The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-12-01
HANNIS LETS LOOSE

lIinIater q 8pain Taylor usitveFs
HinbsalR of q CSitielSm of ths American
Peace CommIasiOn'
NEW YORK, Nov. 80 -Hannis Taylor
late American minister to Spain, pub
fishes IN the December number of the
North American Review scathing crit
icism Of the work Of the American peace
commission. Mr.. Taylor contends that
In the negotiations with Spain respect
ing Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philips
pines, the member8 Of the commission
should have been guided by the prece-
dent established by this country IN its
dealings with Mexico, after the YtCtotli
0ls issue Of the Mexican war. Theni
he Gays we refused, as Mexico lay helpr
less at our feet, TO take from her 9 elngle
square mile Of territory by right Of cel-
quest. Our commissioners were M
Structed to offer her fifteen million dol-
lars In cash and the assumption upon
our part Of tmore tdan SS,0Q0,0VO due lIgLil
her TO American citizens, as compene =
sation for the area out OF which has
been carved California, Nevada, ATlAo-
ma, Utah and New Mexico.
''And thus says Mr.. Taylor. iWae es-
tabllshed a new principle Of law, wnlcn
stands alone, perhaps, in the annals OF
nations"
M. Taylor contends that now, when
for The first time since the conquest OF
Mexico we have another vanqulshed ne-
tion at our feet, we oweto Spain all the
consideration and Justice that can be
due TO the weak from the strong espe-
cIally as Spain has been an old ana 9
good friend, with whom we had never
before broken on diplomatic relations.
The advancement which has been con-
ciuded by the American commission.
Mr.. Taylor characterize8 as "a vast ray
ishment."
1--WE have refused arbitration. We
have summarily demanded the suTren-
der Of the entire Philippine archipe pelago
and as a ealve to Spain we have ten-
dered $20.000,000.
''The war has cost US directly about
one hundred and slxty-fve million doll
lars, and as compensation for that OUT
lay we have Porto Rico, which can hard
ly be valued at much less than double
that amount. It ts difficult TO under
stand, therefore, why, In dealing with
Cuba and the Philippines we should
have been unwilling to recognize those
reasonable and natural equities which
follow acquired territory
SIN the cases OF the Philippines we
have admitted that, SO far as the debts
Of these islands represent expenditures
for the Improvement OF the country.
they must reason with the land, and
constitute charge upon It. Upon what
grounds have we rejected the applica-
tion OF that elementary principle Of law
and common honesty 10 the case Of Gu
ba? The pretense that II cannot be
there applied because we do not intend
to accept sovereignty over Cuba VIII
not avail, for as soon as Cuba ts evae-
uated by the Spnish troops the United
States win exercise qualified sover-
eighty over the island, and being a mill
tary government there, and rigidly en-
force all, laws for the purpose OF collect
ing revenue, both internal and external
o condj jtion which must exist until Com
i grtas orders UtiIerwise. IN the case OF
Cuba, as well as IN that Of the Philip
pines, the amount OF pacific expendi-
tures made by Spain. for the permanent
Improvement Of the island should have
been recognized as a legal charge up
on it."