The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-11-12
HIGH sPANIARD,s STATEMENT.
America Would Have Great Difficulty
 in Ruling Philippines.


 the strongest individual factor in Spain's financial and commercial world, who is now in this city, made public statement to-day of his personal views regarding the Hispano-American situa- tion. He said: Whatever antagonism may have been engendered in the minds of the American people towards the Spaniards as political enemies, I can not believe the American people will f1icted upon the vast number of Span- iards whose property and incomes may be destroyed as the result of this war.
 Tt is not question of the rich only, but of the small merchants and manu- facturers, their employers and laborers. In the hope of securing some better un- derstanding of these interests by the American people, and thus some better protection of those interests, I feel bold enough to speak as to my views and wishes regarding them as affected by treaty of peace. It may prove difficult for me to get wholly clear of political and governmental considerations, be- cause in Spain commerce and industry are closely allied with the government. This condition doubtless will be con- demned in America, but the commer- cial and industrial interests did not ere ate the system and could prosper only by conforming to conditions existing in my country. The Philippine question presents very difficult features from that of the West Indies. In the Philip pines Americans have no interests of considerable importance. The Monroe doctrine does not apply there. In send ing Admiral Dewey's squadron to the Malayan seas the Americans could have had no reasonable aim except to divert the attention of the Madrid government and of the meagre naval reserve forces of Spain piece of strategy which was highly efficacious in breaking down the moral and material forces of Spain.
 But now that the desired effect has been obtained, I cannot comprehend what reason the Americans have to re- tain that land in their power. Spain is suffering severely from her defeat, af- ter prolonged and disastrous insurrec- ton in Cuba and she is mortally hurt in her commerce and industry. The Americans are absolute strangers to the Philippines and their population They are unprovided with the imme- diate necessities to rule that territory The cession of sovereignty over the Philippines to the United States would be disastrous to all those having busi- ness interests there as we'll as for the natives. Spain cannot transfer her Philippine sovereignty to the United States by a mere clause in a peace treaty. The United States would be confronted with a war for the subju- gation of eight million Malayans This would mean the destruction of all prop erty in the Philippines. Trade and commerce would be paralyzed there. The merchants and manufacturers of Spain would lose the markets they now enjoy, their factories would suspend and their employees lie idle. The mark cts for their products would have van- ished.
 "But the United States would not gain these markets. At least they would gain them only by fire and sword. The case of the Philippines is entirely different from the cases of Cuba and Porto Rico. In our colonies there exists population of S,000,000 who have lived for centuries identified with Spain and an immense majority of whom would not accept the decision of the mother country should she trans fer her sovereignty without their con- sent to a foreign nation. The whole population of Mindano and the archi- pelago of the Visayas and the great body of inhabitants of the island of I.uzon sympathizes with Spain and have defended her cause with arms, in mast insurrections as well as in the nres1nt one with the same enthusiasm as the Spaniards of the peninsula could show. All these elemnts-once the ties which attach them to Spain were brok- an would rise without doubt as sim, hle man in favor of independence.
 ..As to the attitude of the Taglos, al- readv in arms against Spain, there can ta no doubt. Habits of fighting are ac- .,uired. ambitions awakened by khe as surances of the chiefs who have trained inc masses to cry for independence and Ire hopes which the United States gov arnment itself has raised in them, would tend to make them the bitterest ene-