The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-02-02

There is an unwritten and impor-
tant chapter in the recent war history
of this country, which might have
been brought out had the senate pass
ed the resolutions calling upon the
president to present the instructions
and correspondence between himself
and the peace commission which went
to Paris to settle with Spain. During
the discussion of the resolution is ap-
peared that international complica-
tions might arise from the publicity,
still some of the history came out.
When the commission went to Paris,
Day, Gage, Bliss and Long, of the
cabinet, were opposed to the acquisi-
ton of the Philippines, while Secre-
taries Alger and Wilson favored it.
The president Was unwilling to in
struct either way; he wanted peace,
and realized the innovation on our
traditional policy involved in the re-
tention of the islands.
The commission soon discovered on
its arrival in Paris, that Spain was en-
deavoring to give the Islands away to
any other nation rather than let them
60 to the United States, and the situa-
ton was critical, as all of Europe, ex.
cepting Great Britain, was unfriendly
to this country. Spain offered the Is
lands to Germany, and that country
was anxious to get into a scrap, as the
action of Admiral Diederich at Manila
will go to prove. Tie commission
now found itself confronted with the
alternative of taking the islands for
this government, or letting Germany
have them. The president and those
opposed 10 their acquisition IN toto e.
lieved that either the Island of Luzon,
Or at least, Cavite, should be retained
as coaling station in Asiatic waters,
and the pride of this country would
not permit the scheme of Spain to
save itself from further humiliation at
our expense, to be consummated.
Then Great Britain gave out that if
the islands were to be acquired by any
nation other than the United States.
she would have something to saw, and
this had the effect of relieving the sit
uation.
About that time there was no longer
any division OF sentiment in the cabi.
net or the peace commissioners. At
the same moment Mr.. Day changed
his mind the members of the cabinet
who had opposed acquisition also
changed their minds, and their letters
announcing change of heart passed
ON the way. President Mckinley, who
from the first had leaned toward re
tentlon of nothing more than Cavite
as coaling depot aud naval QUILTING
station, now saw the need of taking
the whole archipelago if the honor and
dignity of the United States were to
be preserved and Germany's scheme
was to tie thwarted.
1t was agreed on both sides of the
Atlantic that there was only one thing
the United States could do, and that
was to take over from Spain all the
islands. and Spain, seeing the hope.
lessness OF further resistance, and find
Ing that she could expect no support
from any of the European powers,
yielded as gracefully as she knew how.
This explains why the president is
not anxious to have the correspond
ence made public. If all the letters
and kilograms which passed between
HIM and the commissioners were made
public there would undoubtedly he
found some pretty pointed references
TO Germany, perhaps at least to one
other power. The publication OF these
documents would simply create bad
feeling III Germany and lead to no
practical results. Consequently the
correspondence remains buried in the
archives OF the state department and
may perhaps never see the light of
day. This unwritten chapter of our
recent history shows, moreover, how
acquisition OF the Philippines was an
evolution born of the necessities of
war, net scheme of ACKNOWLEDGMENT
or imperialism"
FIVE 12-inch morsars have arrived
IN SlattIA oonS;rnoJ ~ A.. oc