New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-01

purpose was fulfilled we annexed tho
state by act of Congress In a manner
the consiitutionality of which has never
been generally acknowledged, though
our title will never be disputed.
The fifth was New Mexico and Cali
forria We took that region by I'M
provoked conquest and then made q
treaty Of cesslon, which, however, did
not by so much az a single word cede
the territory 70 Us, but simply stated
what the new boundaries between the
two countries should be, thus recogniz-
ing do facto tho conquest, bat not Civ
ing II tho usual formal sanction OF
cesrion.
The sixth was the "Gadsden Pur-
chase" We took that under o treaty
which, like tho foregoing, did not spe-
officially "cede" US the territory, save
bv implication. but merely declared
what the new boundaries should be.
Tho seventh was Alaska. We took
that under & treaty Of cession which
read: "His Majesty the Emperor OF
oil the Russias agrees 20 cede 10 the
United States by this convention q.
en- the territory and dominion now
possessed by his said majesty on the
continent Of America and IN the ada
cent islands
The seventh was Hawaii We annexed
it by act of Congress as we had an
nexcd Texas, In manner Of doubtful
constitutioualIty.
The eighth was Porto Rico, the Phil
ippines and some minor islands. These
We took al in precisely the same way,
az the same time and by the same acts,
10 WI, by military conquest, confirmed
by treaty of cession. T he treaty read:
Spain cedes 10 tho United States the
island OF Porto Rico and other islands.
Spain cedes 20 the United states
the archipelago known as the fhilp-
pine Islands"
Treaty with Spain Definite.
In the words Of Hosea Bigelow, there
you have II, plain and fiat. In the
whole list there is not a title more
complete, more absolute, more uncon-
ditional, more impregnable, more per
petual, than that which we nave 20 the
Philippines. Tho attempt % pretend
that we have a dubious, a conditional or
only a temporary title 20 them Is as
sha'lOw as IL ~ shameless. There never
was a more definite and positive treaty
made IN the world than that of Spain IN
1898. There was no stirring 70 IT,
/ There was no eQuiyocation, and there
was not the slightest shadow Of doubt
on the part of any one In the world as
70 fits meaning in respect TO the Philip
pines More than any other feature OF
II, more, indeed, than all others put to-
gether, the question Of the disposition
of the Philippines had been considered
and discussed both by the Spanish and
American commissioners at Paris and
by the world at large. That was the
crux of the whole negotiation. The five
/ American commissioners had discussed
II among themselves, and had consulted
the President and Secretary of State
concerning it, They knew what they
meant by the section of the treaty
which they dictated. The Spanish COM
missioners knew what was meant by II.
The people of the Philippines, the
American nation and the whole world
knew what was meant by IT, And that
meaning was that the Philippines we're
10 become Internationally and perpetu-
ally our property, just as much as
Alaska or California or Louisiana.
Now, for the first time in the history
Of tho American nation, il is proposed
not 20 acquire new territory, but TO dis
card some which we already possess.
/ The hitherto uniform and unbroken
practice is 10 be reversed. The estab-
Gshod policy Of the Republic, from
jefferson and Madison, through Mon
roe and Adams, to Mckinley and Hay,
is TO be repudiated and discredited.
Such, at least, is the proposal, such the
purblind and vicious attempt; though
that IL will or can succeed faith in
American common sense and honesty
forbids US for a moment TO believe But,
at least, let the real character and as
pect of the design be unmarked Let
there be no more talk about intentions
which never existed, about promises
which never were made. Let there be no
more glib and facile hypocrisy about
"withdrawa" when the actual purpose
IS scuttling and secession.