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McKinley¡¡asked¡¡those¡¡having¡¡opinions¡¡on¡¡the¡¡subject¡¡of¡¡this¡¡burden¡¡to¡¡write¡¡to¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡a¡¡strong¡¡call¡¡for¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡¡to¡¡take¡¡up¡¡her¡¡share¡¡in¡¡the¡¡regeneration¡¡of¡¡mankind¡¡came¡¡from¡¡important¡¡representatives¡¡of¡¡the¡¡religious¡¡public¡£¡¡Nor¡¡was¡¡the¡¡attitude¡¡of¡¡those¡¡different¡¡who¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡possibilities¡¡of¡¡increased¡¡traffic¡¡with¡¡the¡¡East¡£¡¡The¡¡expansion¡¡of¡¡the¡¡area¡¡of¡¡home¡¡distribution¡¡seemed¡¡a¡¡halfway¡¡house¡¡between¡¡the¡¡purely¡¡nationalistic¡¡policy£»¡¡which¡¡was¡¡becoming¡¡a¡¡little¡¡irksome£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡competition¡¡of¡¡the¡¡open¡¡world¡£
It¡¡was¡¡not£»¡¡however£»¡¡the¡¡urging¡¡of¡¡these¡¡forces¡¡alone¡¡which¡¡made¡¡the¡¡undecided¡¡feel¡¡that¡¡the¡¡annexation¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Philippines¡¡was¡¡bound¡¡to¡¡come¡£¡¡The¡¡situation¡¡itself¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡offer¡¡no¡¡other¡¡solution¡£¡¡Gradually¡¡evidence¡¡as¡¡to¡¡the¡¡local¡¡conditions¡¡reached¡¡America¡£¡¡The¡¡Administration¡¡was¡¡anxious¡¡for¡¡the¡¡commissioners¡¡to¡¡have¡¡the¡¡latest¡¡information£»¡¡and£»¡¡as¡¡Admiral¡¡Dewey¡¡remained¡¡indispensable¡¡at¡¡Manila£»¡¡General¡¡Merritt¡¡was¡¡ordered¡¡to¡¡report¡¡at¡¡Paris£»¡¡where¡¡he¡¡arrived¡¡on¡¡the¡¡6th¡¡of¡¡October¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡of¡¡the¡¡opinion¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Americans¡¡must¡¡remain¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Philippines£»¡¡and¡¡his¡¡reports¡¡were¡¡sustained¡¡by¡¡a¡¡cablegram¡¡from¡¡Dewey¡¡on¡¡the¡¡14th¡¡of¡¡October¡¡reading£º¡¡¡¨Spanish¡¡authority¡¡has¡¡been¡¡completely¡¡destroyed¡¡in¡¡Luzon£»¡¡and¡¡general¡¡anarchy¡¡prevails¡¡without¡¡the¡¡limits¡¡of¡¡the¡¡city¡¡and¡¡Bay¡¡of¡¡Manila¡£¡¡Strongly¡¡probable¡¡that¡¡islands¡¡to¡¡the¡¡south¡¡will¡¡fall¡¡into¡¡the¡¡same¡¡state¡¡soon¡£¡¨¡¡The¡¡history¡¡of¡¡the¡¡previous¡¡few¡¡years¡¡and¡¡existing¡¡conditions¡¡made¡¡it¡¡highly¡¡improbable¡¡that¡¡Spanish¡¡domination¡¡could¡¡ever¡¡be¡¡restored¡£¡¡The¡¡withdrawal¡¡of¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡¡would¡¡therefore¡¡not¡¡mean¡¡the¡¡reestablishment¡¡of¡¡Spanish¡¡rule¡¡but¡¡no¡¡government¡¡at¡¡all¡£
