Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-10-06

1IeNtlduu, OCl. IL ne IsdutI Ids
from its Washington correspondent
the following interview with Senator
Hanna concerning the Philippine
question, which it is believed repre-
sents the views OF President Mchin-
ley:
Il don know what the instructions
given to our peace commissioners are,
said the senator, but so far as con-
Germs the negotiations which will be
Instituted in Paris today, | can see no
other result than that Spain will have
to relinquish her sovereignty over not
only Luzon island, but the entire Phil
ippine archipelago. Spain has no
reason TO expect to be able to retain
any portion OF the group. She went to
war and lost, and now ought to be
prepared to suffer all the consequences
which such defeat implies. / regard
the Philippines as lost to Spain, and
that being foregone conclusion, IN
my opinion the problem which next
confronts US relates to the form of
government which we will give the
islands. When the Philippine ques-
ton first presented itself, there was
strong sentiment among the conserYd-
tive, far-seeing and thinking men OF
the country which favored the reten-
ton by the United States of merely a
naval base and coaling station in the
islauds-this base presumably being
Manila and the bay contiguous there
to. Since then, however, this senti-
ment apparently has undergone
marked change and now it appears
that for the most part these same men,
who at first believed we should occupy
Manila alone, are advocating the ter
animation of Spanish rule in the whole
group. Aside from the fact that the
general sentiment OF the country
seems to be against returning any OF
the islands to Spain, the United States
is under obligations to the insurgents
to establish stable and enlightened
/ form Of government throughout the
entire archipelago When the war
broke out the Philippine Insurgents
became in a certain sense allies of the
Americans, and it therefore Is our
moral duty to see to 1t that in the
future they be assured safe and civil
lied rule, and until the United States
determines in just what manner the
/ Philippines ultimately shall be gov
( erned we necessarily will have TO
consider the PHILIPPINES our wards.
/ During this transitional period,
tho United States Will be called upon
, To exercise a primitive right rather
| than an arbitrary form OF control over
the islands and will continue 1t until
congress finally evolves system Of
government. In other words II
seems to me that we viii have 20
maintain a temporary protectorate
over the archipelago, and this Viii be
accomplished by means OF the army
ana navy now in the Philippines ana
I Philippine waters. What will be the
/ ultimate fate of the Islands is OF
course problem OF the future.
4 Whether the Philippines will become
an independent nation or a colony OF
the United States or whether a long
tine protectorate will be established
will be a subject for congress 70 de-
eide. Ii is well understood that
Spain must abide by the verdict OF
our peace commissioners, whatever
/ that may prove to be, for she IL IN no
/ nt condition TO renew the conflict
which resulted SO disastrously TO her
/ She has no reason TO expect that our
commissioners viii agree to any
proposition which Contemplates
Spanish control. | feel confident that
7 We win have no further trouble in an
armed way with spain The only
I obstacle with which we may have to
contend is the opposition OF the IN
surgents to our plans. IL is lot al
Ian certain. of course. that we VIII en-
counter any such obstacle, though II
/ Is assuredly among probabilities
4 However, from what | have read OF
/ ia, mission OF Agoncillo, the personal
representatives OF Aguinaldo, the in
surgent chief, we may find the phil
inpines DESTROYS OF the establishment
II a tree government,