The Scranton chronicle. (Scranton, Miss.) 1897-19??, 1902-05-24
SOVEREIGNTY OVER suLU.
Germany Questions Right of United states.
Declares Il Was Not spAin's
80 Confer.

Washington. May ls-Germany's
Efforts 10 impuEn the sovereignty Of
the United States in tho sulu arehipel.
ago have At last been officially dis.
closed.
The disclosures are made In a vol.
ume of comprehensive reports on the
law OF civil government under mill.
tary occupation made to the seere
tary OF War by Charles T.. Magoon. law
officer OF the division OF insular ar
fairs. War Department. Secretary
Root says In a PREDATORY note 10 Mr..
Magoon that the latter's reports upon
the various questions OF law arising
during the military occupation OF the
islands ceded or yielded by Spain.
have been Of such value to me in de-
Gliding the questions treated that
have determined 10 have thom printed
for the use OF the officers concerned in
the government OF the islands
The question raised by Germany to
the sovereignty OF the United States
over the sulu Islands was presented
by the German Ambassador. and do
elared that the military government
In the Philippines is without authori-
ty to regulate. restrict or prohibit
trade with the inhabitants of the Phil
lppine Islands. aud in support Of this
contention the Ambassador advanced
these propositions:
Germans's Contention.
THAT the unitod States did not ac-
quire sovereignty over the Suln archi-
pelago by the conquest thereof. nor
was sovereignty thereoyer confirmed
unto the United States by the treaty
of Paris for the reason that Spain had
never acquired sovereignty in said
archipelago. nor was Spanish sover'
eighty therein recognized and inter
nationally established. The provisions
OF the protocols entered into by Ger
many, Great Britain and Spain in
1877 and 1886 constituted grant ere
ating perpetual easement In favor of
Germany. Great Britain and the other
powers, which Is a seryitude upon the
Sulu archipelago, diminishes the Zee
thereof and remains attached thereto.
II the rights secured to Germany and
Great Britain and the other powers
| by the protocols are not vested by a
grant. then they are rights derived
from a contract between the respect
i've eoverelgnties of Spain, Germany
and Great Britain. which contract was
in force at the time the United States
acquired sovereignty over the arehl
pelago and the obligations of the con
tract. incumbent upon Spain, passed
to and became binding upon th'
United States"
Proposition Combatted.
Mr. Magoon declares that "th'
rights" recognized by the protocols en-
tered into by Spain, Germany ant
Great Britain were those constituting
sovereignty. and he finds himself un
able to agree with the Ambassador
that Spanish sovereignty was not rec
-pgnlzed and internationally estab
lished. Mr.. Magoon says that the re
strictions upon trade imposed by the
military government were due TO the
opinion OF the commander Of the mil
ltary forces engaged In the suppress
sion OF the insurrection, and that there
is n military necessity therefor. The
sovereignty of the United States be
ing established, recognized and sub
mitted to throughout the archipelago,
the nation will cease to exercise It's
war powers thereoyer and peace pow.
ers will be exercised whenever the
conditions OF peace prevail.