The sun., 1899-10-15
why We Paid to Spain tho Twenty
Million Dollars.

In the Ohio political campaign Demo-
cratic speakers have denounced our pay
ment Of twenty million dollars in connection
with the cession Of the Philippines. The
discussion OF the subject has elected an
interesting letter from Judge DAY, who
was lately Secretary Of State and who may
be properly described as chairman Of the
American members Of the Joint Peace Com
mission. II any man can explain the pay
ment referred to. he can, and his explana-
tion will be found entirely satisfactory.
The difficulty Of the task accomplished by
our commissioners at Paris is not yet fully
appreciated. Seldom in diplomatic history
has either OF the parties to protocol OBJ
tained by the ensuing treaty more than the
protocol conceded. During the hundred
days which followed DEwEY's victory at
Cavit6. the American people had not thor
oughly made up its mind as to whether it
desired to acquire the whole Philippine
archipelago. 1t was, on the face Of it. a new
and startling suggestion. and sober-minded
men required time to think it over.
Accordingly, when the protocol which
was signed on Aug. II, 1898. was drawn
up, the clause relating to the Philippines
was very cautiously framed. Unquestion-
ably, a demand for the cession OF those
islands would, II then pressed, have been
granted, for the Sagasta Cabinet was appre-
hensive that WATsoN's fleet which was
under orders to sail, would not only capture
the Canaries and the Balearic Isles but
would lombard Cadiz, Carthagena and Bar
celona. Such u demonstration in Spanish
waters would probably have led to an upris-
ing OF the Carists and the Republicans, and
to the consequent overthrow OF the reign
ing dynasty.
1t was in order to save the Alphonslan
monarchy that Senor SAGAsrA hastened to
make peace before WATsoN's fleet could
cross the Atlantic to gain his end, he
would not have hestated to give us not
only Cuba and Porto Rico but the Philip
pines also and the more willingly because
In August, 1898. the Spanish occupation Of
those islands. outside OF Manila, was but
nominal, But, as we have said in the early
part Of August, 1898, the determination OF
the American people to hold the Philippines
had not been definitely declared though 1t
was made known Enthusiastically soon after
ward. and. by Dec. 10, when the treaty was
signed at Paris, almost all Republicans, and
many Democrats, were seen to be Of one
mind upon the matter.
Fortunately, a demand for the cession of
the archipelago was justified by the third
article OF the protocol. which ran: "The
United States will occupy and hold the city,
bay and harbor of Manila. pending the con-
clusion OF treaty OF peace which shall
determine the control, disposition and gov
ernment OF the Philippines" Admitting
that these words were broad enough to
cover the exaction of a transfer Of sover-
eighty, we must recognize that the Spanish
commissioners could reasonably resist any
concession not explicitly granted in the
protocol, and, forttori. one that ostensibly
involved the loss to their country OF an
insular empire containing at least eight
million inhabitants.
Judge DAY points out that our represent
atlves at Paris undertook to overcome
Spains opposition by two entirely distinct
proposals. the first OF which, happily for
US, was rejected. We began by Offering to
assume 30 much OF the so-called Philippine
debt. the face value OF which was $40, ,ooO,.
600. as could be proved to have been ex.
pended on public works and permanent
improvements for the benefit OF the
islands. Had this proposal been accepted
we should have established precedent
from which 1t would have been difficult for
us to depart in the case Of Cuba. The
Spanish commissioners must now regret
that they did not seize the advantage which
such precedent would have given them
II they failed to do 30. 1t was because they
were aware that only small part, II any,
OF the proceeds OF the Philippine loan could
be shown to have been expended on public
works or for permanent improvements In
the archipelago.
Thus 1t game to pass that. their first pro.
posal not having been accepted. our oom