The National tribune., 1903-07-30

SIX days later Admiral Dewey's feet
: which had sailed directly, under orders,
for the Philippine Islands. destroyed the
, Spanish fleet in Manila Bay, and the be-
ginning of the end was ut hand.
: On July 3, 1898. history repeated itself,
and the Spanish fleet of Cervera. endeav-
oring to escape from Santiago Bay. was
sunk by the American fleet under Commo-
dore Schley. Admiral Sampson, its NOM
inal commander, being temporarily absent
in consultation with the commander of our
: land forces.
On July II, after the brilliant assaults
of the American army had shown the fu-
, tility of further resistance, the Spanish
army ut Santiago surrendered. On Jan. /,
1899, the American army took formal pos
session, under Gen. ]. Il. Brooke, of the
, island of Cuba, and the career of Spain
on the American Continent was closed.
On Aug. -, the protocol of a treaty was
signed at Washington by w. II. Day, our
Secretary of State. and Jules CambOn, the
Ambassador of France. representing the
Spanish Government by which it was
agreed, with view to the establishment of
peace between the two countries, that
Spain should relinquish all claims to sover-
eighty over, and title to Cuba: should
the United States, and such island
|
the United States; that the United States
should occupy the city, bay and harbor of
Manila pending the conclusion of treaty
: of peace that should determine the control,
disposition and government of the Phil
ippines. 1t was also agreed that Cuba
and Porto Rico should be Immediately
evacuated by Spain and that Commission
ers, appointed by the two Governments,
should make arrangements accordingly;
| H. ,.lf oh inf az
more than five Commissioners to treat of
peace, their meeting to take place at Paris
not later than Oct ].
At the time when this protocol was
signed. our naval forces under Commodore
Dewey and our land forces under Gen.
Merritt were besieging Manila, and Gen.
Aguinaldo. with the Philippine forces, was
assisting us.
The President appointed Hon. w. Il.
Day, who resigned the Sccretaryship of
State to accent the commission; Hon. Cush-
man X. Davis. Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations; Hon. w.
=. Frye and Hon. George Gray. members
of that Committee. and Whitelaw Reid.
ESD of New York. as Commissioners on
behalf of the United States. On Oct.
they met at Paris the Commissioners ap-
pointed by the Queen of Spain.
THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION
was long and laborious. but it was con-
cludcd by Il treaty. signed at Paris, Dec.
To- 1898, which was communicated to the
Senate on Jan. i, 1899, by the President.
The treaty fulfilled the provisions of the
protocol with respect to Cuba and Porto
Rico and the island in the Ladrones which
was to be cedcd to the United States. By
the third article Spain ceded the whole
Philippine archipelago to the United
States, and the United States agreed to
pay Spain $20.000,000 within three months
after the exchange of the ratifcations of
the treaty.
1t was also provided that the United
States should for 10 years admit Spanish
ships and merchandise to the ports of the
Philippines on the same terms as ships
and merchandise of the United States;
that we would send back to Spain, at our
own cost, the Spanish soldiers taken as
prisoners of war on the capture OF Ma
Mia by the American forces and that the
arms of the soldiers in question should be
restored to them. Stands of colors, I'M
captured war vessels. small-arms, guns of
all calibers, ammunition and materials of
all kinds belonging to the land and naval
forces IN the Philippines and Guam should
remain the property of Spain. Mutual re-
lease and return of prisoners of war was
provided for, and the United States under
took to obtain the release of all Spanish
prisoners in the hands of the insurgents in
Cuba and the Philippines.
There was mutual REIMBURSEMENT of all
claims, national and individual. for in
demnity of any kind that arose out of the
war. But this, like the return of prison.
ers of war. operated as a heavy burden
upon the United States and Il trivial bur-
den on Spain, for many thousands OF
Spanish prisoners were in our hands. en-
failing considerable cost for their trans
portation home, and the claims of our citi-
zens against Spain and her insurgent sub
;ects during the -Four Years War are va
riously estimated at from SJ,0OO,OOO to
$20O00O0O.
The debate on the treaty occurred in Sc
cret session, and is not reported. But in
open session resolutions were offered by
Senators Vest, Bacon, Allen and others de-
filming the principles of our Government
with reference to the annexation of terri
tory. 1t was shown by numerous deci-
siOns of the Supreme Court that annex
alton carried with it the principles of our
Constitution as to the rights of the inhabi-
tants to the equal protection of the laws
and as to the uniformity of tariff and rev.
enue laws as applicable to them.
Under the Constitution. a vote of two
thirds of the Senators present is requisite
to ratify treaty, and for some weeks it
seemed as If such vote could not be OBJ
tanned. The main objection to the treaty
was directed against the cession of the
Philippine archipelago to the United
States. The islands are 1000 miles from
the United States, and they are tenanted
by heterogeneous population incapable
of assimilation with our own people. The
climate is such that our white race cannot
establish their homes in the country and
colonze it. The islands must. in the ma
ture of things, become a mere dependency.
where the many must be ruled by a few of
alien blood.
As real estate investment, the expert
ence of the modern colonizing nations in
dicates that it will not be success. But.
beyond these and other considerations of
public policy, we had made the Filipinos
our allies in dispOssessing Spain of the
islands. and it seemed to many incOnsist-
ent with the honor of this Nation that,
when our mutual efforts had been success
full we should ourselves take the tainted
title of Spain and step into her shoes to
force Government upon the inhabitants
against their will.
These considerations alone moved many
Senators to oppose the treaty. There We're
others scarcely less cogent. Defended by
the ocean east and west, the United States
is to-day impregnable. With the Philip