Washington sentinel., 1899-09-09


The Presidents Lapses or Memory
1t is impossible to reconcile GER
tain passages in President M cKin-
ley's recent speech to the Pennsyl-
vania soldiers at Pittsburg, with
that respect which is due to the
Chief Magistrate of the Republic,
except upon the charitable as
sumption that the President is sub
iect to sudden lapses of memory,
which cause him to forget not only
his own words spoken on previous
occasions, but even his most SOL
emn official acts. His P.ttsburg
speech was evidently carefully pre-
pared. Ii was intended not only
as a studied bid for the returning
soldiers vote, but as an elaborate
vindication OF the course Of the
Administration prior to and since
the outbreak OF the present war in
the Philippines. Among other
things, the President was particu-
larly anxious to make it appear
that the Filipinos and not our
troops were the aggressors-that
under exasperating conditions our
soldiers refrained from any act Of
hostility until alter the ratification
OF the treaty of Paris had perfected
our title to the territory which
formerly belonged to Spain. "he
President said:
They did not begin hostilities against
the insurgents pending the ratification
of the treaty Of peace in the Senate,
great as was their justification, because
their orders from Washington forbade
1t. take all the responsibility for that
direction. Otis only executed the orders
of his Government, Until the treaty
was ratified we had no authority heyond
Manila city, bay and harbor, We then
had no other title to defend, no authority
still in possession OF the remainder OF
the archipelago. Spain had sued Tor
peace. The truce and treaty were not
concluded.
The treaty OF peace was signed
at Paris by the commissioners Of
the two powers December 10, 1898.
1t was not ratified by the United
States Senate until February 8,
1899, nor by the Spanish Cortes
until March ro, 1899. Rati6cations
were exchanged at Washington
April II, 1899, and on the same
day President Mckinley issued his
proclamation announcing that fact.
In view OF the Presidents present
staten ment as to the status quo in
the Philippines pending the ratii-
cation of the treaty, it is we'll to
keep some OF these dates in mind.
On the zrst Of December, 1898,
Immediately alter the receipt in
Washington Of copy OF the treaty
as signed by the commissioners in
Paris-before it had even been
communicated to the Senate, with
out whose ratification it was OF no
more value than if it had been so
much waste paper-eight weeks
before it was ratified by the
Senate, President Mckinley ad.
dressed an official order to the Sec
retary OF War in which he used the
following language:
With the signature of the treaty of
peace between the United States and
Spain by their respective plenipotentiar.
les at Paris, on the 10th instant, and as
the result of the victories OF American
arms, the future control, disposition and
government OF the Philippine Islands
are ceded to the United States. In
iulillment OF the rights of sovereignty
thus acquired and the responsible obi
cations of government thus assumed,
the actual occupation anil administration
Of the entire group of the Philippine
Islands become immediately necessary,
and the military government heretofore
maintained by the United States IN the
city, harbor and pay of Manila Is to be
extended with all possible despatch to
the whole OF the ceded territory.
How is it possible for the Presi-
dent to reconcile with these ex-
press declarations on his part on
the 2Ist December. S98, his pres
ent no less explicit declarations at
Plttsburg, that until the treaty
was ratified which on our part was
not until February 9, and on the
part of Spain not until March Iol