Middletown transcript., 1898-09-24
FUTURE FOREIGN POLICY
Saratoga Conference .o:nmittee
Heard by the President.
ASSURED OF CONSIDERATION.

ment For Our Annexed Islands.
Question OF Education Considered
EspeciaIIy-The President Hopes
For the Approval of Mankind-The
Question of Home Rule.
The committee of representative
Americans appointed at the Saratoga
conference, held Aug. 10 and 90, to dis
cuss and make recommendations on the
future foreign policy of the country,
held two sessions recently and called
upon the president by appointment at
the White House the other afternoon
and presented an engrossed copy Of the
resolutions adopted at that conference
and memorial amplifying the resolu-
tions. The committee consisted of Hen
ry Wade Rogers, president Northwest
ern university, Chicago; Samuel Com
pers, president American Federation OF
Labor, Washington W. P. Wilson, di-
rector Commercial museum, Philadel-
phia; Henry MacCracken, chancellor
State university, New York; James J.
Hooker, president board Of trade, Gin
cinnati; Writ w. Howe, ex-president
National Bar association, New Orleans;
Ralph M. Easley, secretary Civic FEEDER
alton, Chicago; William A. Giles, vice
president National Business league,
Chicago; P. W.. Meldrim, Savannah,
Ga. George McAnney, secretary Ma
tional Civil Servics league; J. W..
jerks, professor political economy,
Cornell university; Francis B. Thurber,
president National Exporters associa-
ton; Richard W. Venable, Baltimore
W. N. Kline, Philadelphia.
The president listened with interest
to the reading Of the memorial by
Chairman Rogers and said: "Gentle-
men-You came at the supreme mo-
ment. Twill give the peace commits
sioners their final instructions, and you
are here in time to have your recon-
mendation heard and considered before
that is done" The president also fol
lowed with great interest the discussion
of the Saragota conference and was sure
that they had done great good through
out the country, especially commend
ing the committee for having given sc
fair hearing to both sides and for hav-
ing been able to agree on resolutions.
The president, in closing five minutes
talk to the committee, said, ST propose
to do the best can with such knowledge
and light as I lave and hope my acts
in the matter will be approved by the
deliberate Judgment Of mankind. F"
The memorial presented to the presi
dent begins by reviewing the call fol
the Saratoga conference and stating the
purpose of the meeting, then states the
resolutions adopted, beginning:
"We, tho participants in the nationa
conference on the foreign policy OF the
United States held at Saratoga on Aug
10 and 90, arc substantially agreed a!
follows: We commend the wise and pa
| triotic course of the national admins
tration in first seeking to avoid wal
with Spain and in subsequently prose
cutting the war with vigor and success
and bringing it to speedy conclusion
| glorious to our arms and gratifying tx
the high aspirations Of our people OF
| behalf Of freedom and human welfare
We believe that the rescued and liber
ated people Of the surrendered islands
are in q sense temporarily the wards O
the conquering nation and that WI
| should treat them as such. With oul
views Of natural~right and Of the ines
timable privilege of civil liberty VI
should not be justified in returning th,
conquered islands to the misrule anC
oppression from which we have relieved
them. AS soon as the islands under on
present protection can be trusted to gov
ern themselves they should be allowed
home rule, either independently or as ;
part Of the United States, as hereinafte
recommended. Until such time as the.
may be able to govern themselves the,
should continue under the protection O
the United States, and the question a
to whether at some future period, at tn
mutual desire of both, they should b
permanently annexed should be left t.
the time when it arises"
The resolutions recommend for tn
new territories free unsectarian schools
advocate the establishment Of a grade,
diplomatic service, approve interna
tional arbitration, commend the presi
dents course in refusing to grant letter
of marque and favor the prohibition O
privateering and continue:
| "The conference was not unmindfu
Of the fact that the war with Spain wa
undertaken to give freedom to oppresse,
colonists, and that the government o
the United States in freeing these pee
pie from their existing allegiance In
Cured a moral obligation to see tina
the new government to be establishe
should be one which would insure pro
lection to life, liberty and property. T
that end the conference was of the opin
ion that the people of all surrenderel
islands should be considered as in
sense temporarily our wards; that th
possibility of entangliug alliances wit
other nations and of imbittered discus
sion with or among them could be bes
avoided, and the conservation Of peac
throughout the world could be best at
tanned by the exercise of such prdtec
tion.
"It was thought further that as 500
as these people can be trusted to COVER
themselves they should be allowed hom
rule, but that until they are able t
govern themselves they should continu
under the protection of the Unite
States. Emphasizing that we have no
fought war of conquest, the memoria
continues: "The conference expresse
no opinion as to the wisdom OF ultimat
annexation Of these islands, but 1t de
clared its conviction that the questiol
as to whether at some future period the.
should be permanently annexed shonl
be left to the time when it arises, an,