The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-07-17
Mr.. HAYS POSITION.
Congressional Candidates Attitude
on Philippine Question.
CALLED FOR BY CAMPAIGN RUMoR
Letter to George IT. MoultOn in An
swer to One Asking for
the Facts.

George F..~Moulton, whose Office is in
the Corn Exchange, to-day receiver from
Eugene G. Hay, republican candidate for
congress, the letter below, in answer to
one asking Mr.. Hay for an explicit state
ment of his position on the Philippine
question. Mr.. Moulton says he was
prompted to write for such a statement
because report repeated frequently in
local political circles to the effect that
Mr.. Hay had not been in sympathy with
the governments Philippine policy as
enunciated and inaugurated by the,Iate
President Mckinley and his cabinet and
followed out by President Roosevelt, and
had even goneTso far as to oppose Mr..
Mckinley's reelection because of this
lack Of sympathy. Mr.. Hays letter, Mr..
Moulton says, is entirely satisfactory to
him and he consents to it's publica ton as
matter of news: .-----... ..
My Dear sir-Your letter of the 18th inst,
in which occurs the following paragraph, is
just received by me: .,":--s
and believed by many that you were in oppo-
sition to the philippians policy as enunciated
by President Mckinley and his cabinet at the
time of his last presidential campaign, and
that you took strong grounds against the
nomination and election of President NC
kinley at that time
A report similar to the above has been sys-
tenaatically circulated for the past ten days,
undoubtedly for the purpose of checking the
rapid growth Of my candidacy for congress.
l desire to brand it as unqualifiealy false
The only action. ever took in connection
with our insular affairs was to join others
in urging Mr.. Fletcher to change his posi-
ton and oppose the Porto Rican tariff. All
now agree that there should be no tariff be-
tween Porto Rico and the United States, and
1t has long since been abolished. had and
expressed doubt as to the advisability of
acquiring the Philippine islands. AS lawyer
had some views as to the legal aspect of
these islands after we acquired them. But
these views never caused me to waver in my
support of the republican party and it's
candidates. I believed that upon the ratifca-
ton Of the treaty of Paris. the Philippine
islands and Porto Rico became part of the
United States, and this position has since
been sustained by the decision of the SUI
preme court of the United States. I believed
that because these islands were a part of
the United States the government could not
/ levy u tariff duty Oil products coming from
them. The supreme court of the United
States has held that>it could. Like every
law-abiding citizen, I accept this decision as
the final expression of the law and uphold
it as a part of the law Of the land. I believe
in extending to the peoples of those islands
such measures Of government, subject
to the laws Of the United States, as they
ercise. I did not oppose the nomination of
President Mckinley. I did not oppose his re-
election, but, on the contrary, supported and
voted for him, as I have for every republic
can candidate for president since 7 cast my
first vote in 1875. I am an earnest sup
porter of President Roosevelt and his ad-
ministration, and if I am elected to congress
will support him In his endeavor to bring
tho best possible government to the people
of the Philippine islands. I will also sup
port him in his determined effort to redeem
the last promises made by President Nc
Klnley to the Cuban people, and will, aid in
every way that I can to see that Cuban
reciprocity Is brought about and the nations
obligation and the promise Of the martyr
president redeemed. = l. -. .r
You may repeat what 7 say here to, any
one you please. Thanking you for your
kind expressions, am, very sincerely,
r. Eugene G: Hay