The American Occupation of the Philippines 1898-1912Blount, James H. (James Henderson)
History
The American Occupation of the Philippines 1898-1912
Blount, James H. (James Henderson)
Philippines -- History -- 1898-1946; Philippines -- Politics and government -- 1898-1935
It is my earnest wish that the United States in making peace
should follow the same high rule of conduct which guided it in
facing war. * * * The lustre and the moral strength attaching
to a cause which can be confidently rested upon the considerate
judgment of the world should not under any illusion of the hour
be dimmed by ulterior designs which might tempt us * * * into an
adventurous departure on untried paths.
By elaborate rhetorical gradations, the instructions finally get down
to this:
Incidental to our tenure in the Philippines is the commercial
opportunity. * * * The United States cannot accept less than the
cession in full right and sovereignty of the island of Luzon.
Though already noticed, we venture, in this connection, again to
recall that in the month previous (August, 1898) a gentleman high in
the councils of the Administration [142] declared in one of the great
reviews of the period: "We see with sudden clearness that some of the
most revered of our political maxims have outlived their force." Among
these "revered maxims" thus suddenly fossilized by his ipse dixit,
Mr. Vanderlip exuberantly includes the teachings of "Washington's
Farewell Address and the later crystallization of its main thought
by President Monroe"--the Monroe Doctrine, adding that in lieu of
these "A new mainspring * * * has become the directing force * * *
the mainspring of commercialism."
As permanent chairman of the Philadelphia convention which renominated
Mr. McKinley for the Presidency thereafter, in 1900, Senator Lodge,
speaking of the issues raised by the Treaty of Paris, said: "We make
no hypocritical pretence of being interested in the Philippines solely
on account of others. We believe in Trade Expansion."
"Philanthropy and five per cent. go hand in hand," said Mr. Vanderlip's
Chief, Secretary of the Treasury Lyman J. Gage, about the same
time. Such was the temper of the times when the treaty was made.
The first meeting with the Spanish Commissioners took place at Paris,
October 1st. The opening event of the meeting, the initial move of the
Spaniards, is extremely interesting in the light of subsequent events,
especially in connection with the Iloilo Fiasco, hereinafter described
(Chapter IX.).
"Spanish communication represents," says Judge Day's cablegram to
the President, [143] "that status quo has been altered and continues
to be altered to the prejudice of Spain by Tagalo rebels, whom it
describes as an auxiliary force to the regular American troops."
Even diplomacy, in a conciliatory communication limited to the obvious,
called the Filipinos our allies.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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