As¡¡to¡¡the¡¡regime¡¡which¡¡would¡¡result¡¡from¡¡our¡¡withdrawal£»¡¡Admiral¡¡Dewey¡¡judged¡¡from¡¡the¡¡condition¡¡of¡¡those¡¡areas¡¡where¡¡Spanish¡¡authority¡¡had¡¡already¡¡ceased¡¡and¡¡that¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Americans¡¡had¡¡not¡¡yet¡¡been¡¡established¡£¡¡¡¨Distressing¡¡reports£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡cabled£»¡¡¡¨have¡¡been¡¡received¡¡of¡¡inhuman¡¡cruelty¡¡practised¡¡on¡¡religious¡¡and¡¡civil¡¡authorities¡¡in¡¡other¡¡parts¡¡of¡¡these¡¡islands¡£¡¡The¡¡natives¡¡appear¡¡unable¡¡to¡¡govern¡£¡¨¡¡It¡¡was¡¡highly¡¡probable£»¡¡in¡¡fact£»¡¡that¡¡if¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡¡did¡¡not¡¡take¡¡the¡¡islands£»¡¡Spain¡¡would¡¡sell¡¡her¡¡vanishing¡¡equity¡¡in¡¡the¡¡property¡¡to¡¡some¡¡other¡¡power¡¡which¡¡possessed¡¡the¡¡equipment¡¡necessary¡¡to¡¡conquer¡¡the¡¡Philippines¡£¡¡To¡¡many¡¡this¡¡eventuality¡¡did¡¡not¡¡seem¡¡objectionable£»¡¡as¡¡is¡¡indicated¡¡by¡¡the¡¡remark£»¡¡already¡¡quoted£»¡¡of¡¡an¡¡American¡¡official¡¡to¡¡certain¡¡Germans£º¡¡¡¨We¡¡don't¡¡want¡¡the¡¡Philippines£»¡¡why¡¡don't¡¡you¡¡take¡¡them£¿¡¨¡¡That¡¡this¡¡attitude¡¡was¡¡foolishly¡¡Quixotic¡¡is¡¡obvious£»¡¡but¡¡more¡¡effective¡¡in¡¡the¡¡molding¡¡of¡¡public¡¡opinion¡¡was¡¡the¡¡feeling¡¡that¡¡it¡¡was¡¡cowardly¡£
In¡¡such¡¡a¡¡changing¡¡condition¡¡of¡¡public¡¡sentiment£»¡¡McKinley¡¡was¡¡a¡¡better¡¡index¡¡of¡¡what¡¡the¡¡majority¡¡wanted¡¡than¡¡a¡¡referendum¡¡could¡¡have¡¡been¡£¡¡In¡¡August¡¡he¡¡stated£º¡¡¡¨I¡¡do¡¡not¡¡want¡¡any¡¡ambiguity¡¡to¡¡be¡¡allowed¡¡to¡¡remain¡¡on¡¡this¡¡point¡£¡¡The¡¡negotiators¡¡of¡¡both¡¡countries¡¡are¡¡the¡¡ones¡¡who¡¡shall¡¡resolve¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡permanent¡¡advantages¡¡which¡¡we¡¡shall¡¡ask¡¡in¡¡the¡¡archipelago£»¡¡and¡¡decide¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡intervention£»¡¡disposition£»¡¡and¡¡government¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Philippines¡£¡¨¡¡His¡¡instructions¡¡to¡¡the¡¡commissioners¡¡actually¡¡went¡¡farther£º
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¡¨In¡¡view¡¡of¡¡what¡¡has¡¡been¡¡stated£»¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡¡cannot¡¡accept¡¡less¡¡than¡¡the¡¡cession¡¡in¡¡full¡¡rights¡¡and¡¡sovereignty¡¡of¡¡the¡¡island¡¡of¡¡Luzon¡£¡¨
The¡¡American¡¡commissioners¡¡were¡¡divided¡£¡¡Day¡¡favored¡¡the¡¡limited¡¡terms¡¡of¡¡the¡¡instructions£»¡¡Davis£»¡¡Frye£»¡¡and¡¡Reid¡¡wished¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡group¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Philippines£»¡¡Gray¡¡emphatically¡¡protested¡¡against¡¡taking¡¡any¡¡part¡¡of¡¡the¡¡islands¡£¡¡On¡¡the¡¡26th¡¡of¡¡October£»¡¡Hay¡¡telegraphed¡¡that¡¡the¡¡President¡¡had¡¡decided¡¡that¡¡¡¨the¡¡cession¡¡must¡¡be¡¡of¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡Archipelago¡¡or¡¡none