The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-04

Seattle. June & ~
II tAe .Ddiear: IN his communication cf
juno your cosrspcndent. ]. ~ Carson.
after recifing the most csed1tahie fact that
The psepas = osr country. with unpafaF
leled unanimity. upheld the prestdens u
the prosecution Of the war against Spain.
propounds the following Inquiries, vtE.:
HISS not the yar a.zinet sspetp loeI
alnce ended? Has not Spain submiftedy
Has not paace been decaared between the
objects 1or which ~ went TO war With
Spain been accomplished and attained? Has
. not Spain reiinQuished all sovereignty over
world that Il vas not . war OF aggression.
not war for conquest OF territory"
To al Of which the an&wer must b. yes.
He then proceeds with statements ana
further inquiries, which sound very like
those Of Populist or fusion politician get
ting ready for . campaign. Does he not
know that by the terms Of the treaty with
Spain the United States acquired ~ good
title to the Philippine islands a. Il haa to
any Of its territories? In case Of an In
dian uprising In Arizona, would he con-
denim the authorities for putting forth an
effort 70 suppress II. even though Il cost
precious lives and great expenDe? Are
not our rights a. against the Indians Of
the Philippines a. great a against
those OF Arizona? Does he approve of and
sena laud the conduct OF Admiral Dewey
ON May I, 1855? II he does. his approval
must proceed upon the basis that Manila
bay 1t that time belonged to Spain. and
that her sovereignty was complete over
the iAlands. II her sovereignty was COM
plete then It follows that she had right
to cede them to the United States, which
she did do. giving as good title as II ID
possible Tor nation TO acquire to any ter
ritory. Having title. It becomes the duty
Of our government to protect the peace
able. law abiding inhabitants OF the ISL
ands. and In this respect 1t owes the same
duty to that class Of people In the Phil
ippines that Il owes to those In Arixona.
II Mr.. Carson does not approve OF the
conduct OF Admiral Dewey on May ]. 1888.
It must be on the ground that he had no
right to thus enter the harbor OF friend
ly and neutral nation and destroy the
Spanish fleet. II he admits the act to have
been right, he must at the same time adj
nit that the islands belonged to Spain on
that date. II he admits this. win he please
advise US when and where the Inhabitants
Of those islands acquired title to them!
What happened between May l. 1855. and
the date OF the ratification OF the treaty to
release the islands from the sovereignty
Of Spain? There had been no conquest on
our part II the sovereignty Of Spain con-
t1uUe0 until the Title was IIakMS4cIIeO "
the United States. can there be any CUES
ton as to our title? II we have the title.
are we under any more obligations to turn
1t over to the Philippine Indians than we
are to turn Arizona over to the Apaches!
The war was not prosecuted for the con-
quest Of territory. as y plainly apparent
by reason OF our attitude toward Cuba
The Philippines came to us by the terms
Of treaty. The writer Is one OF those who
indulge the hope that Cuba may eventu-
ally fall into our hands, not hy conquest.
but by peaceful and honorable meshoda
Our title to the Philippine islands has been
rightfully acquired. and we owe to the
lawless and hloodthirsty insurgents the
duty which civilization always owes TO
those who refuse to obey the law. VIZ.
that they be compelled to do 30. The pres.
ident has taken solemn oath to see that
the laws ara executed. It was not nee
essary for congress to act before President
Cleveland sent troops to Chicago. nor has
It ever been deemed necessary for any OF
his predecessors to await the action OF
CONGRESS before taking steps to make war
upon the Indians OF our territories. when
they deaed the laws and disturbed the
rood order Of the republic. The authority
Il an ample for the putting down OF b re-
volt in the Philippines as in any other por-
ton OF our territory, and criticism 81 tho
conduct OF the president in the matter
win prove the weakest possible campaign
m terSa1 u.