Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-11-28
TWELVE PAGES
TUESDAY. NOVEMBER IS. 1899.
WAR ON HUMAN LIBERTY.

u.
If we agree that the treaty with
Spain Is the cause of the in the Philip
pines and Of all the troubles and ques-
tions growing out Of 1t. the question
arises: who is responsible for that
treaty?" President Mckinley, undoubt.
eddy; for he appointed Judge Day and
the other American commissioners, and
under his instructions and by his au-
thorty the treaty was framed and
agreed to. That 1t was afterwards rat
flied by the Senate, makes no differ
ence as to the original and paramount
responsibility of Mckinley. And what
were our relations to Spain and the
Philippine archipelago, as an inhabited
country whose native people were at
war with Spain for freedom and indie
our active allies in our war with Spain,
what We're these curious relations
that constrained Mr.. Mckinley to ap-
propriate s2O,OO0,0OO Of the peoples
money, from the public Treasury, to
give Spain for a Fictitious sovereign
ty" she did not possess in the joint
occupancy OF the islands by the natives
and the United States forces, and
which neither she nor we could pos
sess and hold under American princi-
Piles, profession and policy?
Judge Day, the President OF the Joint
Commission of Peace, and the chief
personal and official representative of
Mckinley. tells us in a published let
ter he recently wrote to friend In
Ohio, that under the laws Of nations
the rights of the United States We're
limited by the joint protocol to Manila,
its port and bay, and that these ter
minated with the protocol and the
treaty Of peace, unless the treaty pro-
vidcd otherwise. Can anything be
palmer, then, than that any coInpli-
cations that exist for us with regard to
the Philippines are wholly and exclu-
sively of McKinley's own voluntary
making?
What. even after the Mckinley treaty
were our relations to the Philippines?
Admit that in the occupation of Ma
Mia and the dispossession of Spain of
the Philippines with the aid OF their
native people, and that with the treaty
and the payment of the 100000 600, we
had some rightful authority over tn.
islands as territory-dd it follow that
bought the people and must make n
cruel war upon them to compel un-
qualified and unconditional submission?
IF we had any rights there they GER
tainly had some which we were and
are bound to concede and recognize;
and though the Washington Post. refer
ring to the first agitation against
Eastern expansion, says:
while that was going on, the Dem
ocratic leader was amusing the un-
dergraduates OF colleges with talk of
an incomprehensible and impossible
scheme which he styled Independence
under a protectorate"- q palpable ab-
surdity, for the plain reason that inde-
pendence is Incompatible with depend
ence-the dependence involved In sub
mission to or reliance upon O protecto-
rate"
Yet that 'palpabIe absurdity" is the
only valid excuse and defence urged by
Mckinley for his present course In the
East, or that any OF his rational
friends. who are still American in con-
Sviction and sentiment, can offer in his
behalf. That "pnlpable absurdty" is
proclaimed and maintained In the Mon
roe doctrine 81 to oil other American
4 REPUBLICS and ~ sis most .''palpable
n psprai snd i pperils bubble 70