The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-07-25
OUR NEW POSSESSIONS.

OUR NEW POSSESSIONS.
Another modus vivendi is likely to
be entered into by Secretary Hay and
the British legation at Washington. 1t
is not in Alaska this time, but in the
far East. Some days ago it was am
nounced in London that United States
warships had taken possession of sew
eral small islands off the coast of
Borneo and raised the American flag
thereon. Now comes England claim
ing that the islands belong to her, as
the sultan of Sulu formally transferred
these islands to the control of the
British North Borneo company some
twenty years ago. AS yet no official
communication has been received at
mpnt about these islands now in pos
session of the United States, but it is
said that the state department is
ready to give prompt answer on the
subject when the papers arrive Sec
rotary Hay is not in Washington now,
and when he left he said he satisfied
himself that the British government
had no claim whatever to the islands.
The substance of our reply to Eng
lands note of inquiry, it is said, will
be that in virtue of a treaty entered
into in 1885 between Great Britain,
Germany and Spain, the last named
country was given title to all the is
lands outside Il marine leagues dis
lance from the coast of Borneo. If
this is so, and our treaty with the sui
tan of JOlo later, which included all
those islands coded to Spain in 1855,
is good, our claim to what England
supposed belonged to her seems ra-
tional. But we need not make much
noise over our new possessions, for
England, by the use of the same STRAIT
cgy she employed in the Alaskan
boundary dispute, will eventually get
these islands, il they are worth any
thing. 1t is said they are valuable as
coaling stations and would in that
event he a desirable acquisition for
Great Britain. If they are of any
value to our country we can expect
another case of modus vivendi if Sec
crctary Hay is entrusted with their
destiny. 1t is unfortunate for us that
we have a man at the head of the
state department who is so inclined to
give England all she wants, and
throw the responsibility upon congress
to settle the trouble later Had Mr..
Hay taken the bold position of claim
ing and holding the territory in Alas
ka which Great Britain occupied after
gold was discovered there. there would
be no sessions of a joint high COM
mission to decide the boundary line.
li,lssia's warranty deed to us was
enough to satisfy us of our rights in
Alaska. and any attempt to nullify
that deed should have been made
years ago by Great Britain. Instead,
the latter waited until American
pluck and push explored the country
money hunters and diamond brokers
in South Africa, when the Beers dir
covered gold and diamonds, Il fimsy
excuse being all that was necessary
to provoke and declare war, she de-
mnnded Il share of the good things OF
course. England could not use the
same tactics in Alaska that she did
in South Africa. but BIZ means of a
little intrigue and iiattery the secre-
tnry of state was persuaded to let Eng
land rest in pclceahlc possession of Il
valuable piece of our territory. while
we wait years, perhaps. for II return
of the same by the findings of Il COM
mission which may not get through
their lahors for Il long time to come
In the meantime British, gold seekers
are rclping rich harvest in our
country. The wonder is that Il party
press can smother its conscience to
The extent of allowing this wrong go
on SO long without !, word of crit-
ciSm.