The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-10-26
The Philippines Again.

the discussion of the Philippine ques-
ton should wax as the time OF
another general election approaches.
1t is well adapted to appeal to the pub
Tic sentiment, and since the Demo
cratic party is hard pressed for an issue
it is not at all unnatural that the pres
ent administration policy in the Phil
ippines should be assaulted by the dis
contented. But it must be realized by
all friends of the administration and
all fair minded people that in the dis
cussion of a question having it's origin
in conditions such as gave birth to the
Philippine question, in order to do jus
tice to ali concerned and arrive at
right conclusion the facts and events
that figured in the creation of the
question must be clearly kept in mind.
The farther we get from those events
the more difficult it becomes to look
the matter squarely in the face and
the more easy it becomes for the enc
mics of the administration to give to
the public a distorted view. When
men of Carl Schurz' reputation for
brains unload themselves of their
opinions on a subject of this kind and
allow their fancies and prejudices to
color not only their arguments, but
their facts, it is to be expected that
some who have forgotten the trend of
10 1zr1oIxy E1a111 will
fall in with them without giving the
matter a second thought. Because of
this fact men of Schurz' uncompron1is-
ing nature are often, unconsciously
perhaps, inimica1 to the public good.
They so vigorously combat what has
existence only in their excited irnagin-
atoms that in time their bug-a-boos
become realities to those who sit under
their teaching. Therefore, before ca
pitu1ating to the e1oqueuce of Mr..
Schurz, it would be well to make a re-
sumo of the events 1eading1 up to- the
present trouble. In the logic of his
tory is the best discussion of the Phil
ippine question.
When Admiral Dewey went to the
Philippines we were at war with
Spain. It was the purpose of this gov
eminent to fight Spain wherever she
could be found, on land or sea, in her
island possessions or even on her ma
tive peninsula. On May 1 Spain's
fleet at Manila was destroyed in the
most brilliant naval engagement in
history. But that did not end the war.
Spain was in control of Manila and
virtually of the whole Archipelago.
The next point of attack was naturally
the city of Manila itself. AS a result
Of this attack the Americans were soon
in control of that city. Simultaneous
~ with the capitu1ation of the city
came the signing of the peace pro-
toco1 and the announcement of an ar
mistice The two governments ap-
pointed a peace commission that went
into conference at Paris. Until the
treaty of peace was signed by the COM
mission and ratified by the respective
governments, there still existed, in a
technical and legal sense, a war be-
tween Spain and the United States.
There was still the possibility, however
remote, of the renewal of hosti1ities,
and it was the duty of the United
States to retain all the advantage it
had previously won in the struggle.
In the interim, therefore, this govern
ment was bound to maintain itself in
the city of Manila. Many interests of
many countries beside our own de-
u1anded it. Finally, on Dec. 10, the
peace treaty was signed. 1t still re-
manned to ratify. While the Senate
was still debating and the country
was still at war with Spain, the
Philippine insurgents, under their
leader, Aguina1do, treacherous1y at
tackled the Americans intrenched
about the city of Manila. Several
days before our war with Spain was
officially ended we had another on our
hands. On Feb. 10 thespeace treaty
was ratified by the Senate and signed
by the President. Thus it appears
that ali the United States affairs in the
Philippines up to and succeeding the
attack on Manila were conducted &C
cording TO the stern logic of necessity.
AS was said at the time it was a condi-
ton and not theory that confronted
us. Attacked in the midst of condi-
tions imposed by the memorable de-
n1ands of war, and subject to mitiga-
ton only on the plan laid out by this
government, by people in whose behalf
we were contending there was plainly
nothing left but to subdue the in
gurrectionists and re-estab1ish our
selves as soon as possible in the posi-
ton from which the rashness of
Aguina1do had forced us. That is what