Benevolent assimilation

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This article is about a U.S. Presidential proclamation concerning the Philippines. For 1982 book, see Bene olent !ssimilation "book#. The term Benevolent Assimilation refers to a proclamation that is about the Philippines issued on December 21, 18 8 by !"#" President William $c%inley durin& the Philippine'(merican War, )hich follo)ed the defeat of #pain durin& the #panish'(merican War" The proclamation reads in part* Finally, it should be the earnest )ish and paramount aim of the military administration to )in the confidence, respect, and affection of the inhabitants of the Philippines by assurin& them in every possible )ay that full measure of individual ri&hts and liberties )hich is the herita&e of free peoples, and by provin& to them that the mission of the !nited #tates is one of benevolent assimilation substitutin& the mild s)ay of +ustice and ri&ht for arbitrary rule",1The proclamation )as sent to .eneral /l)ell 0tis, !"#" military commander in the Philippines" 0tis sent /milio (&uinaldo a version of the proclamation that he had bo)dleri1ed by removin& mention of !"#" soverei&nty 2to stress our benevolent purpose2 and not 2offend Filipino sensibilities,2 by substitutin& 2free people2 for 2supremecy of the !nited #tates,2 and deletin& 2to e3ercise future domination"2 ,citation needed- (&uinaldo had proclaimed an insur&ent dictatorial &overnment in the Philippines on $ay 24, 18 8, proclaimed Philippine 5ndependence on 6une 12, 18 8, and chan&ed the dictatorial &overnment to a revolutionary one on 6une 27, 18 8" 8o)ever, .eneral 0tis had also sent an unaltered copy of the proclamation to .eneral $arcus $iller in 5loilo 9ity )ho, una)are that an altered version had been sent to (&uinaldo, passed a copy to a Filipino official there" The unaltered version eventually made its )ay to (&uinaldo" 0tis later e3plained, (fter fully considerin& the President:s proclamation, and the temper of the Ta&los, )ith )hom 5 )as daily discussin& political problems and the friendly intentions of the !"#"(" .overnment to)ard them, 5 concluded that there )ere certain )ords and e3pressions therein such as 2soverei&nty,2 2ri&ht of cessation2 and those )hich directed immediate occupation and so forth, )hich thou&h most admirably employed and tersely e3pressive of actual conditions, mi&ht be advanta&eously used by the Ta&alo&" The i&norant classes had been tau&ht to believe that certain )ords such as 2soverei&nty,2 2protection,2 and so forth had peculiar meanin&s disastrous to their )elfare and si&nificant of future political domination, like that from )hich they had been recently freed",2-