The army and navy have nobly and heroically performed their part. May
God give the executive and congress wisdom to perform theirs.
[Applause.]

* * * * *

THE FUTURE OF THE PHILIPPINES

[Speech of William McKinley at the eleventh annual banquet of the Home
Market Club, Boston, Mass., February 16, 1899. William B. Plunkett,
President of the Club, said in introducing the President of the United
States: "Not the Home Market Club, not the city of Boston, not
Massachusetts only, but all New England give you greeting of welcome,
Mr. President. In our retrospective of the year past we would give
full meed of honor and praise to the President who so nobly met and so
faithfully discharged the grave responsibilities of that great office,
and thanksgiving to the Divine Providence that sustained him. In such
hands, under such guidance, we may safely trust the future of our
Republic. I have the great honor to present to you the beloved
President of the United States, William McKinley." The enthusiasm
displayed when the President was introduced was tremendous. In it all
he remained to all appearances calm and collected, as he stood and
silently acknowledged the reception.]

MR. TOAST-MASTER AND GENTLEMEN:--I have been deeply and
profoundly moved by this manifestation of your good-will and confidence
and impressed by the expressions of good-will from the Governor of your
great Commonwealth [Roger Wolcott] as well as from the chief executive
[Josiah Quincy] of the capital city of your State. No one stands in this
magnificent presence, listening to the patriotic strains from choir and
band, without knowing what this great audience was thinking about. It
was thinking, it is thinking this moment, of country, because they love
it and have faith in themselves and in its future. I thank the Governor
of Massachusetts, I thank the Mayor of the city of Boston, for their
warm and generous words of welcome, offered in behalf of this people to
me in your presence to-night.

The years go quickly. It seems not so long, but it is in fact six years
since it was my honor to be a guest of the Home Market Club. Much has
happened in the intervening time. Issues which were then engaging us
have been settled or put aside for larger and more absorbing ones.
Domestic conditions have improved and are generally satisfactory.

We have made progress in industry and have realized the prosper