¡£¡¨¡¡The¡¡Spanish¡¡commissioners¡¡objected¡¡strongly¡¡to¡¡this¡¡new¡¡development£»¡¡and¡¡threatened¡¡to¡¡break¡¡off¡¡the¡¡negotiations¡¡which¡¡otherwise¡¡were¡¡practically¡¡concluded¡£¡¡This¡¡outcome¡¡would¡¡have¡¡put¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡¡in¡¡the¡¡unfortunate¡¡position¡¡of¡¡continuing¡¡a¡¡war¡¡which¡¡it¡¡had¡¡begun¡¡in¡¡the¡¡interests¡¡of¡¡Cuba¡¡for¡¡the¡¡quite¡¡different¡¡purpose¡¡of¡¡securing¡¡possession¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Philippines¡£¡¡The¡¡Spanish¡¡were¡¡probably¡¡not¡¡without¡¡hopes¡¡that¡¡under¡¡these¡¡changed¡¡conditions¡¡they¡¡might¡¡be¡¡able¡¡to¡¡bring¡¡to¡¡their¡¡active¡¡assistance¡¡that¡¡latent¡¡sympathy¡¡for¡¡them¡¡which¡¡existed¡¡so¡¡strongly¡¡in¡¡Europe¡£¡¡Nor¡¡was¡¡the¡¡basis¡¡of¡¡the¡¡claim¡¡of¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡¡entirely¡¡clear¡£¡¡On¡¡the¡¡3d¡¡of¡¡November¡¡the¡¡American¡¡commissioners¡¡cabled¡¡to¡¡the¡¡President¡¡that¡¡they¡¡were¡¡convinced¡¡that¡¡the¡¡occupation¡¡of¡¡Manila¡¡did¡¡not¡¡constitute¡¡a¡¡conquest¡¡of¡¡the¡¡islands¡¡as¡¡a¡¡whole¡£
By¡¡this¡¡time£»¡¡however£»¡¡the¡¡President¡¡had¡¡decided¡¡that¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡¡must¡¡have¡¡the¡¡islands¡£¡¡On¡¡the¡¡13th¡¡of¡¡November£»¡¡Hay¡¡telegraphed¡¡that¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡¡was¡¡entitled¡¡to¡¡an¡¡indemnity¡¡for¡¡the¡¡cost¡¡of¡¡the¡¡war¡£¡¡This¡¡argument¡¡was¡¡not¡¡put¡¡forward¡¡because¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡¡wished¡¡indemnity¡¡but¡¡to¡¡give¡¡a¡¡technical¡¡basis¡¡for¡¡the¡¡American¡¡claim¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Philippines¡£¡¡In¡¡the¡¡same¡¡cablegram£»¡¡Hay¡¡instructed¡¡the¡¡commissioners¡¡to¡¡offer¡¡Spain¡¡ten¡¡or¡¡twenty¡¡millions¡¡for¡¡all¡¡the¡¡islands¡£¡¡Upon¡¡this¡¡financial¡¡basis¡¡the¡¡treaty¡¡was¡¡finally¡¡concluded£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡signed¡¡on¡¡December¡¡10£»¡¡1898£»¡¡and¡¡ratifications¡¡were¡¡exchanged¡¡on¡¡April¡¡11£»¡¡1899¡£
The¡¡terms¡¡of¡¡the¡¡treaty¡¡provided£»¡¡first£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡relinquishment¡¡of¡¡sovereignty¡¡over¡¡Cuba¡¡by¡¡Spain¡£¡¡The¡¡island¡¡was¡¡to¡¡be¡¡occupied¡¡by¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States£»¡¡in¡¡whose¡¡hands¡¡its¡¡subsequent¡¡disposition¡¡was¡¡left¡£¡¡All¡¡other¡¡Spanish¡¡islands¡¡in¡¡the¡¡West¡¡Indies£»¡¡together¡¡with¡¡Guam¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Ladrones£»¡¡were¡¡ceded¡¡to¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡£¡¡The¡¡whole¡¡archipelago¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