Phoenix weekly herald. [volume] (Phoenix, Maricopa County, Ariz. Territory) 1896-1899, 1898-09-08
IS THE WAR OVER?

Before the protocol was subscribed
Mr. Mckinley had only to demand the
whole Philippine archipelago in the
same preemptory terms with which he
called for the surrender of the Spanish
Antilles and both cessions would have
been made. In the face of England 5
friendly attitude toward the United
States. no outside power would have
protested, and Spain could have been
easily coerced, either by the threat of
requiring Il large money indemnity or
by the despatch of Watson's squadron
to the Canaries and the Mediterranean.
As ii is, the President has delibera tely
ielegafed the disposition of the Philip
pines to Joint commission, in which
he has given Spain Il equal voice.
Even if the greatest care be taken to
select plenipotentiaries who can be
trusted to carry out the wishes of their
countrymen. the utmost that we can
hope for is an equal division of the
commission on the question whether
we shall be permitted to retain the
whole of the Philippines. or even the
island of LuzOn. Should, moreover,
the negotiations result, after months of
delay and consequent expenditure, in
a deadlock we shall be left in an un-
fortunate moral position before the bar
of European opinion. Why, it will be
asked, if you intended TO stand out for
all the Philippines, or at least for the
island of I.uzon, did you not announce
your determination beforehand, as you
did in the case of the Spanish Antilles
and make your demand Il part of the
irreducible minimum defined in your
Dortocol? What was the use of keep
ing yourselves and forcing Spain to
keep herself, on a war footing during
many months of negotiations which, it
might have been foreseen. were destin-
ed to be abortive? How could the
President justify in the eyes of foreign
powers the extra financial burden un-
necessarily imposed on ourselves, pro-
yided the joint commission should, af
ter months of fruitleSs discussion. re
suit in deadlock? 1t is manifest that
the administration, when it indicated
to Spain the bases of Il protocol. had
not yet made up its mind concerning
the Philippines. not having vet had
time to ascertain the judgment of the
in the ma tier. AT present the
Judgment of the country is distinctly
known. and. before October, it will
have been declared with irresistible
The practical question.
therefore. for the administration 10
answer at an early date will be: How
can il remedy its omission to make be-
times peremptory demand for all the
or, at least. for the island |
Of Luzon? To answer that question. it |
has but to recall the course pursued by |
the Polk adminstra ton in 1S4S. Be
fore the end of 1917. the Polk admins |
tratiOn had become unchallenged mas
ter of the Mexican republic. and might |
have annexed the whole of it by right /
Of conquest. 1t desired. however, to |
cOnciliate the Whig members of the |
Senate, and. therefore. refrained from |
SeiZing an inch of land by force: it |
acquired from Mexico the region com. !
Drising California. Nevada, Arizona |
Utah and New Mexico. not by conquest |
but by purchase. giving therefor the |
sum of $1S.O00.000 an amount deriSory, |
indeed. compared with the subsequent
V discovered value of the acquisition,
)ut, nevertheless. most welcome at the
ime to the Mexican Central govern
nent in its straitened condition. Even
.hus framed, the treaty of peace bare
Y obtained ratification in the Senate;
lad three more Senators voted against
t; the treaty would have been rejected
Spain is suffering from the same tinan-
III W ulCI tlIGu
med Mexico. and would gladly sell
o us those islands in the Far West
which the President has refrained
rom signifying a determination to
Keep. But why. it may be asked.
hould we buy what we could have got
or nothing? That is a question for
ur State Department to answer. From
he moment that the protocol was sign
d, it became practically impossible to
,et the Philippines for nothing. If we
want them, we either shall have to
ight for them through a renewal of
he war. or shall have to secure them
" purchase. Meanwhile, no man who
las Il thorough understanding of the
ituaion created by the protocol will
AXE for granted that the war is over,
nt1 a definite treaty of peace has
ean signed and ratif1ed.-Collier's
Weekly.