The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-11-10
STRANGE LAPSE OF MEMORY.
President Mci<inIey's Talk About
Acquiring Territory Through
Providence.

President Mckinley should have been
little more careful in his rear plat
form speeches on his car tour about the
country. lie made serious break In
his talk at Cedar Falls, la.
After saying that since he was last
In Iowa we have added some territory,
meaning the Philippines, he continued:
81 believe, my fellow citizens, that this
territory came to us in the providence
of God. We did not seek it. 1t is ours.
with all the sponsibilities that belong
10 il; and as great, strong, brave ma
ton we mean TO meet them and we
mean to carry out our education and
our civilization there"
1t being very early in the morning,
possibly the president was not quite
awake. or surely he would have remem-
bered the letter written the other day
by Judge Day, in the interest Of his
friend, the president for effect on the
Ohio election.
Judge Day made no pretense that the
Philippine territory ''came to u.s. but
distinctly declared that we did seek
it," Our forces had not captured il,
and at no time held more than the bay
of Manila and a small part Of the land
ad Joining. While the peace negotia-
tons were in progress at Paris, with
Judge Day as chief agent Of the presi-
dent, no hint was given for some time
that we wanted all the Philippines, or
more than a small bit of territory if we
desired any. The proposition, when at
last made. took the Spaniards by sur
prise, and they protested vigorously.
Then Judge Day made an offer OF
$50 100000 for the entire group and,
still protesting vigorously against be-
ing forced TO sell, the Spanish commits
sioners finally consented to the deal.
Here is the judges own language in his
campaign letter:
"Our proposal at Paris embodied the con-
! cessions which for the sake OF immediate
peace the American government was Will
ing to make. There was doubtless other
reasons actuating the commissioners in
making the proposals.
"It was not claimed that the United
\ States had a right TO the Philippine Islands
as a matter OF conquest. The United states
has never undertaken. so far as know. 10
wrest from a foreign country lands or pos
We been disposed TO do so. II must be re-
membered that we were in possession only
OF the city. bay and harbor OF Manila under
the protocol of August II, 1898 The cap
ture. after the signing of the protocol, by
Gen. Merritt and his forces, whatever its
legal effect may have been included nc
more territory than we were entitled to
hold under the protocol"
The offer was made partly for the
sake of immediate peace, but there
were doubtless other reasons actuatine
the commissioners in making the pro
posals." Very likely. Judge Day, as
one of the com missioners, and the rec
ognized immediate confidential agent
of President Mckinley, knows all about
those "other reasons" though he ma,
not deem il advisable to tell.
But here is the fact clearly stated il
his letter. The territory did not "com'
to us in the providence of God" withou
our seeking it, On the contrary, it wa
not in our keeping; we had not won it
1t was still the property of Spain 4
hold. or sell. or to give away. Pres
dent Mckinley desired it, and his com
missioners made bid for it. 1t will ID
remembered that at the time it wa
distinctly declared that every stel
taken by the commissioners at Pari
was directed from Washington, AM
! that the president was 1.-THE Who'll
thing" in the transaction. When tn
Spanish commissioners became indig
nant at the proposition, they were toll
plainly that they must sell, and tina
they could not get a raise of anothe
dollar on the bid.
, 1t is strange that President McKir
, lev should have forgotten those circun
stances and Judge Days recent lette
, detailing them. when he told the peopl
, of Cedar Falls that the Philippin
, islands territory "came to us in III
providence of God" and without on
seeking il. But it was very early in tn
morning. and the president had nc
cleared his mind with his morning co
fee.-Cleveland Plain Dealer.
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