The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-10-27
4 DEFEUGE
or THE
M'KINLEY ADMINISTRATION
FROM
Attacks Of the Anti-Imporialists.
By John Il. Dos Passos. of the Now lor'
Attacka of the Antl.Imperialists.
(CONOLUDED )

(OONOLU DED }
Then the anti impesialists find fault
with the President for issuing O prCcla'
nation on December 10. 1898. This Is
the principal assault which they make
upon tho Execuiive-the piece de re-
sistsnoe of their charges and calomnies
Mr.. Schurz says WAS it his duty
TO issue that famous benevolent assim-
ilation order. by which weeks before
the ratification Of the treaty gave him
legal right to do so, he directed an
army TO enforce throughout the aTchi-
pelago American Sovereignty. which
then did not even technically exist
This was not only not the
Presidents duty but it was wanton
and ruthless insult thrown IN the face
Of the people who had acted as cur
allies against common enemg' aud
who aspired to be free, and it was at
the same time barefaced usurpation
Of power which only an unserupulous
partisan spirit would overlook or ex'
cuse
The facts 10 connection with this are
as follows:
The protocol Of peace between the
United States aud Spain was enter
ed into on the 18Th Of August, 1898 1t
laid the foundation for the subsequent
treaty and provided that the United
States was TO occupy and hold
Manila pending the conclusion Of
treaty which shall determine
the control, disposition and government
Of the Philippines "
The treaty signed by the Spanish aud
American Commissioners at Paris on
the 10th day Of December. 1898, pro-
yided that Spain cedes TO the United
States the Archipelago known as the
Philippine Islands. "
The treaty was ratified by lhe Senate
Of the United States on the 9th day Il
February. 1899 Between the making
Of the treaty on the 10th day Of Decem-
Der, 1898. and its ratification. the Pres
ident issued what Is now known as the
benevolent accumulation proclama-
tion. ard which Is assailed on the
ground that until the treaty was rati'
fed the Presidents act in claiming
sovereignty over these islands was pre-
mature and illegal This point is al
narrow and technical one Is was ever
raised in o Justices court TO defeat
meri,orious claim by resort to small
technical defense.
Happily it has 40 foundation even
technically, and it Is absolutely nnsus'
tainable under the Constitution.
Dewey had in early December strong
ly urged that a proclamation Of inten-
tions be issued, and apparently 10 pur-
suance Of this suggestion this proclsma'
tion-ss it Is oalled-Ras Issued. II
was In fact instructions Issued By the
President as Comm Rlder'in. Ohief'
through the Secretary Of War 30 the
General in command as the Philip
pines. in early December by telegram.
Great stress Is laid by Mr.. schulz upon
the fact that the General, in making
his oroclamation, did not use the exact
language Of the President. Here
is another evidence that the whole
stock in trade Of the nti.imperialists
consists of endeayoring to pick to
pieces the acts Of the President by re-
sort TO miserable cavils and paltry crit
icisms. The language Of the President
was the mere basis for proclamation.
II furnished the substance TO the Gen.
eral In command Re was on the spot
and could know what language was
best TO be used In substance he adopt
ed every idea and thought Of the Presi-
dent The claim Of sovereignty was as
clear in the proclamation as 1t was in
the instructions Of the President The
inhabitants could not fail to onnderstand
from both that the United States wa'
the conquerOr and owner Of the Islands
The other claim is that until the
treaty was ratified by the Senate the
President was paralyzsd, that nothing
could be done by him with reference t.
those islands, that everything was 10
statu quo. without authority on bis