Philippines£»¡¡with¡¡water¡¡boundaries¡¡carefully¡¡but¡¡not¡¡quite¡¡accurately¡¡drawn£»¡¡was¡¡ceded¡¡to¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States£»¡¡which¡¡by¡¡the¡¡same¡¡article¡¡agreed¡¡to¡¡pay¡¡Spain¡¡20£»000£»000¡£¡¡All¡¡claims¡¡for¡¡indemnity¡¡or¡¡damages¡¡between¡¡the¡¡two¡¡nations£»¡¡or¡¡either¡¡nation¡¡and¡¡the¡¡citizens¡¡of¡¡the¡¡other£»¡¡were¡¡mutually¡¡relinquished£»¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡¡assuming¡¡the¡¡adjudication¡¡and¡¡settlement¡¡of¡¡all¡¡claims¡¡of¡¡her¡¡own¡¡citizens¡¡against¡¡Spain¡£
This¡¡treaty£»¡¡even¡¡more¡¡than¡¡the¡¡act¡¡of¡¡war£»¡¡marked¡¡a¡¡turning¡¡point¡¡in¡¡the¡¡relation¡¡of¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡¡to¡¡the¡¡outside¡¡world¡£¡¡So¡¡violent¡¡was¡¡the¡¡opposition¡¡of¡¡those¡¡who¡¡disapproved£»¡¡and¡¡so¡¡great¡¡the¡¡reluctance¡¡of¡¡even¡¡the¡¡majority¡¡of¡¡those¡¡who¡¡approved£»¡¡to¡¡acknowledge¡¡that¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡¡had¡¡emerged¡¡from¡¡the¡¡isolated¡¡path¡¡which¡¡it¡¡had¡¡been¡¡treading¡¡since¡¡1823£»¡¡that¡¡every¡¡effort¡¡was¡¡made¡¡to¡¡minimize¡¡the¡¡significance¡¡of¡¡the¡¡beginning¡¡of¡¡a¡¡new¡¡era¡¡in¡¡American¡¡history¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡argued¡¡by¡¡those¡¡delving¡¡into¡¡the¡¡past¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Philippines¡¡actually¡¡belonged¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Western¡¡Hemisphere¡¡because¡¡the¡¡famous¡¡demarcation¡¡line¡¡drawn¡¡by¡¡Pope¡¡Alexander¡¡VI£»¡¡in¡¡1493£»¡¡ran¡¡to¡¡the¡¡west¡¡of¡¡them£»¡¡it¡¡was£»¡¡indeed£»¡¡partly¡¡in¡¡consequence¡¡of¡¡that¡¡line¡¡that¡¡Spain¡¡had¡¡possessed¡¡the¡¡islands¡£¡¡Before¡¡Spain¡¡lost¡¡Mexico¡¡her¡¡Philippine¡¡trade¡¡had¡¡actually¡¡passed¡¡across¡¡the¡¡Pacific£»¡¡through¡¡the¡¡Mexican¡¡port¡¡of¡¡Acapulco£»¡¡and¡¡across¡¡the¡¡Atlantic¡£¡¡Yet¡¡these¡¡interesting¡¡historical¡¡facts¡¡were¡¡scarcely¡¡related¡¡in¡¡the¡¡mind¡¡of¡¡the¡¡public¡¡to¡¡the¡¡more¡¡immediate¡¡and¡¡tangible¡¡fact¡¡that¡¡the¡¡annexation¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Philippines¡¡gave¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡¡a¡¡far¡flung¡¡territory¡¡situated¡¡just¡¡where¡¡all¡¡the¡¡powerful¡¡nations¡¡of¡¡the¡¡world¡¡were¡¡then¡¡centering¡¡their¡¡interest¡£
In¡¡opposition¡¡to¡¡those¡¡who¡¡disapproved¡¡of¡¡this¡¡extension¡¡of¡¡territory£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡argued¡¡more¡¡cogently¡¡that£»¡¡in¡¡spite¡¡of¡¡the¡¡prevailing¡¡belief¡¡of¡¡the¡¡thirty¡¡preceding¡¡years£»¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡¡had¡¡always¡¡