The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-06-09
MUST KEEP PHILIPPINES.
Delegations of London Business Men
Urge the Matter on Ambas-
sador Hay.
sador Hay.

Copyright, 1898, by Associated Press)
London, June 9.-Whatever may be
the policy of the United States toward
the Philippine islands, the English cap
italists whose investments there give
them the right to speak with authority
upon the conditions and needs of the
colony are of one mind. Delegations of
London men representing some of the
most important interests in the Philip
pines have called upon Ambassador
Hay to urge him to make representa-
tons to his government of their desire
that the United States retain perma-
nent possession of the Philippines. They
agreed with the belief that with the
guarantee of a stable government, the
Philippines would become a, richer and
even more desirable possession than
Cuba They are agreed also upon the
statement that Spanish rule, is one
which discoura ges business enterprises
and repels capital and that the legiti-
mate profits of their business are most
ly absorbed by direct and indirect
brides to Spanish officials.
Without liberal investments to secure
the favor of the ruling class, these gen
tlemen tell the ambassador that no bus
mess operations can be conducted under
the regime of Spain. The position of
the Philippine capitalists is one which
prevents them from making a public
declaration of their views. Should the
islands remain under Spanish rule that
government would make conditions
burdensome for business men who were
in accord as desiring a change and who
mad made revelations about Spanish
misrule. They can make known their
desires only through secret diplomatic
channels as they have done.
The president of an important Phil
iDpine company having it's principle Of
flee in London, who presented a state
ment to the ambassador, discussed the
question with representative of the
Associated Press, but only on condition
that his name be withheld. He gave
the usual recital of eXtortion by the Of
fcials who go from Spain to these is
lands, as they go to Cuba, with the sole
purpose of acquiring as much money as
possible in the shortest time. He ridi-
culed the suggestion that the Philip
pine Insurgents could be induced by the
SpaniardS to form an alliance against
the United States. The natives, he de-
clared, would welcome any power which
would relieve them from the ,domina-
ton of Spain. He did not, however,
seem to place much confidence in the
good faith of the revOlutionists and in
cfdentalIy remarked that he had knowl-
edge that more than one native inSur-
rectlOn had been inspired and promoted
by Spanish officials for the increased
revenues which would come to them
through the transportation of troops in
TO the islands to suppress the rebellion
Under proper treatment the natives,
although consisting of several different
races, would be entirely tracable. The
greatest difficulties the United States
would encounter in managing the is
lands. would come from the religious
orders which had been accustomed to
squeeze the natives and had accumula-
ted much valuable property. The pres
ent instruction was as much an upris-
ing against the church as against the
government and was conducted by a
secret society which had been organic
ed to oppose the priests, a sort of free
masonry, which had spread throughout
the islands. AS an instance of Spanish
colonial government, he said there was
but one road outside of Manila in the
island The entire absence of public
works of all sorts was a great check to
business enterprises.
Careful investigation by the most
efficient engineers has proven that the
gold deposits of the Philippines are
among the richest in the world and
under conditions favorable to the devel-
opment he was sure that the islands
would surpass Australia and South At
RIGA as a gold country.
In conclusion this gentleman said the
American government need not be de-
tered by the climate, from invading
the Philippines with unseasoned troops.
During a residence of ten years, he had
known of but one epidemic of disease
and that was not of a serious nature.