The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-04
VIEWS OF PEACE COMMISSIONERS.

The article of Whitelaw Reid in the Cen
fury, entitled 1.-The Territory with Which
We Are Threatened" has special interest
because he is member of the peace COM
mission which will consider the questions
of territory. The title, however, is mislead-
ing, since Mr. Reid does not regard the
Spanish possessions which are quite sure
TO fall into our hands as a menace to the
welfare of the country. Mr.. Reid is an ex-
pansionist without being an unreasonable
jingoist. He considers the subject on the
basis of national duty. 1--WE must hold
Cuba for a time, at least. and till a per-
manent government is well established; we
must hold Porto Rico. and we may have to
hold the Philippines" is his declaration.
In regard to Cuba, Mr.. Reid says that
when Congress declared its purpose not to
upon the assumption that the insurgents
were positive power and would give the
island a satisfactory government Since
that time we have learned otherwise. The
insurgents are not majority of the people,
and their conduct is not calculated to con-
vince one that they will be able or even
desire to give Cuba better government
than it now has, Having made ourselves
responsible for the future rule of the island,
we must see to it that it has a better gov
eminent than it has ever had. Until such
government is established I'VE cannot leave
Cuba without national dishonor and blood
outlines"
n h6
Philippines. The declaration at the outset,
that. having driven Spain out of Cuba be-
cause it is unfit to rule Cuba. we cannot
consent to the occupation of the Philip
pines by Spain without placing ourselves
before the world as hypocrites. Our aim
must be to insure to those islands good
government. In discussing the disposition
which shall be made of the Philippines Mr..
Reid says that we connot exchange them
for something nearer home without precipi-
tating fresh international difficulties. To
give them to Japan will be to incur the hos
t;lity of Russia; to give them to Russia
would be greater injustice to Japan, or to
Germany, or Great Britain, without raising
more trouble than we allay. At the same
time oil Ol IneSe IdllOIlS WOQlU prefer tu0
control of the United States to any other.
Recognizing the fact that many of our
people do not want the islands, Mr.. Reid
says it may be our duty to do what we
would not do of our own motion. Some
way out of the difficulty may be found
later but the United States having entered
upon a war with Spain in the name of hui
mainly, we cannot draw a geographical
limit to our humanity.
Mr.. Reid is positive and emphatic in OPP
posing the idea that these possessions can
ever come into the Union as States with an
equal voice with other States in shaping our
national destinies. His plan of government
is stated as follows:
With slight notifications the territorial
form of government which we have tried SO
successfully from the beginning of the
Union is admirably adapted to such COM
m.unities. 1t secures local self-government.
equality before the law, upright courts, am
ple power for order and defense, a voice in
Congress for the presentation of local
wants, and such control by Congress as
cesses of people new to the exercise of
these rights.
The article was written before the close
of the war and before Mr. Reid could have
had any expectation of personal share In
the negotiating of the final treaty with
Spain-a fact which gives it additional in
terest now that he is peace commissioners.