The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-05-11
Belong to the United States by
Right of Conquest.
No Power or Powers Have Slightest Title
10 Interfere.
Sir Charles Dilke's Answer to a
Question Whether Internation-
al Law or Practice Affected
Right of This Country to Re-
tain Control of the Islands.

NEW YORK, May 10.-A dispatch to
the World" from London says:
Sir Charles Dixie when asked wheth-
er any question of international law
or practice affected the United States
right to retain the Philippines, said:
None whatever The States will
hold the Philippines by the right of
conquest. No power or powers will
have the slightest title to interfere"
But may not some power, Germany
or France, for instance, bring pressure
TO bear on the United States to sur
render them?''
That idea of continental pressure 1
regard as moonshine. No power would
attempt pressure unless we were in the
same boat with them, which we never
Will be. Without English naval sup
port no power will venture upon any
action in the matter"
DO you consider that the United
States should retain possession of the
Philippines?"
Certainly L do. The only alterna-
tives are some kind of autonomous re-
publican government, which would
need SO much American protection that
the United States might as we'll hold
handing them off to JAPAN but that
would excite the opposition Of public
sentiment in the United States, Japan
being a pagan nation. Another altern-
ative is returning them to Spain. But
that, too, would excite serious opposi-
ton in the United States and may be
dismissed as out of the question"
Sir Henry Howarth, NJ. P, a leading
authority on foreign politics and inter-
national law, said:
Il have no hesitation in saying that
the United States have a perfect right
to keep the Philippines, and under the
circumstances, it would be both wise
and proper for the United States to
keep them. There is not a considera-
ton of international law that could in
any way fetter the United States in
its absolute discretion in the matter.
There is no third party involved. The
islands were discovered by Spain and
her sovereignty has never been in dis
pute. BY the right of conquest, there
fore, Americas position is indisputable,
and all the members of Parliament who
are authorities, to whom I have spoken,
agree that the United States should not
give them up.
Spain found it impossible to govern
them in the past and would find the
difficulty still greater in the future.
Should the United States annex Ha-
wall together with the Philippines,
these would constitute two magnificent
bases, giving the United States i'm
mense power in the Pacific, which l al
ways hoped they would achieve in the
interests Of civilization and commerce.
dispatch to the World" from Rome
says:
Guido Pacelli, the celebrated states
man and the coming Premier, in an in,
terview, says:
America should keep the Philippines
first, because from the standpoint OF
international law, she has the right
of conquest, and. secondly, from the
standpoint of policy. The United States
is the only power which can now have
them. as they should not be receded
to Spain, which, being without a fleet
and finances, the islands would be-
come a bone of contention for the Eu-
ropean powers, thereby precipitating
the far East conflict
IF coded to England it would be con-
sidered by Russia and Germany as a
casus beln as destroying the equilib-
rum in the far East. The powers,
Therefore, in their heart of hearts, hope
that America will keep the Philippines,