Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-12-17
An Inconsistent Opposition.

The observation-disclosures or antrim
perialists, or whatever they may style
themselves, are using some remarkable
arguments in their efforts to make a
case against the policy of annexation
which the administration has undoubt-
eddy adopted, and some of their state
ments are straining the truth to almost
the parting point.
One of the contentious made against
the retention of the islands coded by
Spain is that the president, while clearly
acting within his constitutional rights
regarding the new possessions, is doing
so without the advice of the members of
congress or ascertaining the desires of
the people. Any statement made i'm
plying that the president has not learn
ed the desires of the people of the Unit
ed States regarding this matter is an
warranted and a perversion of facts.
IT is we'll known that President Nc
Kinley positively refused to commit
himself to any policy regarding the
Philippines until after he had an OPP
portunity to learn what the majority of
citizens really wished to have done with
the islands. In his trip through the
Central Western states he lost no OPP
p%ortunity to inform himself on the sub
ject, and when he returned to Washing
ton he was satisfied hat there was but
one course to pursue, and that was to
retain the islands. Not only that, but he
has talked with many members of con-
gress, and the fact that Il majority of
the senators are in favor of permanent
occupation of the islands, excepting Gu
ba, is a vindication of the presidents
course. The president did not take his
stand on annexation until he had learn
ed what the country wanted, and hav-
ing taken his present position, knowing
that he was sustained by a majority Of
the people, he will not take any back
ward step in ~discharging the duty which
has been clearly defined.
The observation-disclosures also take
the position that if the Philippines are
annexed to the United States, the "open
door policy must be maintained; that
all nations must be accorded the same
commercial privileges that are granted
the merchants and manufacturers of
this country. A more absurd PROPOSE
ton vas never before placed before an
intelligent people. 1t is free trade run
mad. Fol what is this government pay
ing 500, 000, 900 to Spain, after having de-
feated that nation in war, If the advan-
tages to be derived are to be surren-
dered to every conner? The house of
representatives has just passed a bill
extending the customs and revenue laws
of the United States to the Hawaiian
islands, and upon the formal assump-
ton of power in the Philippines the
same measure should be applied to
those islands. The senate will ratify the
action of the house In regard to the Ha-
waiian islands, and will act in the same
when the laws are extended to
the Philippines. The only "open door,
policy that can be pursued by the Unit
ed States in the territory acquired IN
der the treaty with Spain recently sign
ed is hat of giving American producers
the right to ship goods in as is now done
between the states and territories, and
if other nations desire to compete in the
new markets let them pay for the priv
ilege as they now do in the United
States. If protection is of benefit,
which has been proven by actual trade
conditions, to one part of the country
governed by the United States, it is of
benefit to the others; if free trade is
damaging to section, as has also
beer proven, it will be damaging to all
sections.
Any Inconsistencies in the revenue
laws and in protection cannot be per-
mitted, just because one portion of the
country is separated from the rest by
several thousand miles of salt water.
The men who are opposing the extern
sion of territory and trade are not only
inconsistent in their arguments, but
they are attempting to impose sophis-
tries upon the people for facts.