Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-11-02
1T WAS
Action of Commissioners was in Line
with Instructions =

Washington, d. c., Oct. 31.-The ad-
vices from Paris to the effect that the
United States commissioners have de-
manded the cesSion to the United States
of the entire Philippine group is in line
with the instructions that have been is
sued to the representatives of the United
States. Up to a very recent date the
United States commissioners had no pre-
else Instructions ON this vital point.
OF course before they departed from
Washington much consideration had been
given to this important subject by the
President, Secretary Day, Assistant Sec
rotary Moore and the members of the
commission. Eut there was Il lack of
data as to the financial and political af-
fairs of the Philippines and so it happened
that when the United States commission
ers sailed they were not committed be-
yond change to any line of policy. A ma
jority of their number leaned towards a
restriction of the demands to be put forth
as to the Philippines, varying all the way
from the retention of Manila bay and the
immediate surrounding country to the ac-
QUESTION of the whole island OF LuzOn.
That represented about the extreme de-
mand that was in mind when the commits
sion left.
But since that time the President has
become convinced that there is a great
popular demand for the annexation 70 the
United States of the whole Philippine
group anu he Is tISlOStu " oCICl W uhNI
sentiment. Besides. there is ground to be
lieve that. in an official manner, possibly
through informal communication with
Agoncillo, AguinaldO's agent III Pans, or
perhaps through some direct dealing be-
tween that chieftain and Admiral Dewey
the United States commissioner have sat
;sfied themselves that the difficulties in the
way of annexation, so far as they might
be expected to depend upon the will OF the
natives, nave been very much exagger-
ated.
If this be so, then there has been re-
moved as a factor in the calculations one
of the most disturbing elements, for it.
could scarcely be contemplated with equa-
nimity that our government after having
expelled the Spaniards should willingly be
placed in the position of attempting to
govern an unwilling people.
1t cannot be learned definitely what
money consideration is to pass with the
title to the Philippines. Indeed there IS
reason to believe that even the United
States peace commissioners have not yet
been able to fix the amount exactly. AS
Stunning that they are to repudiate all
portions of the debt of the islands which
does not represent money spent for actual
betterments, it will be seen at once that
the task presented to the commissioners
of d~ifferentiating this debt is not an easy
one, particularly in view of the notorious
ly loose financial methods of the Spanish
colonial authorities.
That this debt should be assumed by
the United States in some proportion is
said at the state department to be in
evitable if annexation is to follow. The
conditions presented are entirely unlike
those in Cuba. In the latter case there
was justification in international law
and precedent for our refusal to be sad
died with the debt when we had received
no tangible asset.
But in the case of the Philippines, rich
and well populated. the United States
would acquire what, in the eyes Of the
world, is a most valuable possession, and it
is believed that the holders Of all govern
ment obligations, without regard to ma
tionality. would insist that the lien should
pass with the property. Quite unoficially,
but in a manner to carry conviction as to
the accuracy of the information, the Span
ish commissioners some days ago were al
lowed to know what the United States
purpose as to the Philippines was, once
the conclusion was arrived at. So they
are not taken completely by surprise by
the demand presented today at Paris.