The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-03-03
A Commission MtnlSr who Holds
Radical Views.
ON the WAY TO MANILA
IL Well Aoouaints q With the Orient
His Minlst, riai Caresr-An
Avowed Expansionist

Philippines, is a passenger by the Am
erica Maru for Hongkong. whence he
will sail to Manila.
Col. DENLY is in the peculiar posi-
ton of a Democrat in high favor with
the Administration. Born in Virginia.
educated at Georgetown and at the
Virginia Military Academy at Lexing-
ton. he fought for the Union and was
tw.ce wounded In battle. President
1 veland appointed him Minister to
China in 1885, and through a most
successful maneuyer he was retained
by President Harrison, and lasted
through President Cleveland's second
administration, retiring from the ORR
ent only in 1898. He was successful
and popular theresa much so that
when Harrison was elected and there
seemed some danger of his losing his
political head the President was simply
deluged with letters from prominent
men in China and elsewhere petition
ing for Denby's retention.
CoIOnel DENLY holds decided views.
and yet has all the GOODNESS and de-
liberation Of the accomplished diplo-
mat He Is not in accord with the De-
mocratic party on many great ques-
lions OF principle and policy, though
at one time he was prominently talked
of for the ,ice-Presidency on the De-
mocratic ticket. Before his appoint
ment on the Philippines Commission
Colonel DENLY had expressed his views
on the question of the Philippines
These views were published in num-
known at the time Of his appointment.
He does not mind telling what his
views ON the Philippines question were
before his appointment, and he goes
so far last as to say that the recent
war news from the islands had not
changed his opinion. Colonel DENLY
said that me considered the annexation
Of the Hawaiian islands IAN act of
great wisdom"
He said: 81 wish 1t distinctly under
stood mat the views / hold concerning
. the Philippines are those held before
my appointment, and which ] pressed
publicly at that time. l have nothing
to say as to my opinions at the present
time. / have always thought that we
should hold the Philippines, whether
as colony, dependency or territory am
not willing to say--that Is a question
to be determined later. The trouble
with US in America is that we lack
basl1bone We hold the Philippines ex-
actly as we hold Porto Rico. suppose
the title cannot be held to have passed.
until the treaty Is ratified by Spain,
bi. we certainly have a strong moral
claim to the islands. Our title is the
strongest that country can possibly
have-a title by conquest.
THE present difficulties in the Phil
ippines have not changed my mind in
this regard. T.ese men are simply
rebels, who do not represent the SEN
timent Of the country. When Formosa
was transferred from China to Japan,
the ENJOYS Of China who were to hand
the island over to Japan did not dare
land, SO strong was the feeling OF the
country against them. They sailed in
sight of the island and there read a
paper which formally transferred the
island to Japan. There was a rebelnon.
but 1t amounted to notu.ng. Japan
quickly suUdued 1t, and the island has
been Quie ever since. 1t will be the
same in the Philippines. OF course, the
President is sorry and We are all sorry
that there had to be bloodshed, but
our soldiers could not help firing back
when they were fred upon. 1t does
not matter whether these people want
to 10 governed by us or not. We set
tied l.lat question in 81, '62, '63 and ga,
when We fought to govern people
who did not want to be governed by
us. After We had conquered them we
reconstructed their governments for
them, and when we had finished we
turned the governments over to them.
The same thing will be done in the
Philippines These men who are fight
ing are nothing but rebels and must
be conquered. We are prevented by
our own past from giving them up"
Col. DENLY also has decided views on
the question OF the Orient and Chinese
traue on which his long experience in
China fits him to speak with author
ity. He Is In substantial agreement with
Lord Bresford on the points OF the
latter's policy. He advised the United
States to protest at the time when the
first partition OF China occurred and
ne mas stood for such a vigorous po-
Icy ever since. He believes that the
great powers chiefly interested in
Chinese trade should stand together