The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-09-22
THE PEACE COMMISSION.

~ maue up, received It's lnstTuctions
and is now ON its way to Paris. What
its Instructions are can only be surmised
but certainly they are much sitter in
tone regarding the Philippines than il
they had been given month ago. This
reflects accurately the change that has
taken place in the public mind in that
time. A month ago an undoubted ma
jority of the American people would
have voted for retaining no more than
the city of Manila, with protectorate
over the Island Of Luzon. To-day an
equally clear majority demands the alb
solute possession Of the whole of Luzon,
and such an assertion of American au-
thority over the rest of the archipelago
as amounts at least to a protectorate, if
not real sovereignty. Unquestionably
this is the nature of the instructions TO
the Commissioners, and they have been
directed TO accept nothing less. Spain
anticipates nothing less, and has already
begun an agitation as to how this de-
mand shall be treated. Strange TO say,
it does not seem as repugnant to " Span
ish honor as infinitely smaller conces-
sions seemed a few months ago. Lead
Ing Spaniards are found who say that it
will probably be best for Spain to let the
whole group 90. The loss of the princi-
pal island, the one which has been
almost the entire source of revenue. being
foredoomed, why keep any of the rest,
which will cost the Kingdom more than
they can be possibly worth This is a
common-sense view, it is true, but it is
only very recently that common-sense
views have showed much vigor in Spain.
OF course, the islands lack of value to
Spain affords no sort of gage of their
value to us. California was of 10 value to
Mexico, nor Florida to Spain, and Lou
isiana of very little to France. We
l. IL Il b
worth more in comparatively short
time than they would have been in CEN
turies under Latin rule. IF we do not
want to exploit the remainder of the
Philippine Islands, it will certainly cost
US nothing to keep them. They do not
require any more Government than we
gave Alaska for many years after its
purchase, when the only evidences of
the United States authority were a Col
lector and Commissioner at Sitka, and
couple of revenue cutters patrolling
Boring Sea. Only when American citi-
zens find something Of value on one Of
the minor islands. and begin working it,
will it be necessary to make an assertion
of authority for their protection.
While all the Peace Commissioners
are stalwart Americans, they differ
widely in the intellectual characteristics
they will bring to bear on the determi-
nation of the question.
Secretary Day is fine type of the
solid, businesslike, successful lawyer,
such as abound in the smaller cities of
the Interior. He is a rz1ker narrow,
close. hard thinker, ands1 (hpt and
vigorous in action. Prior to accepting
the Office of Assistant Secretary of State
his education had not extended beyond
thorough knowledge of the law as ex-
emplified in Common Pleas Courts, and
Of exact business principles. Of higher
politics and diplomacy he had never
time to know anything. He brought
into the administration of the State De-
partment the same plain, direct methods
he had followed in managing a case be-
fore an Ohio court, and they proved to
be a great success. American diplo-
macy startled the world. 1t is felt that
Secretary Day goes to Paris rather hos
tile to extensive holdings in the Philip
pines. Such is to be expected from the
character of the man and his training.
He wants to hold with a firm grip what
is direct and tangible, and avoid com.
plications with things which have an
uncertain value.
Senator Frye, on the other hand, is a
more brilliant. imaginative, farther-see-
ing men. lie has genius, where Day has