The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1899-11-03

vision for the mutual REIMBURSEMENT
may have arisen since the beginning
of the late instruction In Cuba and
prior to the conclusion OF the treaty
OF peace.
''On the 2sth OF November the
Spanish commissioners accepted the
terms offered by the representatives.
of the United States. You will OBJ
serve that, in making this proposal, 1t
Is distinctly said that it embodies the
concessions which, for the sake Of
immediate peace, the American gov
eminent was willing to make. There
were doubtless other reasons actual
ing the commissioners in making this
proposal, though think the chief one
Is embodied in the statement above
written
1T was not claimed that the United
States had right TO the Philippines
as a matter of conquest. The United
States has never undertaken, so far as
/ know, to wrest from foreign coun-
try lands or possessions simply by
right OF conquest Had we been dis
posed to do so, it must be remem-
bored that we were in possession only
of the city, bay and harbor of Manila
under the protocol of August IL, s9s,
providing that the United States
should occupy AMI hold the same
pending the conclusion of treaty of
peace which should determine the
control, disposition and govern ment
of the Philippines.
1.-The capture, after the signing of
the protocol, by General Merritt and
his forces, whatever it's legal effect
may have been. included no more ter
ritory than we were entitled to hold
under the protocol.
In addition to the hope of accom-
plishing immediate peace, which, l
need hardly say, was of great import
ance at that time, there was a strong
desire to treat Spain with degree of
magnanimity consistent with our ma
tional honor and prestige, following
our national precedent in the treat
mcnt of Mexico for the cession Of ter
ritory 10 us at tho close of the Mex
lean war; by the cession, for con-
sideration, we obtained an indisputa-
BILE title, which must be respected by
all other nations 1t must be remem-
bered, too, that the American com
missoncrs had consistently refused
to assume any of the outstanding
de BITS or obligations which Spain had
undertaken to fasten upon the Phil
ippines. Notwithstanding our offer
TO pay for pacific improvements, Spain
had not und ertaken to substantiate
any claim upoa that ground.
"Of course, speak only for myself,
and write these views without OPP
portunity to consult with my fellow
commissioners
I'm my Judgment, the concession
referred to was effectual in bringing
about an acceptance of our proposals
which resulted in the making of the
treaty.
I'm this conclusion cordially agree
with the following remarks of Sena-
tor Gray, one of the commissioners,
made at the Ohio society dinner in
New York, February 25, 1899:
"'When, after four or five months
Of doubt and anxiety, it became APP
parent that these negotiations must
either be broken off and your
commissioners return without u
treaty at all, and that we would be
rclegated to the necessity Of taking
not only the Philippines, but Cuba
and Porto Rico, by the ruthless hand
of conquest, or by some concessions,
that oomported with the magnanimity
and greatness and character of this
country, gain them by the voluntary
ccssioH OF a treaty of peace. And,
therefore, we believe that it was bet
ter for this country, strong in the
hour OF it's victories, great in the hour
of its triumphs, that it should, to a
beaten and PROSTATE foe, exhibit that
magnanimity of which 1 spoke, and
take from them by voluntary cession
and by purchase, so to speak, those
distant islands, rather than expose
ourselves to thu eyes OF the world as
PLAYING O roll of barbaric conquest,
and by military power tread the path
of medieval rapine and warfare.
1.-The advanced position which the
United States has always maintained
in its international relations, its OPP
position to anything like harsh or
severe treatment of fallen foe, as
well as other cognent reasons, would
seem to justify the payment of the
$50, 10000 as an act dictated from
high sense of national honor as well
as sound policy, uuder the circum-
stances of the case. Yours very truly,
CIVILIAN r. DAY."
And thus the Philippine archipel-
ago which became SPANS 800 years
ago through the discovery of that
great Spaniard, Magellan, was trans.
ferred by solemn authority to the
United States. 1t is said now by some,
who evidently have little information
in relation to these islands, that the
of the islands should be
turned over to the natives, and that
the United States should retire from
this land which she secured from
Spain in manner indorsed by the
whole civilized world. Even if W.
were to grant this contenti of the
lnti-expansionists, the question would
Immediately arise as to which natives
we should turn the government of
these islands over TO. There are in the
Philippine islands to-day some thirty |
different races of people; divided into
over one,,hundred different tribes, and
only one of these trlbesis in rebellion |
against the authority of the United |
states With the exception of the |
natives of the island OF Luzon, which
is merely one OF the archipelago, the
n atives of the Philippine islands are