New-York tribune., 1900-09-30
MR.. SCHURZ.

This was the closing sentence of the speech
which Mr.. Carl Schurz delivered at Cooper
Union on Friday evening: Let us, then, come
what may. stand together and with a good
conscience and unfiinching courage for Truth,
Justice and Liberty" Mr.. Schurz thus puts
truth first among the things for which he urges
patriotic citizens to stand together. He does
we'll When truth is not the prime object and
reliance of an advocate argument and entreaty
deserve to be- and usually are, ineffective, 1t be-
comes of interest, therefore, to inquire whether
or not Mr.. Schurz has established in his own
case this original and Indispensable condition.
There are various Misrepresentation in his
speech which. individually considered, might be
deemed unintentional. 1t would be a pleasure
to give them the benefit of a benevolent judg
ment If that were possible; but we fear that
such indulgence would be improper. 1t seems
to us that this is a case in which the doctrine
of ''falsus in unO falsus in omnibus" must be
somewhat vigorously applied
Here is the test. Referring to the acquisition
of the Philippines Mr.. Schurz said:
The President through his Peace Commission
bargained with the defeated common enemy"
terror OF their native land. for the transfer or
the Philippine Islanders at 81 a head from
Spanish foreign rule to American foreign rule.
In the name Of this Republic he bought
people like a herd Of cattle.
1t seems to US impossible to assume that Mr
Schurz here discloses n degree of ignorance of
his subject which would be objectionable in a
schOolboy who had been required to narrate the
main results of the war with Spain; and there
is only one alternative. Mr.. Schurz knows that
the FilipiDos were not bought like a herd of
cattle at 81 head or at any other price. In the
course of military operations Spain's control of
the Philippines was transferred to the United
States. The American Commissioners at Paris
from the first demanded that the practical
sovereignty derived from conquest should be
acknowledged and confirmed by treaty. Refus-
ing TO admit for a moment that debts created in
the process Of unsuccessfully defending the pos
| session Of a dependency must be assumed by
those to whom that possession had been trans
ferred they nevertheless conceded the propriety,
in principle, of assuming any existing indebted
ness Of Spain incurred for public works and
Improvements of a pacific character. Its Com
missioners formally stated that their Govern
ment felt amply supported in it's right to de-
'mand the cession of the Philippines with or
without concessions" added that this de-
''mand might be limited to the single ground of
Indemnity" and pointed out that it was mot
now putting forward any claim for pecunidry
indemnity TO cover the enormous cost of the
war" It accompanied this demand for a
transfer Of sovereignty with n stipulation for
assuming any existing Indebtedness of Spain
incurred for public works and improvements of
a pacific character in the Philippines. The
United States thus asserted at the outset it's
right to the archipelago for indemnity, and at
the same time committed itself to the principle
Of payment account of the Philippine debt.
When 1t became necessary to put the Philip
pine case into an ultimatum the Peace Commits
siOners did not further refer to the debt or give
any specific reason either for a cession or for q
payment. They simply said they now presented
"a new proposition, embodying the concessions
which, for the sake of immediate peace, their
Government is, under the circumstances will
ling 10 tender" But it was really the old
proposition, with the mention for the first time
of specific sum for the payment, and without
any question of pacific improvements The
sum mentioned just balanced the Philippine
debt.
common demagOgue, knowing these facts,
might nevertheless say that the United States
bought the Filipinos at 50 head, but Mr..
Schurz should be ashamed TO say It,