Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-11-09
Daily Eennebec 3opr1aI.
SENATOR HOAR
Makes Public His Views on Our Duty to the
Philippines"

New York. Nov. S.-Senator George
F. Hoar of Massachusetts,, has commu-
nicated an article on Our Duty to the
Philippines" to the Independent, which
will appear. tomorrow. He begins with
a review of the circumstances leading
up to the war with Spain, of which he
says:
Il think it might have been averted
and that Cuba could have been liber-
ated by peaceful means if the counsel of
Grant and Fish had been followed, and
if our public men in the Senate had re-
membered that they were part OF the
diplomatic power of this country and
it was unbecoming in them to indulge
in bitter and singing invectiVes
against Spain. whether such invecti"as
were just or unjust. But | don't feel
inclined to judge these utterances Sc
verely. Something. as Burke said, must
be pardoned to the spirit of liberty. and
those utterances. though in my judg
ment unfortunate, came from brave.
humane and liberty-loving souls
Continuing, the senator says that
down to Jan l. 1899, the American peo-
pie and the Republican party were
committed to the doctrine that just
government rests upon the consent of
the governed and that every people has
the right to dissolve at will the political
connection that binds it to another
people.
In dealing with CuDa." says the
writer. I'VE acted upon these principles,
but the treaty of peace disclosed diff
ferent purpose as to the Philippines,
,,,ln hi, l.. I,
nearer independence when the treaty
Of peace was signed than ever had been
the people of Cuba. Their leader had
been brought over to the islands in a
United States ship by the United States
authorities and was in arms at the
head of his forces. with our full con-
currence and cooperation. If the
statement attributed to a high official
in one of our departments. who is
sometimes called upon to sit in the
cabinet with the President. was actu-
ally made, their leader had been offer
ed by Pres. Mckinley the high office OF
colonel in the regular army of tbs
United States. an offer which itself is
sufficient refutatiOn of all the charges
against him. They had framed a pro-
Eisional constitution, model of its
kind, establishing dictatorship like
those establishment by Bolivar III
South America, to give place to re-
public as soon as the military cOndi-
ton should make it possible. Looking
back. can any sane man doubt the
wisdom of those who desired to amend
the treaty and to deal with the Philip.
pines as we did with Cuba, to compe
Spain to renounce her sovereignty: tt
keep off all foreign nations and to aiC
the islanders in establishing their OWL
government according to their OWL
desire?"
The senator refers to the epithe
traitor" and other harsh words ap
piled to those who voted against th'
peace treaty and asks: when tn
President said that forcible anneXa
ton, according to our American cod
of morals. would be criminal aggres
sion, was he a copperhead? Was h.
disloyal to the flag? Was not he re
publican? Was there even an utter
ance so calculated to give courage t
Aguinaldo and his people as that?"
AS to our future attitude toward TIL
Filipino people, Senator Hoar write
1.-The time has come to make up you
mind now. If YOU are to declare that yo
do not mean to subjugate them or to er
slave them. that YOU will act towar
them on the principles and in the Spir
of your own Declaration of independents
the war can be ended in an hour. TT
refusal TO make this declaration in tt
beginning of this war and your refus:
How to declare yourselves is alone respol
sibe for its continuance.
Now we have got to settle the que
ton which the President has repeated