The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-10-12
PHILIPPINES PURCHASE
Judge William B. Day Discusses
the $40, 100000 Payment.
NOT OURS BY RIeHTo OF CONQUEST

xuo Fr0biuOuV Oh Juno Am0rAC8u To1Ce
Commission Declares There Was .
strong Desire to Treat Spain with
Ma9nanimity.
Columbus, O., Oct. 12.-The f,rst pub
lie utterance of Judge William r. Day.
who was president of the American
peace commission. concerning the de-
liberations Of the commissioners at
Paris Is contained in letter written
to former Congressman D. X. Watson,
Of this city, and read by him at q
Republican meeting on the east side
last night. Judge Day sets forth the
reasons which. in his mind, Justified
the payment of 100000 for the
Philippines, declaring that 1t was never
contended by the American commits
sioners that the United States had q
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, to wrest from for
eign country lands or possessions simply
by right Of conquest. Had we been
disposed to do so it must be remem-
bered that we were in possession only
of the city, bay and harbor Of Manila
under the protocol Of Aug. 10, 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 were 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 consideration. we OBJ
tanned an indisputable title, which
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 effectual In bringing about an
acceptance of our proposals which re-
suited in the making Of the treaty.
"In this conclusion cordially agree
Gray, one Of the commissioners, made
at the Ohio society dinner in New York
Feb. rs, 1899:
"'When after four or five weeks of
doubtless anxiety 1t became apparent
that these negotiations must either be :
broken off and your commissioners re-
turn without 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 comported with the mag
nanimity and greatness and character
of this country, gain them by the vol
untary cession. of treaty Of peace.
"'And, therefore, we believed that 1t
was better for this country, strong in
the hour Of its victories, great In the
hour OF its triumphs, that 1t should, to
a beaten and PROSTATE foe, exhibit that
magnanimity of which l 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
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 OPP
position to anything like harsh or Sc
we're treatment of a fallen foe, as we'll |
as other cogent reasons, would seem |
to justify the payment of the $780,
100000 as an act die, ed from high |
sense of national h..4or as we'll as
sound policy under the circumstances
of the case"