The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-11
SENATOR HOAR'S POSITION.
STATES HIS ATTITUDE ON THE
PHILIPPINE QUESTION.
Would Treat Those Islands Just ~
Cuba Has Been Treated, and Give
Them Autonomy ~ Soon ~
the Conditions Would Justify IL.

WASHINGTON. Jan. Ex-senator Hoar,
Of Massachusetts. has made public long
letter he has addressed to the editors OF
the Journal. Advertiser, Herald and Globe.
of Boston, In answer to speech made
by ex-Gov. Quigg at the Essex Club, the
last Saturday in December. In his speech
Mr.. Quigg, referring to Senator Hoar's
attitude on the Filipino question, declared
that the senator wants us to skulk from
our duty" Senator Hoar takes the words
quoted as his text, and says. in part:
II wish to put against this statement
my emphatic denial. What want the
American people to do is to do in the Phil
/ doing and expect to do in Cuba: We have
liberated both. from Spain, and we have
sSSna eser back svf 70 s sna no
/ should as soon give back redeemed
soul to satan as give back the people OF
81 sean n sns seu tsy ana
do not believe in the power Of Spain to
never. ii, my Judgment. should iltS allow ii her
to make the attempt. Having. delivered
them from. Spain. we were bound. In
liberty against the ambition or greed Of
any other nation on earth. And we are
equally bound to protect them against our
defender and prot er until their new
government were established. in freedom
and in honor: until they had made treaties
secure W In their national fah as
Switzerland is secure, or as Santo Do
mingo or Venezuela y SECURE.
7, ~, this !, be policy Of skuins from
We based our policy in regard to Cuba,
did we, not on the ground that Il was
We did not tempt the cupidity OF any mil
lionaire or even the honest desire for en-
ployment OF any workman, by the argu.
Cuba to our dominion, we should make
money out of her, and she could not help
herself In those, days we were appealing
the breeches pocket.
"If we were bound in honor and right
eousness. as a matter Of principle, to alb
stain from depriving Cuba of the liberty
We had given her because II was right we
are, In my judgment. all the more bound
to abstain from depriving the people Of the
cause II is right.
A. n Question OF Fact.
IF I am right in affirming this as a
matter OF principle, then the question be-
comes a question of fact.
Are not the people Of the Philippine
islands as well entitled to their freedom
and Independence as the people OF Cuba?
Had they not contributed as much to
achieving their independence as had the
people Of Cuba? Do they not desire their
independence as do the people of Cuba?
Are they not as fit to govern themselves
as are the people of Cuba? Have they for
feited their right to independence by any
misconduct such as an attack upon the
army of the United. States, wantonly and
Now, the facts which enable us to hear
all the questions about which the people
have been so much misled during. the last
summer come to us at length fromS the
reports Of the commanders of our army
and navy In the Philippines. have two
witnesses to call. Gen. Otis and Admiral
Dewey. While may not adopt all their
conclusions as to policy land it ia not the
special business Of soldiers or sailors to
Ssve mo to 81 @ bsm
the men for whom they vouch in the mat
ter of fact.
What He would Do.
But before citing the evidence, let me
stated what desired to DO ' Before re the " war
broke out. The Philippine armies are
scattered; Aguinaldo is a fugitive in con-
like foam where they are attacked, coming
together again like thundercloud and
in the end wearing out the patience of the
late. 1t is not from any fear Of any foe
man, powerful or insignificant, that the
American people are to determine their
do it, II it be wrong they viii not do it.
Il would send Gen. Wood, or Gen. Miles.
or Admiral Dewey, to Luzon. ! would
have, him gather about him cabinet OF
the best men among. the Filipinos. who
have the confidence of the people and de-
sire nothing but their welfare. In all
government is now established possess
ing the confidence of the people, ! would
consult with their rulers and representa-
tfveS. l would lend the aid of the army
to keep order l would permit the people
to make laws and to administer laws,
subject to some supervision or inspection,
has settled down again upon that country,
insuring the security of the people against
avarice. ambition or REGULATION. So soon
as it seems that government can MAIN
tain itself peacefully in power, would by
degrees withdraw the authority of the
United States. making a treaty with them
pidity OF any other nation, and would
lend our aid for reasonable time to main
tain order and law. would not hesitate,
the slightest belief that 1t would be need
full, to vote to make them loan of a
moderate. sum to replenish their wasted
treasury"
Ten Facts Established.
Senator Hoars letter then asserts that
the dispatches of Admiral Dewey and
Gen. Otis (some OF the latter read by
him.. he says. having been withheld thus
far from public knowledge establish be-
yond reasonable doubt:
"First-That Aguinaldo is an honest,
tho a ofsi a of Ms cs tha
man, president of the Philippine COM
mission.
en- leader Of the people of the Philippine
"Third-That the people have. from the
beginning, desired independence and de-
sire 1t now.
"Fourth-That this desire was COM
municated to our commanders when they
gave them arms, accepted our aid and
brought Aguinaldo from his exile, when
he was put in command of 10000 Filipino
soldiers. who were already in arms and
organized.
.''Fifth-That the people of the Philip
pine islands, before We fired upon their
troops. have delivered. their own. land
from Spain. with the single exception of
the town of Manila, and that they hem
med in the Spanish troops on land by a
line extending from water to water.
'Sixth-That we could not have ac-
cepted the Spanish garrison, which was
done by an arrangement beforehand, up
on a mere show of resistance, but for
the fact that they were so hemmed in
by Aguinaldos forces and could not re-
treat beyond the range and fire of the
guns of our fleet.
"Seventh-That during all this period
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