The times., 1899-09-12
The Right to Acquire TERRITORY

The EtSnr TO Acquire IerritoTy-
In the morning edition of The Times last
Saturday we commented on a part of
former Senator Henderson's essay on the
justice of the Tagai mutiny and the wick
edness of the American people in attempt
ing to suppress IL, and in proceeding to
establish law, order, and the sovereignty
of the United States throughout the Philip
pine archipelago. The false premises and
the mass of misinformation upon which the
learned author depends for the strength
and effect of his argument, would justify
more extended treatment than we can
afford the space to give them editorially
Having previously disposed of his conten-
tiop that Aguinaldo is a pure patriot of
the Washington type, fighting holy war
for human liberty, We will merely, and as
briefly as possibly, consider his argument
against the national right to take and hold
remote possessions without the consent of
the governed. and without the express or
implied intention to erect the territory
acquired into State or States of the
Union.
Mr. Henderson is appalled, that war
should have been waged upon the Filipinos.
Congress" he says, lis alone authorized
TO declare war under our Constitution.
Congress did declare one war. but that was
against Spain. That war has long since
been closed by Treaty OF Peace A war
declared by nobody. but far greater in it's
proportions than the Spanish war, still goes
on in its relentless career Of blood and
ruin." An this may be good in rhetoric,
but ii is wasted breath In logic The
Treaty of Peace. which closed the Spanish
war. conveyed lhe Philippine Islands TO
US. The cesEion was duly accepted by Con-
gress- Later there occurred an insurree-
tion. starting with a henGish attempt TO
massacre American men. women, and chill
dren in Manila and the Executive, honor
ably and legally bound 70 do 50. proceeded
TO suppress It. That, we think, disposes
OF the wicked war argument
Mr.. Henderson asks: For what purpose
then are we conquering the Philippine
people? And how are they to be governed
| when passed under the yoke Of subjuga-
tion2" The answers 10 both questions are
not perhaps as difficult as the propounder
may imagine We are not conquering the
philippine people" They are already
! American colonists. a small fraction Ct
them confined to members Of a single
| tribe. are in revolt. and are being whipped
into order. Anti-expansio affect 10 be-
iieye in some strange. unique right. pos
sessed by these Malay recaleitrants. TO re-
slst the establishment of a sovereignB
which passed 10 this country by conquest
followed by cession. On the contrary, The
condition of the Filipinos is exactly the
condition of the inhabitants of Louisiana
Florida. California, and New Mexico, after
those Territories were ceded TO the United
States. Would the citizens and the courts
of the Union have justified a rebellion oi
French and Spanish Louisianians against
cur authority, or of the Mexican Caiiforn-
iaas. after we acquired possession of thoss
Territories? Certainly not
The former Senator's second question
How are they tthe Philippine people, t,
be governed. when passed under the yok,
Of subjugation?T involves the principa