The Portland daily press., 1898-12-10
Thu PHILIPPINES.
A Letter from John Sherman on the
Question Of the Hour
SOME PERTINENT ADVICE TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.

de Argues Against Taking tho Philip
Let Them Be Free Nation Of Them
selves.
At a meeting of the executive committee
of the anti-imperialist league in BOSTON,
the following lettsr from John Sherman
was received by the league, addressed to
James P. Munroe, and is given out. for
publication:--
] concur with ron in opposition to the
acquisition of the Philippines as part
of the United States. The harsh and
cruel despotism of Spain over the inhabi-
tants of Cuba fully justified the interven-
ton of the United States to drive out
Spanish soldiers from the island. This
has been my desire for sc years and more.
The natural opposition Of the American
people to be involved in controversies be-
tween Spain and Cuba prevented them
from taking part in the oftsrepeated
struggles of Cuba for independence. until
now when the generally voice OF our
people demands the exclusion Of Spanish
soldiers from Cuba, but this demand is
qualified with the declaration that the
United States will not hold that island
as dependency, but will leave the people
of it in full control Of their own govern
ment and territory.
Here the Spanish war ought to have
ended. Cuba will be free to make its
own constitution and laws and will have
thu hearty support Of the United States.
Other islands of the Caribbeans are wise
ly governed by foreignl powers. The
friendly influence and example OF great
nation like the United States will always
be of value to these islands, Our govern
ment should make no entangling alliance
with any of them, but it can easily CD
tain from them coaling stations and other
facilities for our commerce. This, be-
lieye, was the desire Of the president, but
the eager greed of some of our people to
extend cur territories to remote parts of
the earth has apparently led him to ac-
quiesce in the seizure by the United States
of the Philippine islands on the opposite
side of the globe, in the tropical zone,
near the equator
These islands are said to contain i0, 000,-
900 people, composed OF Malays' Japanese,
Chinese and OF many nations and tribes.
They are now at war with the Spaniards,
and will BE- at war with us II we under
take 60 govern them. 1t will be necessary
to maintain an army and fieet to hold
them in subsection. What good can come
of such an acquisition? We already feel
the evil results of our threat to occupy
and hold tbs islands. Our army is enOr-
mously increased and Is still held and
must remain in force to await the order
to take the Philippines. Our navy must
transport our troops 10000 miles away,
thus making necessary the great enlarge
ment of this navy. Our debt is already on
tie increase at time when we had a
reasonable hope for its full payment.
The United States now embraces the
better part of great continent in COM
pact form, with a population of 70,00O, 600
people, speaking the same language. IN
crsasing annually nearly per cent, With
the abolition of slavery there is no cause
for sectional controversy The North
and South are now as closely allied as
the East and the West. agOur adjacent
countries, Mexico and Canada, are pros
porous and friendly. Wesaare protected
by the ocean, from all serious danger OF
attack, and our vessels sail In safety over
tV6fy OC6dus itA0 COosA N1At AA,sS5 - e-NN
token of friendship wherever it Is I'M
folded. Why then, should we seek to &C.
qulre and govern the Philippine islands?
Will we allow them to be represented IN
Congress? Will We form them into states?
The general voice will be against either
proposition. We may sympathlze WIN
them in their desire to be free from Spain
but this is no reason why we should an
mex their distant territory to our republic.
Let them first assert their freedom and
maintain it and the United States Will
extend to them the same friendly reiaulons
it does to all the nations OF the Woriu.
This W as tho policy of Washington ana lt
has been adhered to by all the presioents
that followed him.
There are special objections to the ac-
QUESTION of the Philippines islands by the
United States. The great BODY OF Une
inhabitants of these islands do not SPEAK
our language and are inferior In inteln-
gence and education to any part OF 5ne
people of Europe or of the American con
tinents. To annex them as states IN Jne
Union would be to degradeEall the states.
10 hold them as conquered terrltorles
would be a departure from the establlshaa
policy of the United States. Nor is 1t GER
tain if we pay Spain $20s0o0.0 900 for her
disputed title to the Philippines that we
can get peaceful possession of that coun-
try. We already know that an organized
force exists In some OF the lSlanus W To-
sist the United States as well as Spain,
and the strange spectacle will be present.
ed of our powerful republic waging war
against far distant country seeking to
he free.
But suppose no resistance is made TO
the acquisition of the Philippines, what
disposition can be made of them by the
United States. 10 attempt to divide them
into states of the Union would be
mockery and shame. 10 hold them as
d dependent province ii. 600 miles away.
would involve new army and navy and
a large increase of the public debt. The
geography of the islands alone should
condemn their acquisition by the United
States. They number 1900 or more ana
lie between the 5th and goth degrees of
north latitude. But few of the islands
are inhabited. They were nominally sub
ject to Spain, but each island Is indepen-
dent of the Others and all of them have
practically renowned their allegiance to
Spain and dec Jared their purpose to be
free To them the United States ia a
foreign nation, its people speaking a Ian
guage different from their own, living in
4 latitude that begets sloth and febleness.
and that has never in the history of the
world produced strong, virile people or