The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-03
SPEECH BY JUDGE DAY
WORK of PEACE COMMISSION DIS
CUSSED BY IT'S PRESIDENT.
Referring to the Philippines, He Says
the Days of Our international
Isolation Are Past.

CANTON, o., Jan. 2.-Judge William r.
Day, president of the American peace COM
mission, and late secretary of state, re-
ceived welcome home this evening, which
took the form of banquet at the Barnett
House, given by the Stark County Bar AS
ISOLATION. Hon. w. A. Lynch, who was
Judge Days law partner in their younger
days, but who now devotes his time prin-
cipally to railroad arrangements, was master
of ceremonies. Judge George E. Baldwin,
one of the oldest practitioners at the local
bar and very intimate FRIEND of the guest
of honor, delivered the welcoming address,
to which Judge Day responded.
Judge Day paid high tribute to the legal
fraternity of Stark county, closing with an
eloquent reference to President Mckinley, a
member of the association, and reciting his
devotion to the country during the war and
the incidents leading thereto He then
spoke as follows of the matters which took
him and his colleagues to Paris:
Recognizing that there are certain mat
.terS which may not properly be discussed on
an occasion of this kind, / think l may
nevertheless say something to my brethren
of the bar of the events which have occurred
in the period of our separation. If | were
called on to state the most gratifying cir
cumstancc of our foreign relations during
the war it would be found in the uniformly
cordial and hearty friendship of the English
nation before and during the struggle. OBJ
serving the obligations of neutrality, and
international law, we had the sympathy and
good VIII OF that great power. don't be-
flied by formal alliance. Nevertheless the
existence of cordial relations between people
kindred by blood speaking the same Ian
guage and having the same ideals of civil
liberty and good government is a fact the
potency OF which can hardly be overesu-
mated.
Il have been asked about the work of
the commissioners viewed from lawyers
standpoint. l think I may say something
to you about it. If in excess of the proprie-
ties Of the occasion, shall ask you to treat
it in professional confidence. On the 18th of
August the protocol of Washington was exc
cuted. 1t may be said to have been the
preliminary contract whose final execution
was to be embodied in the treaty. AS 10
Cuba, Porto Rico, minor West Indian islands
and an island in the Ladrones, 1t was capa-
BILE OF execution by a simple deed of cession
of these Islands, except Cuba, where final
REIMBURSEMENT o., spanish soVerelglty was
required. AS to the Philippine islands, their
disposition, government and control was left
for final determination in the treaty.
7 have often been asked how it was pos
sible to make progress in a commission
having equal representation from the two
nations While this fact did not prevent the
made all the concessions which it believed
just and fair. was obliged to insist that its
terms be accepted. The publication of the
proceedings will show that nothing can be
further from the truth than to assume that
the United States adopted towards Spain a
policy of stand and deliver' The American
commissioners heard with respect and en-
deavored to answer with firmness every
proposition advanced by the Spanish COM
mission.
@'For better. for worse. the work of the
commissioners is done and needs but the
ratification Of the President by and with
the consent of the Senate to become the
supreme law Of the land.
1T cannot be a matter of regret to any
American that the rising sun of the new
year beholds the ensign of our glorious Re
public floating from the walls of Moro
where for so many years the royal banner
of Spain has looked down upon SO much Of
corruption misery and shame Tonight
not one foot of American soil remains under
Spanish domination and the people so long
oppressed are to have a new birth of free
dom.
This is not the time nor place TO discuss
our policy in the far East If this treaty
should be ratified It brings to the United
with as the American people In their wisdom