The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1898-09-16
cHAMBERLAIN'8 ADVICE TO Us

Derlaln, VINO, rs england SeCteGaly
for the colonies, holds the reIns of
government over an imperial domain
greater than the Roman empire at its
best
AS Mr.. Cham ber!ain says, ''the
United States is now face to face
with the question of territorial ex-
pansion." By its side all other
problems of the day in America
dwindle into insignifcance. The
question confronts this country now,
not because Porto Rico and Cuba are
at last liberated from Spanish ty-
ranny, but, as Mr.. Chamberlain sig
nificantly observes, ''by reason of its
occupation and conquest of an island
In the east" Nor does Mr.. Cham
berlain see in this the mere accident
of war. The issue was bound to be
made sooner or later "by virtue of
the completely and vastness of the
commercial interests of such a pro-
gressive people as the Americans.
This is very remarkable state
ment, coming from Joseph Chamber
lain, 1t is the deliberate judgment
of the highest authority on territorial
expansion in public life. The pres
ent secretary for the colonies is not
Bismarck nor Gladstone in general
sta tatesmanship, though he aspires to
both, but upon matters coming with
in the scope of his portfolio he has
no equal in any country. In his
opinion the United States was bound
by the trend of commercial events,
independent OF the exigencles of war,
to acquire possessions in the Orient.
While American participation,
soon or late. in solving the eastern
problem, was inevitable, the war has
put upon US a duty from which there
is no honorable escape. This is the
way Mr.. Cham berlaiD puts it: 'Hav-
ing entered upon the struggle, the
United States could not leave the
islands involved in the warfare in a
state of revolution, but must supply
a peaceful and reasonably efficient
government" The case, from the
standpoint of national obligation,
could not be more aptly stated.
What shall the government be?
This newspaper on July 29 called
editorial attention to the system of
government now carried on in Egypt
as furnishing a model for American
jurisdiction over our newly acquired
island. Mr.. Chamberlain does the
same. 1t is what he says on this
point which gives most weight and
pertinence to his interview:
Tine United States now finds it.
self in much the same position as our
selves in Egypt. We are bound to
put down rebellion, and we shall stay
there until we do. What system of
colonial government your people will
accept as the most practicable and
efficient is for you to decide, and, as
/ have said, you are not in need OF
advice. Great Britain went into
Egypt to conserve the rights there
of English commerce and citizenship
and we are bound to stay there until
better government is assured
The point of present inslstence i:
that the United States shall shirk nc
responsibility and sacrifice no right:
in the Philippines that America shal
do for its new insular territory wha
England has done for the land of the
Nile-civilize it, enrich it, and real
from it the profits of the era of eli
lightenment and prosperity. The
terms Philippine, Luzon, and Manils
do not occur in the Chamberlain in
terview, but there is no concealmen
of the fact that the secretary's eye il
single to the east, by the side o
which the West Indian results of tn,
war are little more. than the fine dus
~ tba- haJonoa GA peaoaful aDT