The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-10-12
PHILIPPINES
PURCHASE.
Judge William r, Day Discusses
the $40, 100000 Payment.
NOT OURS BY BTGHToF CONQUEST

X
Tho President of.the American Pcaco
Commission Declares There was "a
Strong Desire to Treat spain with
MugnauimIty.
Columbus, O.. oct. 12-The FIRST pub
lie utterauce of Judge William II. Day.
who was president of the American
peace commission. concerning the de-
libcratiOus OF the commissioners at
Paris is contained i'm a letter written
TO former Congressman ID. Is Watson.
OF this city, and read by him at
Republican meeting on the east side
last night Judge Day sets forth the
reasons which. i'm his mind justified
the payment of $2OOOO.OOO for the
Philippines, declaring that it was never
cuntended by the American commits
slOners that the United States had
right to the Philippines as a matter
Of conquest The letter says.
1T was not claimed that the United
States had "a right to the Philippine
islands as matter of conquest The
United States has never undertaken,
so far as ] know 20 wrest from a for
eign country lands or possessions simply
by right of conquest Had we been
disposed TO do so il must be remem-
bered that we were in possession only
of the city, bay and harbor of Manila
under the protocol of Aug r. 1898.
providing that the United States
should occupy this and hold the same
pending the conclusion of a treaty of
peace which should determine the con-
troll, disposition and government of
the Philippines The capture after the
singing of the protocol. by General
Merritt and his forces. whatever it's
legal effect may have been, included
no more territory than we we're en-
titled to hold under the protocol In
addition to the hope of accomplishing
immediate peace, which. / need harly
say, was of great Importance at that
time, there was a strong desire to treat
Spain with degree of magnanimity
consistent with our national honor and
prestige following our national pre-
cedent in the treatment of Mexico for
the cession of territory to us at the
close of the Mexican war. BY the
cession, for a consideration, we OBJ
tained an indisputable title. which
must be respected by all other nations.
1t must be remembered, too, that the
American commissioners had consis-
tently refused to assume any of the
outstanding debts or obligations which
Spain had undertaken to fasten upon
the Philippines. Notwithstanding our
offer to pay for pacific improvements,
Spain had not undertaken to substan-
tiate any claim upon that ground. In
my judgement the concession referred
to was ehectual in bringing about an
acceptance of our proposals which re-
suited in the making of the treaty
In this conclusion / cordially agree
with the following remarks of Senator
Gray, one of the commissioners. made
at the Ohio society dinner in New York
Feb. %. 1888.
When after four or five weeks of
doubtless anxiety il became apparent
that these negotiations must either be
broken Off and your commissioners re-
turn without a treaty at all, and that
we would be relegated to the necessity
Of taking not only the Philippines. but
Cuba and Porto Rico, by the ruthless
hand of conquest. or by some conces-
siOns that CUmpOrted with the mag
nanimity and greatness and character
of this country, gain them by the vol
untary cession. of a treaty OF peace.
And, therefore, we believed that it
was better for this country. strong in
the hour of its victories, great in the
hour of its triumphs, that it should. to
a beaten and PROSTATE foe exhibit that
magnanimity of which 1 spoke. and
take from them by voluntary cession
and by purchase, so to speak, these dis
tant islands, rather than expose our
selves in the eyes of the world as play
ing role of barbaric conquest, and by
military power tread upon the path OF
medieval rapine and warfare.
THE advanced position which the
United States has always maintained
in its international relations, its op-
position to anything like harsh or Sc
we're treatment of a fallen foe. as well
as other cogent reasons, would seem
to justify the payment of the 500
10000 as an act dictated from a high
sense OF national honor as well as
sound policy under the circumstances
of the case"