The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-10
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9aily Eagle
VI. W. MURDOCH. Editor.
TO ANNEX OR NOT

10 ANNEX Ok NOT
The greatest number of American
statesmen and an overwhelming ma
Jority of the people of this country airs
opposed to territorial acquisition, es-
peciaIly Of any lands which are not
strictly a part Of the continent proper
The desire of all is for compact, DOM
inant Anglo-Saxon homogeneity. and
against any responsibility for the gov
eminent of far-away peoples Of strange
tongues, such as have no ideas of
representative government The Loui-
siana purchase, the Texas, Oregon and
Alaskan acquisitions were logical in
that they were all of our own territory
Even Alaska was called Russian
America" and was and Is of this con-
tinent But against the acquisition Of
far off lands of the Orient and Of
islands Of the sub-tropics there has
been a distinct Discrimination. In fact
for six years the United States has
persistently refused to annex the Sand
wich Islands, Notwithstanding they are
governed by Americans and have been
praying for such recognition and pro-
lection But the inevitable of the
growth in power and in wealth and in
population confronts us and for the
time being a large number Of islands
of the antipodes and at least Porto
Rico and Cuba, Of the South Atlantic
must fall into our possession. This
may prove an unfortunate responsible
ity with little chances Of profit or Of
satisfaction. If the United States were
a monarchy and the president a Ma
poleon, at this particular Juncture,
Great Britain would not only speedily
have a rival for vast colonial possess
rlons, but that power would, in losing
British America, be diminished one
fourth. While the American people
do not want the Philippines or the
West Indies, they are going to demand
Of congress and the administration
such temporary control Of these Span
ish possessions as will afford this gov
eminent an indemnity for it's expendi-
lures in freeing Cuba This seems to
us almost inevitable But Porto Rico
and Cuba are going to plead for out
right annexation, and thence win come
complications and disagreeable, if not
expensive, experiences.
The United States, however, is rep
resented by live men and their com
mercial enterprises in every country
in the world. Our trade with the Phil
ippines is greater than is the trade of
that island with all other countries
combined. The Philippines were al
ready ours in commercial sense. Now
that there is a threatened partition of |
China among the European powers,
every one of which has port or foot
hold of some kind in that country, and |
America has none, Notwithstanding her |
immense trade with these Orientals,
it may, no doubt will, become neces-
sary to secure a port in that section |
for an enlarged Pacific squadron for
the proper protection of our men and |
national interests The bay of Manila |
but a few hours sail from Hong Kong
may be just what we want, even If we /
do not hold on to the islands. Manila |
is one Of the finest and largest harbors
in the world in which a dozen navies
might congregate. It is not only well
fortified and easy 70 protect, but caS
be rendered inaccessible by certifying
properly the two islands which lie in
its narrow entrance. AS for the An
TILES, we can guard every interest
from our own nearby ports. But It is
a third Of the way around the globe to
China Manila is not only within
striking distance of the Chinese en-
pire. OF Japan. and OF the British pos
sessions in the Indies, but is within
four or five days sail of Australia In
short, others than Spain are worried
over our acquisition Of the Philippines,
including Japan, France and Germany.
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ABREAST THE WORLD
The United States will come out Of