The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-28
SEIZURE OF THE PHILIPPINES
Was UnWarranted, and They Nay be
WreSted from O 5-JSSeSSiOn.
NAVAL s1RENeS : OF ENGLAND
:
And the Suppose . ,iendship Toward
the United Stat- Vas Responsible
for Our Victe : over Spain, De-
clared t : .x-Governor.

Boston, December H.-The Congressional
club observed ladies' night at the armory
hall tonight, with Ex-Governor George S.
Boutwell, former secretary of the treas
ury, and President Capen, of Tufts college,
as the speakers on the subject OF expan-
sion. us i,vil.ialIak
Mr.. Boutwell, said ut Is my purpose on
this occasion to consider the question
known as the policy on which the country
is entering, policy of peace or policy
of war. The seizure, possession and occu-
patton of the Philippines, whether the &C.
cupation is treated as temporary or perma-
nent, proceed upon the theory that our
present peaceful relations with England,
Russia and Japan are never to be broken or
disturbed seriously. Three years have not
yet gone since England and the United
States were on the brink of war; and there
can be no security for continued peace
with Great Britain. The laxity of our
policy during the insurrection in Cuba, if
initiated by us in the event of revolutionary
movements in Canada, would open a con-
troversy with Great Britain that might end
in war. War with England is not an i'm
possibility.
Il now lay before you two statements as
my fixed opinions concerning the future of
the country.
Jurisdiction Over Philippines
First. If by the treaty with Spain rat
led by the American senate we take jur-
isdiction of the Philippines for any pur-
pose or for any period of time that juris-
dction will never be surrendered volun-
tarily by the United states.
Second. That the sovereignty of the
islands will be yielded to force finally and
that force may be exerted by the inhabi-
| tants of the islands or by England, or by
| Japan or by Russia and not unlikely by
/ the combination or the cooperation of twSN
| or more of these powers. If we hold the
Philippines we shall hold them because
Russia permits us to do so and not other
WISE This is, in itself humiliation. The
fortunes of Russia and china are now iden-
tical and henceforth their immense re-
sources are to be welded as one power.
Americans may take note of four or
more observations that are of supreme i'm
portance:
First. We are indebted to the protect
ing naval strength of England for our sue
cesses in the war with Spain.
Second. We are to deal generously with
Canada.
",rhird Whatever trade benefits may re-
suit from the conquest of the Philippines,
England is to enjoy with us.
Fourth. There must be neutral help in
1.-THE president proposes to take Jurisdic-
ton of the Philippines and then consider
how they are to be governed. Thus ne
announces the essential doctrine of an un-
limited tyranny. We are to pursue the
policy which we condemned in Spain and
| which has ended In unmtigated disaster
| Promise of Benign Results
| 1.-THE victory of 1896 had been partisan
| victory. but it was full of the promise OF
i in could
| pate We are at peace with the world, ana
| there are no disturbing divisions among our
people. Yet fourteen months only from the
day of the Inauguration the country was IN
voved in a with Spain, and without the
ability on our part to allege truthfully any
act of wrong doing on the part oil Spain
that had been injurious to u.s.
I'VE have loaded ourselves with possess
-sions which we do not need. We have as
sumed jurisdiction over millions of human
beings who do not recognize the rightful-
ness OF our authority. We have extended
our system of taxation and have increased
the public debt in sum OF hundreds OF
miiiions Our pension rolls have been
heightened to the end of the first half of
| the next century, and we are threatened
with a permanent increase of the army and
navy at cost of $3.50. 100000 year.
"It is matter of minor Importance that
| the supremacy of the republican party has
been put in peril; that some of us seem
to think such event is no slight catastro-
phe.
What are our compensations? The mis-
cries of Cuba have not been relieved and
the sum OF them has been multiplied many
| times over within the limits of the United
States.
"Whe We are not to undervalue the
achievements of the army and navy, they
are but slight compensat tions for the DIS
tress incident to war. 1t is the boast that
the war has cemented the union, but the
rtnin xpa mn OF nd firm, vba, 4
opened. Finally, all the events in the war
eliminated in this: The foundations have
been laid on which may be set up, as Ru-
fus Choate said the frowning arch OF
ranged empire"
SIIRPENDEP TO 1uuOAno