Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-08

racing and polo. Russia has been refused
as well as other count REESE and the Chinese
foreign Office said they could not make any
exception in favor of the Unietd States
No suggestion is made that the ponies are
contraband of war, and Gen Otis must
have been misinfcrsned when he sent his
dispatch to the War Department
Navy Has No Difficulty.
In connection with the report that China
had refused to permit the shipment to
Manila of horses designed for the use of
cur army in the Philippines, having de-
cared them to be contraband of war, Act
ing Secretary of the Navy Allen was today
asked whether the navy had experienced
any dlfncuity in purchasing or obtaining
supplies of any sort at Chinese ports
Secretary Allen said that no report of
any refusal had been received by the Navy
Department but that as a matter of fact,
So lar as he knew, naval supplies had
been purchased in China. The supplies were
either sent to the navy from here on naval
ships or transports, or, in the case of
some meats, obtained from Australia.
FiIipinos' Status.
The attitude toward the Fflipinos credited
to China on the assumption that she had
refused to sell horses to the United States
on the ground that they were contraband
of war is attributed in some quarters to
the Interpretation put by the State Depart
Inent at Washington upon the terms of our
acquisition of the Philippine Islands from
Spain.
If the sovereignty of the United States
over the hilippine Islands and people were
held by this government to be completely
established, as the American public believe
II to be, a refusal on the part of China to
sell horses to the United States on the
ground that they were contrabaud of war
would be tantamount to the recognition of
he belligerency of the Filipinos China,
however, understands as certain other for
elsn governments do, that the Official status
of Ffiipinos, as recognized by the State
Department, is not exactly as the Ameri-
can public generally regard it.
Inc american sovereignty over the Phil
lppineS, according to the Interpretation of
nc SPANISH peace treaty by the State De-
parihicnt, Is not yet complete, and will not
be until after Congress has acted directly
on that question. By the terms of the
treaty Spain 'ceded or relinquished'' TO
the United States her sovereignty over the
1 hilpplne5, but this government, accord
ing to official interpretation did not by
Inc mere ratification of the treaty, in the
absence OF 1urther action of Congress. take
complete possession of this sovereignty.
AflcIe Lh Of the treaty, which makes
cesSlon Of the Philippine group of islands
provides. with reference to the assumption
OF TINS sovereignty by the United States
lnat the civil rights and political status
OF the naive inhabitants of the territories
hereby ceded to the United States shall be
determined 10y Congress-
Interpretation of the Treaty.
This is Interpreted to mean that the
United States does not assume compete
sovereignty until Congress has by legis-
| laton taken the Philippines into the domin-
ion of the United States, and that should
Congress take other action than this The
sovereignty of the United States would
| never be completely established over the
Islands.
Under the rules of International law and
| The decisions of the highest courts trans
| Ter OF sovereignty carries with 1t The allie
glance and citizenship of all natiVe-born
| inhabitants of The territory. But this gov
! ernment does not hold that the Filiplnus
| nave become citizens Of the United States
| and subject to its protection, for The ree-
| son that the sovereignty is interpreted "a
| De incomplete. In circular letter to the
| United STATES consuis the department in-
| Structed that natives Of Porto Rico and
| Cuba travelling abroad be registered and
| thai such recognition be given 10 them, ''un-
| ufiIc.aiIy,' as TO American citizens. This
| was done, though their status also was
| still underlined; but even the same sort of
| of the Philippines, the future determine ton
| of their status beng held to be more in
| doubt
4 Precautionary Action.
1t is known to China that this govern
| ment does not officially claim a complete
| ly established sovereignty over the Philip
| pines, the right to protect Filipino ma
| tiYes, while abroad, as citizens of the
| United States, and it is inferred that she
| may be induced by this knowledge to as
| sumo neutral attitude and not 10 concede
| a greater degree Of authority TO this gov
| ernment than is officially Claimed