The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-05-27

ington That Peace Is Not Far Of.
WASHINGTON, May 10 Special. There
is no purpose on the part of our govern
ment to hold to the Philippine islands. 1
am not SO sure that we do not intend to
keep Cuba. A vast difference between
Americanizing the Philippines and max
ing a colony of Cuba is to be noted. One
is already American in its geographical
and commercial relations and its political
aspirations, while the other is distinctively
Asiatic. 1t would be wholly consistent for
the United States to acquire Cuba, so far
as our national policy and our true place
among the family of nations are concern
ed, just as it would be great strain to at
tempt retention of the Philippines. The
proper sphere of action for the United
States is in the western hemisphere
America for the Americans. In the opin-
ion of most public men here, it would be
great mistake for this country to mix in
the peculiar politics of the far east, and, I
am told on good authority, President Nc
kinley has definitely decided we will give
up the Philippines at the proper time and
Tor the proper compensation.
1t is just here that I am able to make an
important disclosure concerning the policy
Of the administration. The descent of our
naval forces upon the Philippines had a
large and comprehensive purpose behind
1t. The purpose of this war, the president
Insists, is to free Cuba. Spain's misrule
In the Philippines may be as obvious as in
Cuba, but that is not the business of the
United States. Our responsibility does not
sxtend to the other side of the world.
There must be limit upon the energies
which one is to exert in regulating the af
fairs of other people, For instance, if ones
next door neighbor flagrantly beats and
kicks and starves his children and the
cries of the victims disturb his slumber
and destroy his peace of mind he is justi
fed in Offering interference, but if one
hears of a similar case 1000 miles away
one can scarcely be expected to get upon
the cars and travel thither for the purpose
of securing justice.
Spain Will Sue For Peace.
In high official circles here the belief
prevails that within 80 days Spain will
sue for peace, not directly, but through
the convenient intermediary of the Euro
pean powers. The United States will have
no objection to such mediation, as has
been already pointed out in these dis
patches, upon the condition that we are to
carry our point and secure the freedom of
Cuba.
When peace negotiations actually begin
and it is believed they are not far Off
the United States will do all in it's power
to make it easy for Spain to sacrifice Cuba
1t is just here the Importance of the Phil
ippines as a factor in the international
situation arises. 1t is the intention of
President Mckinley, in so far as he can
control the situation, to permit Spain to
retain the Philippines if she will only give
up Cuba without further resistance. In
deed it is not improbable some such sug-
gestion as this has already been conveyed
to the government at Madrid through the
agency of neutral diplomats. The Madrid
government will doubtless be eager to seize
upon this method of terminating the war
as soon as it is able if it ever is, to hold
in check the revolutionary forces in Spain
itself. The point is that perhaps retention
OF the Philippines may operate as salve
to the wounds of pride inflicted by the
loss of Cuba and thus place in the hands
of the Spanish authorities the very means
they need for controlling the situation at
home.
Situation May Change.
1t is at the same time pointed out by
members of the administration who are
aware of this phase of the presidents pol
icy that the progress of the war may
change the situation materially. For in
stance, if our losses should be very heavy
or if the Spanish fleets were to inf1ict seri
Gus damage upon American cities, the
leniency involved in the proposed surren-
der of the Philippines might become i'm
possible. If Spain pursues the war with
enough vigor and effectiveness to rouse
the true fighting spirit of the people of the
United States, to produce desire for re-
venge through severe chastisement of the
Spanish nation, such generosity will be
out of the question. For some time 1t has
been believed here not only by leading
officials of the administration, but by
members of the diplomatic corps as we'll,
that Sagasta and his confreres at Madrid
have had these factsIfn mind and have
from the first desired to pursue passive
policy as forerunner of peaceful settle
ment. If they have actually decided upon
war in earnest, as recent dispatches indi-
cate, they have doubtless done so in re-
spouse to public opinion in Spain.
Whatever the future may have in store
for the Philippines there is no doubt those
islands should be free of Spanish rule. I
was talking today with a gentleman who
spent two years at Manila as agent for
commercial firm. He says SPANS govern
ment of the Philippines has been infamous.
The officials are almost invariably COR
rupt, the taxes are ruinous and the mill
tary power by which the islands have
alone been governed has proved itself char
acteristically brutal and cruel
"For instance" said this gentleman,
g it has been favorite and profitable
amusement for the Spanish officers in the
Philippines to demand military service of
wealthy planters and even of merchants.
Inasmuch as such service meant personal
degradation and ACKNOWLEDGMENT slavery
of course there was nothing for the inn,
pressed men to do but to buy their free
dom. This was precisely what the Span
iards wanted, and the ransom was made
according to the wealth of the victim In
some cases it was as low as $500 and in
others as high as $4,000. One of my clerks
was impressed for military service, and as
he had no money with which to ransom
himself I gave him $50 with which to
make peace with the officer in charge.
"Spain's methods in the Philippines"
concluded this former resident of Manila,
shave been just such as am told they were
in Cuba-to get everything possible out of
the country and to give nothing in return
but cruelty and tyranny. In my opinion,