The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-01
NATIVES WILL NOT OBJECT.
FilipinOs Have Probably Agreed tC
Accent Annexation.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31.-The advices
from Paris to the effect that the United
States peace commissioners have demanded
the cession to the United States OF the
entire PHILIPPINE group is in line with the
instructions that have been issued 10 the
representatives of the United States. Up
to a very recent date the United States
commissioners had no precise instructions
on this vital point. OF course before they
departed from Washington much consid-
Grafton had been given TO this important
subject by the President, Secretary Day,
Assistant Secretary Moore and the members
of the commission. But there was lack
of data as to the financial and political
affairs of the Philippines, and so it hap
pened that when the United States commits
sioners sailed they were not committed
beyond change to any line OF policy. A
majority 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 hay
and the immediate surrounding country, to
the acquisition of the whole island Of
Luzon. That represented about the ex-
treme demand that was in mind wren the
commission left. But since that time the
President has become convinced ;hat there
is great popular demand for the anreNa-
ton to the United States of the whole
Philippine group and he is disposed 10 defer
to that sentiment. Besides there is ground
to believe that in an unofficial manner, ros-
sibly through informal communication with
Agoncillo, Aguinaldo's agent in PARIS, or
perhaps through some direct dealing be-
tween the chieftain and Admiral Dewey, the
United States commissioners hate satisfied
themselves that the difficulties in the way
of annexation, so far as they might be
expected to depend on che w:ll of the ma
tives, have been very much exaggerated.
If this be so, then there has been removed
as factor in the calculations one of the
most disturbing elements, for it could
scarcely be contemplated with equanimity
that our government after having expelled
the Spaniards, should willingly be placed in
the position of attempting to govern an uE-
willing people.
1t cannot be learned definitely what mon
ey consideration is to pass with the title
to the Philippines. Indeed there is reason
to believe that even the United States
peace commissioners nave not vet been able
to fix the amount exactly. Assuming that
they are to repudiate all portions cf the
debt of the islands, which does not repre-
sent money spent for actual betterments,
it will be seen at once that TIE task pre-
sented to the commissioners &C Giferenti-
ating this debt is not easy orc, particu-
fairly in view of the notoriously loose finsE-
cial methods of the Spanish colonial
authorities That this debt should he
assumed by the United States in some Pro-
portion is said at the State Department to
be inevitable 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 pre-
cedent for our refusal to be saddle1 with
the debt when we had received no tangible
asset. But in the case OF the Philippines,
rich and we'll 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 gov-
ernment Obligations, without regard to Ia
tionality, would insist that the ler should
pass with the property. quite uno1iloisily,
but in manner to carry conviction to
the accuracy of the Information, the Span
ish commissioners some days ago were al
lowed to know what the United States pur-
pose as to the Philippines was, once the
conclusion was arrived of. So they are not
taken completely by surprise by the demand
presented to-day at Paris