The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-20
THE TIMES. WASHINGTON. WEDNESDAY,. JUNE 90 1900


was fired. declared to the world the lofty
and unselhsh motives that alone. actuated
| the naticn. No man now, or in the centu-
| ries to come when history, which alone
.triumphs over time recounts the marvel
| GUS story of the war which chafged the
map Of the world, shall ever truthruily say
that this Republic was animated by any
but the noblest purposes. Recorded time
| tells of nc such war, for it was fought,
with bloody sacrifice, by great and free
Republic. for the freedom OF another race,
while its own liberties were unassailed.
This is not the time or the, occasion 10
dwell upon the incidents of the war,
crowded with successive victories and il
lumined with countless examples Of inii-
vidual bravery and gallant cond :ct. Its liv-
ing heroes are honored by a generous coun-
try; its dead have ennobled the race, and
will live forever in the hearts Of grateful
people. Throughout all its anxious days
the President, COMMUNICATIVE Chief OF our
armies and our navies. planned and direct
ed with unerriIg hand. His wise dlpio-
macy saved us from threatened interna-
tional compile atoms. From the oommente-
ment of hostilities until their close the
conduct OF the war was unassailable. and
the paltry criticisms Of two years ago are
already buried In the limbo of oblivion.
I'm August, 1898, preliminary protocol
was executed at Washington, followed by
the sessions OF the Peace Commissioners CT
the United States and Spain, in Paris, COM
mencing in October of that year. Pub ic
interest in this country concerning these
negotiations was intense.
As to the Philippines.
Until our soldiers and sailors had land
ed at Manila we had known little OF the
conditions of the people of the Philippines.
We soon ascertained that the cruelties and
expressions existing in Cuba were mild
compared with the treatment to which
eight millions OF people in those islands
were subjected. We realized that IL we
relinquished the archipelago to Spain we
consigned its Inhabitants again to con-
dition worse than slavery, worse than bar
barism. We had put our hands to the
plow, and every instinct Of honor and hu-
mainly forbade us to turn back. uni
versal demand arose from all over the
country that we should retain our hold up
on these islands, afford their people the
protection of our laws. lift them out of
their unfortunate condition, and fit them,
if possible, for government. Any
agreement by our Commissioners to give
back the Philippines to Spain, reserving
for ourselves an island or coaling sta
ton, would have aroused universal ma
tional indignation, and would never have
been ratified by the representatives of the
people.
mo man saw this so clearly as did the
President. In his advice to the Commits
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 lib
Grated from Spanish domination. and he
reached this view solely through consid-
erations of duty and humanity.
THE American Commissioners, men OF
differing political faiths. reached a unani-
nous conclusion. The Treaty Of Paris was
ratified by the vote of two-thirds OF the
Senate, and the territory we acquired
under 1t became lawful and legal posses
sions Of the United States. The resIOnsi-
bility for the war rested upon US all; the
responsibility for the treaty rests chiefly
upon the Republican party, and that party
avows the wisdom OF the treaty and de-
clares it to be the policy Of the party to
adhere to its terms and to accept the
responsibilities it imposed.
I'VE assumed dominion of Porto Rico.
Cuba, and the Philippines for reasons diff
fering as to each of them.
Conditions I'm Porto Rico.
I'VE took to ourselves the little island of
Porto Rico because it lay under the shEd5w
OF our own shores and because its continued |
by Spain or by any foreign Gov
eminent would be a constant menace to !
the States, and to that great int r oceanic |
waterway which we shall build and own I
and operate as an American canal. We |
found 1t impoverished by years of colonial |
and without any system OF
revenue laws. Soon after the peace its
people were further stricken by flood and
famine. We assumed toward them every
obligation which sympathy and friendship
could prompt. We contributed as nation
large sums OF money to ameliorate their
and to enable them to plant and
garner their crops. Then We said to them
We shall give you just and equitable
form of free government, with power to
your home affairs. Until you shall
ievise proper and efficient methods of rev.
enue and taxation, your needed funds shall
be raised as follows: You shall pay upon
your imports Is per cent OF the present
ariff rate governing importations into the
United States, which means an average
iuty of about per cent. All the necessa-
les of life and building materials for the
structures you need shall be free. On March
, 1902 all these duties shall cease in any
went, and shall cease sooner II before that
line you can arrange for the needed rev.
,nues of the island.
The Porto Ricans Contcntcd.
THE recommendations of the President
we're fully and satisfactorily complied WITH
he people Of the island are content, the
asst mass of the American people APP
night vex us when We come TO deal with
4. l,nt
establishment of our permanent relations
oward the people of the Philippine islands
There has been much discussion during
he past few months in respect to the ex-
ent of the power of this country to deal ,
18th Porto Rico and our other possessions,
nd it has been frequently contended by
he Democracy that as soon as we became
he owners of any Of these islands the Con- $
titution of the United States at once ex-
ended over them, or in the Oratorical but c
phrase. The Constitution fol- I
,ws the flag The argument is specious, 6
ut it will not bear investigation. The t
lme question was raised in 1903, at the c
me of the Louisiana Purchase. and the d
octrRe then established by Congress that /
o could acquire foreign soil by purchase 7
lat Congress had the right to establish n
here such government as it saw fit, and
lat the Constitution did not OF its own
,rcc eStenu over sucn terTitory. Inc doc ! 4
Inc was never questioned until in Cal /
oun's time it was sought to be denied in =
10 effort to extend human slavery into :
lie Territories. nc r
THE Supreme Court of the United States
as moro than once determined the ques-
on, and the contention concerning it now
Y our opponents is not because anybody y
alieves that the laws we have enacted for d
10 government of the island are unjust.
1t in order to embarrass the Administra- o
on in dealing effectively with our new a
1ssessions. The flag went to Mexico in a
AS, the Constitution. did not. The flag o