The Saint Paul globe., 1899-02-10
The Responsibility Located.

The Responsibility Located.
AS a matter of fact, the peace treaty
has thus far only been ratified by
one of the sgnatory powers. 1t is
to be presumed that the Spanish
cortes will be promptly assembled to
consider and pass upon the instrument.
and it is not unreasonable, further
more, to believe that ratification will
shortly thereafter ensue, and the eX-
change be duly authenticated, followed
| by the appointment of an ambassador
by each government for representa-
tion at the capital of the other.
Meanwhile it has pleased the admin
istration at Washington to withhold
from the people all official suggestions
respecting its purposes as to the fu-
ture treatment of the Filipinos 1t
was small favor which the minority
asked, namely, that the purposes of
the administration might be outlined
as to the simple point involving an
neXation
The editor and proprietor of the New
York Tribune, the Hon. Whitelaw Reid,
was one of the Paris commissioners
| who drew UP the treaty, the language
of which was so evasive, in certain re-
Spects, as to compel a misunderstand-
ing in the senate as to it's real mean
ing, thus entailing a delay in the con-
sideration of the paper which culminat-
ed in the bloody battle at Manila last
Saturday and Sunday, and the conse-
quent unnecessary loss Of many hun
dreds if not thousands of lives.
| The New York Tribune, in it's issue
of Tuesday morning and in its leading
editorial article, entitled 'The Treaty
and It's Purport," says, among other
things, the following:
| The treaty establishes no policy concern
| ing the Philippines. 1t simply takes them
from Spain. All further disposition of them
vides. 1t would have been manifestly i'm
proper for the commissioners, or for the SEN
ate, to put into the treaty any stipulations
concerning our future dealings with the
Philippines. Those are matters with which
Spain has nothing to do, and this treaty is
a compact with Spain. not chapter of United
States laws. 1t determines the relations Of
this country to Spain, not its policy toward
its own property. The makers of the treaty
had diplomatic, not legislative functions to
perform. They made terms according to
which a foreign power was to cede certain
territory to us. They did not attempt to make
rules for the government of that territory, a
task which the constitution expressly re-
serves to congress.
Until congress takes appropriate action. the
administration of the islands Will remain
| with the president, to be conducted through
| the army and navy.
The above is significant, because Of
the official relations of the editor Of
| the Tribune to the peace commission.
| And now let US inquire in what de-
gree the president of the United States
would have committed a diplomatic
error by stating the matter to the
! r. i,, ct
The senate Is a coordinate branch of
the government, representing In it's
members the several states of the
| Union. The approval Of the treaty by
that body was necessary to the end
that the war might be brought to am
actual end. To enable them to act in
! telligently the information set forth
above was all that was required. Might
he not with greater propriety and GER
tainly with greater courtesy have sup
piled this information by means of
message to the senate fOrty-five days
ago, than to ignore the urgent appeals
by the minority for light ON this vexed
| point, rather than to superciliously ig-
more their requests and only permit
the information to be put forth through
the mouthpiece of a newspaper organ
| the day following the ratification of
| the treaty on the part of the United
States.
Do you see the significance of all
this, Mr. Mckinley; and can you not
recognize the degree of responsibility
resting. upon you for the slaughter
of the Americans and Filipinos at
Manila last. Saturday. and Sunday?
And is it not time for you to curb the
violence of that portion of the press of
| the country now endeavoring to locate
the blame for it all upon Senators Hoar
and German and H0e and others who
sought only enlightenment from you,
and place it promptly where it belongs,
namely, upon your own head?
Possibly Mr.. Reid may not have been
your chosen mouthpiece in this in
stance; but what he knew you, your
self, undoubtedly knew on the return
of the commissioners from Paris 1t is
true also that he may, in his individual
egotism, have given the whole secret
away as a leading card for his news
paper, just as he was suspected of hav-
ing done in another case when he
was your ambaSSadoriaI representative
in London at the queens jubilee in
1897. But in any event he has located
the responsibility for the recent event
at Manila in the proper place, mas
much as the Tribune evidently spoke
with the authority of its chief in this
instance, and reveals a fact which, had
it been properly laid before the senate
and the country at the proper time.
would have averted the recent act of
bloodshed.
And now, If the president shall act
consistently with this declaration, the
subject will become one of popular in
terest and profitable study. The New
York World in commenting on the
situation says:
The people have the final decision of this
momentous question, and the Democratic
party will have no occasion to regret, but
every reason to approve, the stand taken by
their representatives in the senate in behalf
of American principles and in defense of
American institutions.
ahOrr,;r Ege