The Portland daily press., 1898-10-01
SPAIN MUST WITHDRAW.
Will Have to Relinquish Control Of
the Philippines.
THIS is THE OPINION OF UNITED
STATES SENATOR HANNA.

What We.Will Then Do With Them Is An
Open Questionable Senator Is Sup
posed to Reflect Views of President
Mckinley.
Cleveland, September 3O.-The Leader
has from it's Washington correspondent
the following interview with Senator
Hanna concerning the Philippine question
which is believed to represent the vie ws
of President Mckinley:
s'I do not know what the instructions
given to our peace commissioners are"
said the Senator, s'but SO far as concern
the negotiations which will be instituted
in Paris, can see no other result than
that Spain will have to relinquish 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 oonss-
quences which defeat implies. regard
the Philippines as lost to Spain and that
being foregone conclusion, in my
opinion. the problem whichsnext con-
fronts us relates to the form of govern
ment which we will give the islands.
When the Philippine question presented
itself, there was q. strong sentiment among
Ear seeing and thinking
men in this country which favored the
retention by the United States OF merely
a navel abase and ooaling station in the
islands-this base presum ably being Ma
Mia and the bay contiguous thereto.
Since then, however, this sentiauent APP
parently has undergone very marked
change and now 1t appears for the most
part that these same men who at <firsu be-
lieSed we should occupy Manila alone are
atavocatipg the termination 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 insurreotionists became in
a certain sense the allies of the Amerl-
cans, and therefore 1T is our moral duty
to see to it tEat in the future they shall
be assured safe and civilized rule and un-
til the United States determines in just
what manner the Philippines ultimately
shall be governed, we necessarily will
have to consider the Philippines our
wards.
During this transitional period, the
United States Will be called upon to ex-
ereise L primitive and rather arbitrary
form of control over the islands and con-
tinue it until Congress finally evolves
system of government.
In other words, it seems to me we will
have to maintain temporary protectorAte
over the archipelago and this will be &C.
complished by means of the army and
navy now in the Philippines and Philip
pine waters
What will be the ultimate fate OF the
islands, is, of course q problem OF the
future. Whether the Philippines shall be-
come an independent nation OF colony
of the United States or whether long
time American protectorate shall be
established, will be a subject for Congress
to decide.
1t is we'll understood that Spain must
abide by the verdict of our peace COM
missioners, whatever that may prove to
be, for she is In no fit condition TO renew
the condiot which has resulted SO
disastrously to her. She has no reason to
expect that our commissioners will agree
to any proposition which oontemplates
the continuation of Spanish control over
any part or all of the group. l feel CON-
fidentswe will have no further trouble in
an armed way with Spain. The only OBJ
stacie 6 with which we may have to con-
tend is the opposition of the insurgents
to our plans. 1t 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 Aguinaido, the In
surgent chieftain, we may nnd the
Philippines tractable and willing to ac-
cept whatever form Of government we
shall finally decide upon, SO long as Spain
shall have no hand in it's administration.
Regarding the reports which come
from Paris that one of Spain's propo.
sition to our commissioners will be that
the REIMBURSEMENT of the Philippines.
Senator Hanna said significantly: "We
are not paying money for, or buying
territory which we now control.