The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-10-05
Hanna on the Philippines.

The Leader has from its Washington
correspondent the following interview
with Senator Hanna concerning the
Philippine question, which is thought
to represent the views of President
Mckinley. .
81 do not know what the instructions
given to our peace commissioners are, -
said the Senator, "but 80 far as con-
Germs the negotiations which will be
instituted in Paris, can see no other
result than that Spain will have to re-
linquish her sovereignty over not only
Luzon island, but the entire Philippine
archipelago.
"Spain has no reason to expect to be
able to retain any portion of the group.
She went into the war and lost, and
now ought to be prepared to suffer all
the consequences which defeat i'm
plies. 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 question pre-
sented itself there was a strong senti-
ment among conservative, far-seeing
and thinking men in this country,
which favored the retention by the
United States of merely naval base
and coaling station in the island-this
base presumably being Manila and the
bay contiguous thereto. Since then,
however, this sentiment apparently has
undergone very marked change, and
now it appears for the most part that
those same men who at first believed
we should occupy Manila alone are ad-
vocating the termination of Spanish
rule in the whole group.
"Aside from the fact that the gener-
al sentiment of the country seems to be
against returning any of the island to
Spain, the United States is under obli-
cations to the insurgents to establish a
stable and enlightened form of govern
ment throughout the entire archipelago.
When the war broke out the Philippine
insurrectionists became in o certain
sense the allies of the Americans, and
it, therefore. is our moral duty to see
to it that in the future they will be as
sured safe and civilized rule and until
the United States determines in just
what manner the Philippines ultimate
ly shall be governed we necessarily
shall have to consider the Filipinos our
wards.
"During this transitional period the
United States will be called upon to ex-
ercise primitive or rather arbitrary
form of control over the islands, and
continue it until Congress finally evol-
yes system of government. In other
words, it seems to me we will have to
maintain temporary protectorate over
the archipelago, and this will be accom-
plished by means of the army and navy
now in the Philippines and Philippine
waters. What will be the ultimate fate
of the islands is, of course a problem
of the future. Whether the Philip
pines will become an independent ma
ton or colony of the United States,
or whether long time American pre-
tectorate will be established, will be a
subject for Congress to decide.
sit isl well understood that Spain
must abide by the verdict of our peace
commissioners whatever, that may
be prove to be, for she is in no fit con-
dition to renew the conflict which has
resulted so disastrously to her. She
has no reason to expect that our COM
missioners will agree to any proposition
which contemplates the continuation
OF Spanish control over any part or ali
OF the group. l feel confident we will
have no further trouble in any armed
way with Spain. The only obstacle
with which we may have to contend
is the opposition of the insurgents to
our plans.
at is not at all certain of course,
that we will encounter any such
obstacle, though it is assuredly among
the probabilities. However, from what
have read of the mission of Agui-
naldo, the insurgent chieftin, we may
find the Filipinos tractable and willing
to accept whatever form of govern
ment we will finally decide upon, so
long as Spain will have no hand in it's
administration"
Regarding the report which came
from Paris that one of Spain's PROPOSE
tons to the American commissioners
would be that the United States pay
her S400,000,000 for the relinquish-
ment of the Philippines, Senator Han
ma said significantly:
eve are not paying money for or
buying territory which we now con-
trol :,