The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-01

ipptne archipelago. Spain has no rea-
son TO expect to be able to retain any
portion OF the group She went into
the war and lost. and now ought to
be prepared to suffer all the consequen-
ces which a defeat implies.
II regard the Philippines as lost
to Spain, and that being foregone
conclusion, in my opinion, the prob
lem which next confronts us relates
to the form of government which we
will give the islands. When the Phil
ipDine question presented itself there
was strong sentiment among conser-
vative, fRr-eeeing and thinking men
in this country which favored the re-
tention by the United States Of mere
ly a naval base and ooaling stathn in
the islands-this base presumab bly, be-
ing Manila and the bay contiguous
thereto. Since then however, this SEN
timent apparently has undergone a
very marked change, and now 1t APP
pears for the most part that those
same men, who at first believed We
should occupy Manila alone, aSe adj
vocating the termination of Spanish
rule in the whole group.
Aside from the fact that the general
sentiment of the country seems to be
against returning any of the islands to
Spain. the United States is under obli-
cations to the insurgents to establish a
stable and enlightened form of govern
ment throughout the entire archipelago.
When the war broke out, the Philippine
insurPectionists became In a certain
sense the allies Of the Americans, and,
therefore 1t is our moral duty to see to
1t, that in the future they shall be as
sured safe and civilized rule, and until
the United States determines in Just
what manner the Philippines ultimately
shall be governed, we necessarily will
have to consider the Philippines our
wards.
During this transitional period, the
United States will be called upon to ex-
ercise a primitive or rather arbitrary
form OF control over the islands, and
continue 1t until congress finally
evolves a system of government In
other words it seems to me we will have
to maintain a temporary protectorate
over the archipelago. and this will be
accomplished by means of the army
and navy now in the Philippines and
Philippine waters. What will be the
ultimate fate of the islands is, of
course, a problem of the future
Whether the Philippines shall become
an independent nation or colony of
time American protectorate shall be es-
tablished, will be a subject for congress
to decide. 1t is we'll understood that
Spain must abide by the verdict of our
peace commissioners, whatever that
may prove to be, for she is in no fit
condition to renew the conflict which
has resulted so disastrous to her.
'sShe had no reason to expect that our
commissioners will agree to any propo-
sition which contemplates the continual
ton of Spanish control over any part or
all of the group. feel confident that
we will have no further trouble in an
armed way with Spain. The only OBJ
stacle with which we have to contend
is the opposition of the insurgents to
our plans 1t is not at all certain, of
course, that we will encounter any such
obstacle though 1t is assuredly among
the probabilities. However. from what
l have read Of the mission of Aguinal-
do. the insurgent chieftain, we may
find the Philippines tractable and WILL
ing to accept whatever form of gov
eminent we shall finally decide upon,
so long as Spain shall have no hand
in its administration"
Regarding the reports which come
from Paris that one Of Spain's propo-
sitions to our commissioners will be
that the United States pay her $400 0o0,-
600 for the relinquishment of the Phil
ippines. Senator Hanna said significant
". eve are not paying money for or
buying territory which we now con-
troll"