Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1899-11-02
whe. llrAs M.ys ws In .he PnlIlpplns. !

obt propounded 10 MS by tho school OF
opinion which favors hauling down
the American flag in Luzon and caus-
Ing our armies TO retreat from the
islands OF tho Philippines IL iA ~.
aumed by some people that wo are In
these Islands without any authority
OF law; that VIC have neither legal nor
moral right to DO there and that the
continued presence OF our troops Is u
crime In tho eyes OF civilized human.
lty. There Is no moro sacred title to
territory than that acquired by right
Of discovery. Civilized nations since
tho beginning OF recorded history
have recognized this right, Spain
had this right to tho Philip
pines, and held II for three
hundred years. Her sovereignty
was never questioned, Badly AZ abe
governed this archipelago, no rebel
lion ever started by the inhabitants
OF any OF these islands ever received
outside recognition from any human
government, Tho islands were SPANS,
absolute and unquestloned, and abe
governed them with the tyranny
characteristic Of her treatment OF all
her colonies. When tho Spanish.
American war opened, tho United
States had I'm Aslatic feet at Hong
Kong. IL was known that Spain had
u feet In the waters adjacent to
Manila. Tho day that Congress de.
clare d war tho President ordered
Dewey, the commander Of tho Aslatic
fleet, TO find tho Spanish feet and
either capture or destroy II. lie
found the feet In the bay OF Manila,
and followed out the orders OF the
President TO the very letter. No
American at that hour, no matter
what might have been his politics,
would have dared to suggest that
Admiral Dewey sail away from Manila
bay, In which no had just won no
signal victory II was the opening
incident OF the war with SPAIN, and
from the moment II was won tho Phil
ippines became ono OF tho Spanish
possessions which must be taken into
account In our final treaty with that
! country. IL became immediately
possible that the Philippines would be
required of Spain us part OF the In.
dennity due us as victorious nation,
In making treaty with u country
over whom we had won victory No
ono at that time questioned the right
OF Spain TO dispose OF these islands to
the United States. Even w. j. Bryan,
who Is now questioning tho right OF
the American army to- remain in Lib.
zon, went to Washington in person
and used his influence with the Demo
cratic senators to got them to vote for
tho ratification of tho Paris treaty,
which gave the United States tho en-
tire Philippine archipelago and justl-
hed the payment OF $4,000, 900 to
Spain.
Tho Spanish. American pcAcs COM
mission, which mot at Paris was le-
gal body. IL met under the eyes OF
the civilized world and transferred
after duo discussion, the islands OF
the Philippines TO tho United States,
and the United States Immediately be-
came responsible for tho restoration
OF law and order In those islands The
manner In which the peace commits
sion proceeded and its reasons for
what IL did are best given by Judge
Day, president Of the American Peace
Commissioners, In the following Ian
guage:
Dear Slr:-In reply to your recent
inquiry as TO my understanding Of the
reasons which induced the agreement
on the part OF the American commits
sioners in negotiating the treaty al
Paris to incorporate in the treaty an
article which should require the pay.
ment by the United States to Spair
for the cesslon Of the Philippines tho
sum OF SEQ, 900, 900, beg to say think
the subject is made quito plain by a
reference to the printed protocol Of
the joint commission, which you will
find in Senate document No OF, Fifty.
fifth Congress, third session, being
the printed volume published last
winter after the treaty was submit
ted 10 tho Senate of the United States
You will discover that this subject
was first brought by the American
commissioners to the attention OF Tho
Spanish commissioners in u PROPOSE
for an article in the treaty in which
Spain should cede to tho United State;
the archipelago, known rs the Philip
pine islands, which proposal conclud
cd with tho statement;
1.-The American commissioners bel
further TO state that they are pre-
pared to insert in tho treaty stipu
lation for the assumption by tn,
United States Of any existing indebt
cdness OF Spain incurred for publ
works and improvements Of a pacif
character in the Philippines (Senat
document 81, 49,
1T Is unnecessary TO review tn
long discussion which ensuel, or t,
re.stato the grounds upon which tn
Spanish commissioners rejected thi
proposal AID Hacined to code the iSl
ands to the United States You vii
find the discussion fully developed il
1.-the record If you see 1t to read II
On the 2lst OF November following
the American commits ;loners, In
Joint session OF the commission, pre-
sented a proposition which tho Amer
lean commissioners regarded as final
in connection with which 1t was said
"'The proposal presented by tn,
American commissioners In behalf o
their government for the cession o
the Philippines TO the United State
having boon rejected by the Spanish
commissioners, and the counter. pro
posal OF the latter for the Withdrawal
OF the American forces from the isl
ands and the payment Of an indemnity
by the United States to Spain having
been rejected by the American com