The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-08-18

now anu III dli ncT HbtOTy gre lllOIt
important than the mere acquisition Of
territory. II this were the first OBJ
ject of our policy Cuba would be an
nexed next winter. But Il Is not. The
United States IL not seeking empire
but the creation on the American hem
ispherc, by the exclusion of European
mllitarisn, OF group OF free, inde-
pendent, autonomous, self-directing
states, whose peaceful industrial devci-
opment can go on under the powerful
protection of this country. Under this
policy we took no more from Mexico
than rounded our own continental
boundaries. We declined Yucatan when
Its people offered themselves as a free
gift half century ago. We left Haiti
and San Domingo untouched We linn
tied our territorial advance on the
isthmus. Porto Rico is taken today
not primarily for it's territory but be-
cause Spain has mlsgoverned the is
land and the United States cannot dis
charge its duty as the naval protector
of the Gulf and Caribbean sea without
an island for n place of arms.
The Philippines were attacked as
part of our duty TO stop misgovern-
inent on two American islands, and In
disrosing of them our American duties
must be first considered. Russia and
England are on the edge of war over
slice of China. 1t would not pay us to
take all China as a gift. Our chief
duty in the Philippines is to secure our
future control of the Pacific and the
protection of our commerce there, and
our next duty is to discharge to the
uttermost such moral obligations as
were created by our victory at Ma
Mia. a mere coaling station will not
do this. Such a station would be eX-
pensive, indefensble and cost in peace
and in war more than 1t would come to.
The United States needs another Hong
Kong or another Singapore. Such a
city is useless as a commercial center
unless 1t has territory. England, af-
ter half a century. has demonstrated
this in the case of Hong Kong and
backed it's rock island with recent
grant of Chinese mainland.
Our Hong Kong must begin right
Manila is not enough. A mere neck of
land would be insufficient. A score of
pretexts would be found in Spain for
playing the same game of isolation
which Spain, often in defiance of the
spirit of treaties, has played at Glib
raltar, so that the place is commercial
ly of small moment. Manila must not
nr1x ho 10 l.,
conditions which will make it a valu-
able, self-supporting, growing posses
sion. Luzon. on which Manila stands,
can no more be divided from its port
than Batavia could be cut off from
Java, Colombo from Ceylon or Ha-
vana from Cuba. Island and city go
together. They cannot be separated.
The duty of the United States to-
ward the future American trade of the
Pacific-not its own alone-can appar-
emily, under existing knowledge, best
be discharged by holding Luzon. Rea-
sons may exist for holding less and the
decision is not one to be reached off
hand, but the drift is that way. Hold
ing Luzon, also, the United States does
| its full duty by the insurgents it has
| accepted as allies. 1t is in a position
to enforce guarantees for better admin
istration in the other islands. and,
what is better than any guarantees
by governing Luzon well, it can render
administration elsewhere difficult If
not impossible"
| While impulsive public opinion may
at first show disappointment at the
administrators reluctance to take i'm
| mediate and entire hold of the Philip
| pines. the fact that we are to become
the guiding power there insures that
| the civilization for which we stand
sponsor. once entrenched, will stead
| lily expand. That points conclusively
to one ultimate result-the American
ization of the whole archipelago.