The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-06-19

these negotiations was intense. Until our
MIA; we mad known little of the conditions
or the people of the Philippines We soon
ascertaineds that the. cruelties and oppres-
sions existing in Cuba were mild COM
pared with the treatment TO which eight
nlllIlons or people in those Islands were
subjected. We realized that if we relin-
auished the archipelago to Spain, we con-
signed its Inhabitants again to a condition
ism We had put our hands to the plough,
and every instinct of honor and human
l5y forbade US to turn back A universal
demand arose from all over the country
that we should retain our hold upon these
Islands, afford their people the protection
OF our laws, lift them out OF their untor-
tunate condition, and fit them, if possible,
for Self-government. Any agreement by
our commissioners TO give back the Phil
ippines to Spain. reserxing for ourselves an
island or coaling station, would have
aroused a universal national indignation,
representatives of the people.
No man saw this 50 clearly as did the
president. In his adviceS to the commlS-
sioners he told them it was imperative
that We should be governed only by mo-
tives that should exalt the nation: that
territorial expansion was our least CON
Germ, but that. whatever else was done,
the people of the Philippines must be I'D
Grated from the Spanish DOMINATION anu
he reached this view solely through con-
sideratiOn of duty and humanity The
American commissioners. men of differ
ing political faiths. reached a unanimous
conclusion. The Treaty of Paris was rati-
fed by the vote of two-thirds of the SEN
it became lawful and legal possessions of
the United States. The responsibility for
the war rested upon US an me srespon-
slbtlty for the treaty rests chlefy upon
the Republican party, and that party
ayoWs the wisdom Of the treaty and de-
clares 1t to be the policy OF the party TO
adhere to its terms and to accept the re-
spOnsibilities it imposed
We assumed dominion of Porto Rico,
Cuba, and the Philippines for reasons diff
fering as to each of them
We took to ourselves the little island of
laz
shadow of our own shores, and because
its continued occupancy by Spain or by
any foreign government would be con-
slant menace TO the States. and to that
great fnter-oceanic waterway which we
shall build and own and operate as an
American canal Ne found 1t 1mpoVer-
ished by years of colonial misgovernment
and without any system of revenue laws.
Soon after the peace its people were fur
Their stricken by flood and famine We
assumed towards them every obligation
which sympathy and friendship could
prompt. We contributed as a nauon large
sums of money to amellOrate their con-
dition to enable them TO plant and gar
ner their crops Then we said to them,
We shall give you Just ana equitable
form of free government, with power to
manage your home atTalrs- Untl you
shall devise proper and efficient methods
of revenue and taxation, your needed
funds shall be raised as follows: You
shall pay upon your imports 10 per cent
of the present tariff rate governing i'm
portations into the United States, which
means an average duty of about Z per
-NA-N-
ing material for the structures You need
shall be free On the list day of March,
1902, all these duties shall cease in any
event, and shall cease sooner if before
that time you can arrange for the needed
revenues of the island" The recommend
atiOnS Of the president were fully and sat
isfactorily complied with; the people of
the island are content. the vast mass of
the American people approve, and we
have avoided precedents that might veX
us when we come to deal with the prob
lens that finally await US in the estab-
fafe
wards the people of the Philippine islands.
There has been much discussion during
the past few months in respect to the
extent of the power this country to deal
with Porto Rico and our other possess
sions. and it has been frequently contend
ed by the Democracy mat as soon as We
became the owners of any OF these Islands
the Constitution of the United States at
once extended over them, or in the ora
torical but misleading phrase, The Con-
stitution follows the Flag The argu-
ment is specious, but it viii not bear in
vestigatior The same question was
raised in 1893, at the time of the Louisiana
Purchase, and the doctrine then estab-
liShed by congress that we could acquire
foreign soil by purchare, That congress
had the right to establish there such gov
ei!Anent d. IL 80" ~ slil'- Ntte-e W
stitution did not of It's own force extend
over such territory. The doctrine was
never questioned until in Calhoun's time
it was sought to be denied IN the efIort 10
extend human slavery into the territories
The supreme court of the United States
has more than once determined the oueS-
ton, and the contention concerning it
now by our opponents is not because any
body believes that the laws we have. en-
acted for the government of the Island
are unjust, but in order to embarrass the
administration in dealing effectively with
Mexico in 1913, the Constitution did not
The flag went to Cuba and was carried
into Santiago, and is there yet But our
Constitution not only IS not there, but We
are busy encouraging Cuba to prepare a
constitution of her own When any por-
ton of our territory becomes a sovereign
al then Is Constitution its corner
stone In the territory of the United
States not included within state boundar-
les congress alone determines the extent
to which the provisions OF the Constltu-
ton extend.
The circumstances associated with our
possession of Cuba are new and unparal-
leled in the history of conquests. The
cruelties practiced upon its people induced
the war Before we commenced hostile
proceedings, however, and that the world
might know that our hands were clean
and that we were not animated by lust
for territory, We solemnly disclaimed any
disposition or intention to exercise sover-
eighty. jurisdiction, or control over the
island except for its pacihcation. and as
serted our determination, When tnaL was
accomplished, to leave the government
and control of the island to its people
To this declaration we still vigorously
adhere When we took possession at the
close of the war found the conditions
existing in Cuba to be deplorable. Tn
der the conservative and wise manage
ment of Generals Brooke and Wood vast
Improvements have been effected, and we
nave given AIE people lAlS l4A7L sOCA SON
eminent they have ever known. We found
its cities beds of pestilence.. We have
stamped out yellow fever and made ta-
vana as healthy a city as exists at that
latitude. We took its starving reconcen-
trados who had survived the war, and its
other poverty-stricken people, and fed and
clothed them We organized a public
| school system, and have everywhere es-
tablished law and order This had first t.
be done. Then followed a compliance OF
| the terms of the treaty which gave the
| Spanish inhabitants until April 1lth, e
determine whether or not they would reg
| lister as citizens or preserve their alleg-
| lance to Spain. Meanwhile a careful cen
! sus of the island was made. Then came
| the fixing of the qualifications for the
right of suffrage, which were fairly be-
| slowed The Island was divided into mu-
inequalities and the registration provided
for And on yesterday. the 18th of June
municipal elections were held AL through
the islands. as the first and preliminary
! step towards the establishment of ma
tional government and the adoption of {
/ constitution.
And in this connection it is fitting t.