Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1899-11-08
STRANGE LAPSE OF MEMORY.
President McKinley's talk About
Acquiring Territory Through
Providence.

President Mckinley should have
been little more careful in his rear
platform speeches on his car tour
through the country. He made a
serious break in his talk at Cedar
Falls, la,
After saying that since he was last
in Iowa we have added some terri
tory, meaning the Philippines he con.
tinued:
Il believe, my fellow citizens, that
this territory came to us in the provi-
dence Of God. We did not seek it.
1t Ia ours with all the responsibilities
that belong to it.; and as a great,
strong, brave nation we mean to meet
them and we mean to carry out our
educate and and orr civilization
there"
1t beng very early in the morning,
possibly the President was not quite
awake, or surely he would have re-
membered the letter written the other
day by Judge Day, in the interest Of
his friend, the President, for effect
on the Ohio election.
Judge Day made no pretepse that
the Philippine territory came tc us
but distinctly declared that we did
seek it. Our forces had not captured
it, and at no time held more than the
bay Of Manila and small part of the
land adjoining. While the peace ne
gotiatlons were in progress at Paris.
with Judge Day as chief agent for
the President. no hint was given
for some time that we wanted the
Philippines, or more than small bit
OF territory if we wanted any. The
proposition when at last made took
the Spaniards by surprise and Ghey
protested vigorously.
Then Judge Day made an offer of
$4,000 600 for the entire group and,
still protesting vigorously against
being forced to sell, the Spanish COM
missioners finally consented to the
deal. Hero is the judges own lam
guage in his campaign letter.
"Our proposal at Paris embodied
the concessions which for the sake of
immediate peace the American gov
ment was willing to make. There
was doubtless other reasons acuating
the commissioners in making the pro.
posals.
at was not claimed that the United
States had right to the Philippines
as matter of conquest. The United
States has never undertaken 30 far as
L 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 remember
ed that we were in possession of the
the city, bay and harbor of Manila
under the protocol Of August IL, 1898
The capture after the signing Of the
protocol, whatever it's legal effect
may have been included no more
territory than we were entitled to
hold under the protocol"
The offer was made partly for the
sake OF immediate peace, but "there
were doubtless other reasons actual.
ing the commissioners In making pro.
posals." Very likely, Judge Day, as
one Of the commissioners and recog-
nized as the immediate confidential
agent OF the President, knows all
about those other reasons, though he
may not deem it advisable to tell
them.
But here is the fact clearly stated
in his letter. The territory did not
come to us IN the providence Of God
without seeking it. On the contrary
it was not IN our keeping, we had not
won it, it was still the property of
Spain to hold, or sell or give away.
President Mckinley desired it and
his commissioners made bid for it.
1t will be remembered that at the
time it was distinctly declared that
every step taken by the commission.