The Irish standard., 1899-01-28
H0AR ON THE PHILIPPINES.
He Predicts a Far-East Republic for
the Natiycn.

signed on.7 the. 10th of December last
have felt So sanguine that the conven-
| ton will be either defeated altogether or
amended SO as to meet the contention of
those who are opposed to the admins
tration's idea of expansion and impcr-
ialism."
! This was the statement made on Jan.
| 81 by Senator Hoar.
! why do l think so?" asked the
| senator Simply because see that the
| arguments made by those who favor this
! new idea of expansion have not gained
for them any ground during all The
weeks they have been advancing them.
AS the case stands today the treaty is
defeated. Those Democrats who be-
lieved short time ago that it would
do as we'll to ratify the treaty, and then
pass resolution declaring the purpose
of the government, now see that that
idea will not do at all. The subject
| must be- dealt with all together.
"A'One of the most influential ,Repub-
| ted to me that if a certain Democratic
! senator of great influence among. his
Democratic colleagues declared against
ratification the treaty would be de-
feated. The eXpansionists are Just now
very anxious, to find out how that sena-
tor stands. He is absent but we feel
! that he is too great constitutional
lawyer to hesitate long as to which
| side of the question should receive his
support.
Il firmly believe this treaty will be
modified, and that in modified form
only can 1t receive the sanction of two
thirds Of the senate. There are today
enough senators on the other side to
force this amendment, and when the
expansionists see that the treaty must
be either amended or rejected alto
gether, they will, as matter of policy
agree to its modification"
But in what way can this modiica-
ltion be brought about?" Mr.. Hoar was
| asked.
1T is not necessary to go into detail
on that score" replied Mr.. Hoar, but
there are several ways in which the
treaty can be amended, without, as a
necessary result, causing reopening of
the state Of war or a violation of the
terms Of the protocol under which we
afe constructively, at least, now at
| peace.
| 90 not believe any Of the so-called
ahtl-expansionists are in favor of turn
ing the Philippines back to Spain, Ger
talnly am not. So far, therefore, as
| SPAN IS concerned, her status would
not be changed in the least. One wav
10 avoid the dangers that threaten us
| would be to amend the third article of
the treaty so as to make it conform to
the first article.
In the third article of the treaty
Spain cedes the Philippine archipelago
| TO the United States. In the first arti-
Gle Spain 'relinquishes all claim of sover-
eighty over and title to Cuba BY wav
OF explanation, and in conformity to our
solemnly expressed declaration. We in
ciuded in that article the statement.
And as the island is. upon it's eyacua
ton by Spain, to be occupied by the
United States. the United States will, so
long as such occupation shall last.
assume and discharge the obligations
that may, under international law, result
/ from the fact Of it's occupation for the
protection of life and property.
| 1T would be very easy, therefore,
Tor us to amend the treaty so as to
make Spain 'relinquish' all her title to
the philippines, instead of 'ceding' the
islands to us. as she does under the
treaty. In other words. wish to see
the Philippines in identically the same
position as Cuba. We must not give
them back to Spain, but we must see
that good and stable government is
set up there by the Filipinos. 1 believe
that under. the guidance of this country
those people would be able to establish
themselves among the nations Of the
| earth 7.-e7>
| Naturally, as result of our good Of
| fces in this direction the Filipinos would
be grateful, and we could gain all the
good that would come of commercial re-
| lations, and avoid all the dangers that
follow in the wake of colonial possess
sions, not to say anything about the
enormous cost to the American people
this new scheme of colonial empire
! would entail upon u.s.
But" Senator Hoar was asked,
would not other nations interfere and
prevent the development of republican
form of government in that part of the
globe?"
Not in the least. If the United
States is sufficiently generous and pow
erful to establish such government for
| the Philippines, it will be powerful
enough to maintain it. l do not mean
by force. We wrested the islands from
Spain, and We should deal with them in
the spirit of a people who know what
liberty is, and who have prospered under
republican form of government. By
establishing such government In the
Philippine islands the United States
will, in effect, notify the world that it
must keep its hands off, and those hands