The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-12-17
A Grave Disappointment.
From the Baltimore Sun.


ty to include Porto Rico, the Philippine
Islands, the Sulu archipelago, the Island
of Guam, naval stations, coaling stations
and cable stations in the conditions of
peace? When did Congress include any
of these possessions in the objects Of the
war? When did it authorize the land and
naval forces of the Union to be used for
their acquisition, as on the 10Th of April
it did expressly authorize them to be used
to compel the evacuation of Cuba?
When and where did MIR. Mckinley OBJ
tain the power to enlarge the scope and
purposes of the war so as to make the ac-
QUESTION of all these distant territories
conditions of peace with Spain? Who
dictated the terms Of the protocol signed
by NJ. Cambon at Washington Who has
dictated the terms of the treaty which the
peace commissioners are now reducing to
form at Paris Who but MIR. Mckinley
has done all these things? And what does
Mr.. Mckinley propose to do with Porto
Rico, the Philippine Islands, the Sulu
archipelago, the Island Of Guam and all
the naval stations, coaling stations and
cable stations which he has required Spain
to surrender to this country?
Has not Congress a right to the fullest
answer to all these questions ? Have not
the American people right to know the
nature and extent of Mr.. Mckinley au-
thority in the premises? Have they not
right to know the why and the where
for, why they are expected to accept all
these vast and strange possessions and
what they are to do with them after they
have taken them? Apparently MIR. Nc
Kinley seems to think all this none OF their
business. This is the extraordinary fea-
ture of his message This is all that he
condescends to say upon this subject IN
his message to Congress Il Go not at
this time discuss the government or the
future of the new possessions which Will
come to us as the result of the war with
Spain. ,Such discussion ~W be opProP'1-
ate atic, the treaty ofpeace shall be rotVed
In the meantime, and until the Congress
has legislated otherwise, it will be my duty
to continue the military governments which
have existed since our occupation, and give
to the people security in life and property
and encouragement under a Just and bene-
ficent rule.
In other words, Mr.. KcKinley idea is
that we are to take all these territories,
with their eight or ten millions of barbar-
GUS or semi-barbarous inhabitants and as
sumo all the burdens involved including,
of course, the payment Of twenty millions
Of dollars to Spain for the Philippines,
without asking any questions, simply to
please Mr.. Mckinley, without knowing
even Mr. Mckinley reasons for acting as
he has done, or having any plans ourselves,
or, for the matter of that, without Mr.,
Mckinley having any plans for the fu-
ture. All such discussions, he says, will
be appropriate only ''dtfer the trc"ty Of
peace shall be rotitcd" First we are to
make our bargain, and then see how we
like it after we have made it. We shall
be greatly surprised if the American peo-
pie are fools enough to buy the Philippines
and all the rest like pig in poke in this
fashion. 1t will more cOmport with the
character of the American people for COM
mon sense if they insist upon Il full I'M
derstanding of the whole question III all
its bearings beforehand. 1t will be more
in accordance with the dignity and tradl
lions of the Senate before it concurs by
two-thirds vote to any treaty that MIR.
Mckinley has made not onl y to demand
and receive from him full explanation of
all his reasons and Of his policy and plans
for the future, but to bestow upon the
subject all the consideration which its I'M
portance merits. 1t will be only in ac
cordance with the dignity and the rights Of
the House Of Representatives If, before 1t
approprates twenty millions Of dollars to
pay for the Philippines, it shall be fully
satisfied as to the necessity for the appro-
priation, the wisdom and Justice of the
expenditure. And, then, as to the future
government of the Philippines and the rest
of the new possessions, - does Mr.. Nc
Kinley really know what he is saying or
what he is talking about when he says that
in the meantime it will be his duty ito
continue the military governments which
have existed since our (that is his) occu
patton of all these vast and scattered
territories? What does he mean by mill
tarv governments and where does he find
the warrant, either in the constitution or
in any law of Congress, for the establish
ment or maintenance of military rule by
the United States, or any officer thereof,
under the authority of the United States
in time of peace?
The future relations of what the Presi-
dent curiously calls ''our new possessions,
and of the dusky millions who inhabit
them. to the older States of the Union in
volve so many and such difficult and in
tricate problems of policy, of jurisprudence
and constitutional law that the most char
table explanation of the President $ failure
even to discuss what should have been the
principal subject of his message must be
his own consciousness of his utter incapac-
ity to engage in such discussion. Appar-
emily he has no views or theory OF his own
to PROFOUND, and for that excellent reason
postpones all further reference to the sub
ject He cannot expect, however, that
Congress will follow his example. The
very failure of the President to indicate
what the future disposition or government
of the Philippines and other islands shall
be will make it doubly incumbent upon
Congress to come to some definite and sat
isfactory conclusions upon the subject, in
accordance with the wishes of the Ameri-
can people, before the treaty can even be
considered. The helplessness of its author
and his inability, Or failure, to explain
either his motive or his plans, his policy
or purposes make the ratification of the
treaty at an early date more than ever I'M
certain
The Treaty Of Peace Signed.