The record-union., 1899-10-12
JUDGE DAY ON THE PHILIPPINES.
JUSTIFIES ACTION OF AMERI-
CAN COMMISSIONERS
In rendering Spain Twenty Million
Dollars for the. Cession of
the Islands.

COLUMBUS (O.), Oct 1.-THE first
public utterance of JuF re William r
Day, who was President of the Amer
lean Peace Commission, concerning the
ueliDerations Of the Commissioners al
Paris is contained in a letter written
to former CongressmanND. K. Watson
or this city, and read by him at a
Republican meeting in this city to-
night
Judge Day sets forth the reasons
which, in his mind, justified the pay
ment of S2O,O0O,00O for the Philippines
declaring that it was never contendel
by the American Commissioners that
the United States had a right to the
Pnlllppines as a matter of conquest.
In this letter, after reviewing at
length the long negotiations between
the Spanish and American Commits
sioners, reciting the several PROPOSE
tions submitted to the Spaniards for
the cession of the Philippines, and the
final offer, for the sake of securing an
immediate peace, TO pay an indemnity
of S2O,O0O,0O0, Judge Day says:
ON the 18th of November the Span
fsh Commissioners accepted the terms
offered by the representatives of the
United States. You will observe that
in making this proposal it is distinctly
said that it embodies the concessions
Which for the sake of immediate peace
the American Government was willing
to make. There We're doubtless other
reasons actuating the Commissioners
/ in making this proposal though |
think fhn chief ic Ia
statement above written.
1T was not claimed that the United
States had right to the Philippines
as a matter of conquest. The United
States has never undertaken, so far as
/ know, to wrest from foreign coun-
try lands or possessions simply by
right of conquest 1t must be remem-
bered that we were in possession only
of the city, bay and harbor of Manila,
under the protocol of August l., 1898,
providing that the United States should
occupy and hold the same pending the
conclusion of treaty of peace which
should determine the control, DISPOSE
tion and government of the Philip
pines. The capture after the signing
of the protocol by General Merritt and
Ills 1OIC6S, Whatever It's leSdt GIIoCC
may have been, included no more ter.
ritory than we were entitled to hold
under the protocol.
In addition to the hope of accom-
plishing immediate peace, which, need
hardly say, was of great Importance
at that time, there was strong de-
sire to treat Spain with degree of
magnanimity consistent with our ma
tional honor and prestige, following
our national precedent in the treat
ment Of Mexico for the cession of ter
ritory to- US at the close of the Mexican
War. BY the cession, for 4 considera-
ton, we obtained an indisputable title
which must be respected by all otner
nations.
1T must be remembered, TOO, that
the American Commissioners had con-
stantly 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 SUBJ
stantiate any claim upon that ground
In my judgment, the concession re-
ferred to was effectual in bringing
about an acceptance Of our proposals,
which resulted in the making of the
treaty