The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-13
ANOTHER IMPERlALIsT CRITIC.


to right the wrongs of the people whom she OPP.
pressed, and whose aspirations for independence and
government she had denied and defeated but for
the purpose OF conquest and that "forcibe
ton which President Mckinley denounces
criminal aggression.
We need not repeat that this policy expressly
dsavowed by Congress and the President in the
declaration of Nothing has occurred since to
make necessary the reputation of solemn pledge
against conquest
Our latest critic the island of Panay and Span
sh occupancy of Iloio to develop the imperialist
principle of conquest and the spoils of war,
cuse for practicng criminal aggression" where
had promised the Cubans, Porto Ricans and Fill
pinos and pledged the world, that we would appear
only as good Samaritan.
Now as to the facts about Luzon and Panay.
Luzon was entirely in the hands of organized
tive government except Manila sand a
around the bay, when Dewey went there. The ma
tves closely invested Manila and Spanish sovereignty
extended no farther from the waters edge and the
walls of the city than rifle shot 1t is doubtful if
Montjo had in all the Spanish fleet gunner who
could have hit the island, unless by accident If the
doctrine of the spoifs of is to prevail the Fpnos
have the best title Luzon because they born
there, they own the land and by force had ended
Spanish jurisdiction over most of it without any help
The Spanish held only the capital, Iloo the natives
had taken all the rest away. After we had forced
Spain to for peace the natives continued their
investment OF Iloilo and finally forced the Spanish
General Rios, to surrender to them which he did.
Our flag not there when the flag of Spain was
hauled down. We had no military nor naval force
there The Spanish surrender to the natives made
them by the laws Of war; the sovereigns of Panay.
They made the conquest forced the surrender and
ended Spanish jurisdiction, themselves with help
from us. Panay theirs before flag went there
AS sovereignty passed to them they proceeded
to exercise it. Many Europeans in Ioilo, the
owners of property and managers OF business
prses The native government civilized gov
eminent able protect and enforce the rights of per
son and property. 1t performed its public, govern
mental functions we'll that business proceeded and
lie went on, with good order and single case of
violated rights Not dollars worth of property was
destroyed any one restrained OF freedom.
We know OF no way in which to prove that Spain
had sovereignty to sell in Panay. If she did, then
England has for sale in the United States and
dispose OF it to syndicate of nations, which may
throw their navies upon coasts and begin bonn
bardment OF cities and blockade OF our harbors
without any declaration OF war or demand upon us to
surrender. They appear simply the owners of
what they have paid for, just as the United States
provided we are unable to resist them.
All OF Panay remained under the undisputed sover-
eighty of the native government until the army and
navy OF the United States appeared before Iloo with
the Spanish deed to the island. General Miller was
in command of the whole expedition, but his subordi-
nate, the naval officer in command OF the ships with
out notice to Miller sent flag ashore to notify the
foreign Consuls and residents that the city did not
surrender he would wait twentyfour hours and then
shell it. He hardly waited for the return of his mes
senger but began Smelling the town within two hours
of his notice. At the moment his bombardment
began General Miller, his superior and commander
n-chef, was in his cabin on the Newport arranging
with three commissioners representing the native
government of Panay for peaceful occupation of
the island The beginning of the Smelling ended the
conference and the commissioners were detained on
board Much has been said about the Fpinos VIC
ating the laws OF and disregardng flag of
truce but doubt whether they have ever been
guilty OF anything fragrant the Smelling and de-
structon of Panay Foreign residents lost millions
Of dollars in property and in due time our taxpayers
home will have to pay the losses, when the claims
proved and put in the hands of their respective
governments
1t appears then that May g. 1898, Iloilo was in
possession of Spain. 1t garrsoned by that SOW
ereign power. 1t in the hands of the natives
not to u.s. If there be no differences on facts
hope critic will notice these facts and reconcile
our Smelling of Iloilo with our declaration of war
against Spain, with any right of conquest we may
hold against her, with any title acquired by pur-
chase of her sovereignty in Panay, which she had
parted with by surrender to the natives before the
treaty of Paris had been ratified by either Govern
ment and therefore, did not have what she pretended
to sell and we pretended to buy. We can buy exactly
the same title to Venice from Austria, or to Alasace-
Lorraine from France, to the Netherlands from
SPAIN that she sold to Panay and to ninety-nine
hundredhs of the area of the Philippine archipelago
In their efforts to hit upon an acceptable arbitra-
ton scheme the delegates to the Cars Peace Con-
ference made one fatal mistake They submitted too
many drafts. That would explain the numerous