avai hero, Admiral Dewey, hus taken the step which has opened the Philippines to the light of 19th century progress and sition, after being practically. closed for four centuries? While the causes that led up to these two historical incidents are entirely different, may the results of the latter never cast' any shadow or reflection on the former."
When I look back and realise that only after several years of life in the tropics did Tlearn the inner nature of the natives and the elements of success in dealing with them and leading them, my hearly syinpathy goes out for those brave but inexperienced men who by duty and not by choice are stationed in the Philippines, Let us therefore in judging them mingle ex: pressions of criticism with sentiments of charity. ARer constantly associ for six months with officers and the rank and file of both army and navy, at Manila, living as they lived, seeing things as they" saw them, realising the difficulties and dangers of the situation, and yet so absolutely independent as to be unprejudiced, I have only words of kindness for their performance of duty—even if I differ in matters of policy with some of the leaders—from Admiral to' sailor and General to private. And- when time and history shall tell a trothful story of the Into war, the Manila eaunpaign and the men who participated in it, now and during the conflict overshadowed by the events and men of the Cuban and Porto Rican eampaigns on account of their nearness, will be given, in view of all the conditions faced, that pre-eminence of credit which they
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.