The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-06-06
X-ZE-MA KURE

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doubt Of the right OF nation 10 acquire
property by conquest. so manlfestly
plain is this that those who make the
contrary contention as to the Philip
pines are forced to acknowledge the
very reverse as to Porto Rico. Surely.
II by conquest we lawfully hold Porto
Rico, doubly clear must be our right
and titie to the Philippines, which we
ACQUIRED both by conquest and purchase.
The Philippines were a part OF the
Spanish possessions and under the do
minlon and control Of that government.
They were among spain's ancient pos
sessions, and while 1t is true as In
Cuba, rebellion may have existed
against the government OF Spain on
some portions OF the archipelago, stItt It
was as much part and parcel OF the
Spanish domain us was Cuba, or any
other Of It's colonies.
For this reason those conducting tha
war ON the part Of our government at
once selected Manila us legitimate
point OF attack against the Spanish;
ana when the electric flash told the
world of Dewey's magnificent victory,
no one doubted upon whom the Amerl-
can guns had fired, and whose possess
slons were thereby imperllled. Spain
quickly realized the complete and over
whelmlug victory we had won, and did
not serlnusly controvert our claim OF
title when asserted. To pretend that
because in certain OF the provinces
state OF disorder existed, we are not en-
tilted 10 claim the legitimate result OF
our victory. is an insult to intelligence
and a lack of appreciation OF the valor-
GUS deeds OF those who, by their gall
lanlry and fortItude, won one OF the
greatest naval victories In the worlds
history, do not think that l mistake
the sentiment OF the people 81 this
country when predict that they will
never consent to take step backward
in This important contest; to surrender
a single advantage garad or lower the
stars ana stripes. where the American
soldiers ana sailors have placed them.
onp thing at leas; IS settled. The is.
lands are the territory OF the United
States, they have been lawfully ac-
oulred and no power disputes the fact
Of our conquest, the legality OF our pur-
chase. or the right Of our possession.
They will remain ours until abandoned
by Congress or wrested from us by
others These who difrer with me on
This subject have at least one satisfac-
tIon. thnt IL II shall be found to be wise
IN surrender that which we hold as the
result of conquest and purchase, we will
have no difficulty in finding, possibly n
less conservative, but certainly u more
progressive nation, anxious and ready
10 take IN what we throw away.
Mr. President, in arriving at a deter
mfnatton OF what should be our policy
regarding these islands we are con-
fronted by two propositions; what as n
prople we owe to the FnIplnos them
selves and what we owe to other ma
lions
Is II possible that we are so Fortunate
~ situated in our present relations with
the Philippine Islands rs not to have
assumed some duty, or to have incurred
some responsibility, due alike to the
nconle or the islands. and To tho other