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ground that it was not a substantial compliance with the resolution of Congress. Accordingly, the terms of the first Platt amendment were accepted by the Cuban convention on June 12, by a vote of 16 to 11. The constitution was accordingly signed and proclaimed and an electoral law was drawn up, which provided for a general election on December 31, 1901, for the selection of presidential and senatorial electors who were to cast their ballots for president, vice-president and senators on February 24, 1902.

Two other steps in America's march toward a colonial empire was the accession of Guam and Tutuila. The former was gained by occupation, the cruiser Charleston, which was convoying the transport of the first military expedition to Manila, taking possession of the island, much to the surprise of the Spanish garrison, who were unaware that hostilities were in progress. This island* is only 32 miles long and intrinsically of small worth to the United States, but the possession of the Philippines necessitated the securing of coaling and strategic points in the vast distances

*The island of Guam, the largest of the Marianne or Ladrone Archipelago, lies in a direct line from San Francisco to the southern part of the Philippines, and is 5,200 miles from San Francisco and 900 miles from Manila. It is about 32 miles long and 100 miles in circumference, and has a population of about 8,661, of whom 5,249 are in Agana, the capital. The prevailing language is Spanish. Commander Taussig, of the United States gunboat Bennington, took possession of the island and raised the United States flag over Fort Santa Cruz on February 1, 1899.

of the Pacific. Hawaii was one, Guam the second, and Samoa the third. The last had been under protection of the United States, Great Britain and Germany by virtue of a tripartite treaty signed at Berlin June 14, 1889. On September 7, 1899, Secretary Hay informed Ambassador Choate at London that Germany desired a partition of the islands, the United States to retain Tutuila and adjacent islands, Great Britain and Germany to divide the rest.* the rest. Accordingly, by a treaty concluded December 2, 1899, the United States became possessed of one of the most beautiful bits of territory in the world, with Pago-Pago, the finest harbor in the Pacific. Wake Island, a tiny speck of land mid-way between Hawaii and the Philippines, was also annexed on January, 1899, by Commander Taussig, on his way to Guam. This of course is of no importance save from a strategical standpoint.‡

Thus suddenly did the victory of Dewey transform the relations of America to the Far East. While all of these readjustments were being made to insure defence of the Philippines, the nation itself was not sure that it desired to keep them. Imperialism and expansion became the is

* Moore, Digest of International Law, vol. 1, pp. 536-554.

Ex-Chief Justice Chambers, of Samoa, says of Pago-Pago that "The harbor could hold the entire naval force of the United States, and is so perfectly arranged that only two vessels can enter at the same time. The coaling station, being surrounded by high bluffs, cannot be reached by shells from outside.

See pp. 78-79.

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sues of the day and bade fair to play a prominent part in the forthcoming presidential election. During the progress of the war party lines were eliminated, and Democrats and Republicans joined in promoting the success of American arms. As soon as peace was declared, however, the lines of cleavage reasserted themselves, and again the party of Jefferson declared for a return to old and safer policies; the Republicans maintaining, in opposition, the principle that America could not avoid her destiny and that her duty was to carry her ideals of liberty to far-off seas, even to the mother nations of the world.

The close of the war and the return of those who had so signally distinguished themselves was the signal for an outbreak of enthusiasm almost beyond comprehension. Every city or community that had sent a hero to the front gave him a home-coming welcome that at times narrowly escaped hysteria. The extravagance of the admiring throng, so unrestrained, led to situations involving the object of their adulation that at times were little short of ridiculous, and, perhaps, to those without the saving grace of humor became a source of bitterness when the popular reaction

set in.

The climax, to this season of national exultation was the celebration in honor of the return of Admiral Dewey, held at New York, September 28, 1899. It was a revival of the ancient Roman triumph on a scale and

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with a theater that transcended even Rome. In every situation in which Admiral Dewey found himself he had acted with such skill, tact and bravery that he became to the American people in a sense the symbol of the American spirit in its new mission in world affairs. Honors in the fullest measure had already come to him, Congress having appointed him rearadmiral immediately after the victory at Manila, and on March 2, 1899, the highest naval honor in the gift of the country was awarded him by an act of Congress reviving the dormant rank of admiral of the navy and appointing him to the same. the third to attain this recognition, Farragut and Porter being the other two. This unusual official testimonial of national gratitude was, however, excelled by the ovations made him by the people of the United States. His return to America was the signal for a series of fêtes that extended from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The most magnificent of these was the celebration at New York City, May 29-30. During these days the victorious admiral was the guest of the city, the lavishness of whose display amazed the world. There were two monster parades; the first on the water, with the beautiful Hudson river as the setting, the other through the streets of the city. A magnificent triumphal arch was erected at Madison Square,

through which through which the thousands of marchers passed. Later, as a further testimonial of the nation's respect, he was presented with a residence in

Washington, the money for its purchase being raised by popular subscription.

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The welcome accorded Admiral Dewey was extended in a degree almost as enthusiastic to Schley, Sampson, Miles, Roosevelt, Hobson, Wheeler, and many others who had served their country with such signal results. In the midst, however, of these strains of national congratulation, notes occurred here and there that were not so sweet to the ears of American people. It It was known during the progress of the Santiago campaign that there was friction, perhaps abuses, in the administrative bureaus of the war department, war department, resulting in faulty transport service and inferior commissary supplies. These reports were, in sense, corroborated by the returning soldiers. The scandal, however, was brought to an acute stage by the accusations of Major-General Miles, who maintained that the Beef Trust had provided the army with meat that was not only unpalatable, but positively injurious, owing to the chemicals with which it was treated. The term" embalmed beef" became a commonplace with the public, and so strong finally became the popular feeling that President McKinley was impelled to designate a commission (December, 1899) to inquire into the conduct of the war. The testimony presented justified many of the accusations, but powerful agencies were at work to hush up the affair and the result was a non-committal report by

the commission.* An unfortunate side-issue of the agitation was the controversy between General Miles and Commissary-General Eagan, in which the latter so lost his sense of personal dignity as to write a scurrilous letter to General Miles which led to his suspension from the army.

Of another type, yet equally distressing, was the quarrel between the adherents of Admirals Sampson and Schley, which for a while divided the entire nation into two factions and eventually forced the latter to call for a naval court of inquiry. Admirals Dewey, Ramsay and Benham were detailed to perform the unpleasant task of passing upon questions involving the honor and courage of a brother officer of equal rank. The decision rendered December 13, 1900, was unfavorable, although the court declined to pass on Schley's alleged disobedience of orders on the ground that the action of the administration in failing, to discipline him at the time, and, in addition, of raising him to the rank of rear-admiral, had condoned any offense that may have been committed. They, however, reported that Schley, according to the facts presented, had failed to keep a close blockade, had not endeavored to determine the location of the Spanish fleet with sufficient energy, had not proceeded to Santiago with dispatch, that he had lost distance in the battle by the "loop maneuver, and that his whole conduct during the cam

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*See Commission on the Conduct of the War, Report and Hearings.

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