The San Francisco call., 1898-05-17
HOLDING OF THE PHILIPPINES

If, therefore, we are going into the col onizing business we must make up our minds to groan under the burdens of crushing taxation, for a great standing army and a great fleet are necessary to the very life of the country If we are to change off to that policy.-Richmond (Va.) Times.
 When all of the conditions which make for anarchy in these islands are under stood; when the press and public come to see the enormous price we should have to pay for great military, civil and na- val establishment to govern the tnhabit- ants without suffrage of any kind, 1t is to be hoped that public opinion will harden against the hazardous experiment of har- monizing with American democracy 8 colonial system of the inevitable Asiatic type.-Buffalo Commercial.
 There appear but two courses which we can consistently pursue. One is to return the islands to Spain after the war has been concluded. and the other is to give the people there who have been in revolt against Spanish tyranny an opportunity to set up a stable independent govern ment. The war we are engaged in is for humanity's sake, not conqueSt.-Phila- delpha Public Ledger.
 The United States must take her place as one of the active dominating forces among the powers of the earth. Send an
 
 both, to the Philippines. Rebuild the Ca vite fort Fortify the harbor so that we can hold 1t against all corners Appoint military Governor, or a civil one, 1T you will until we have enough Americans there to vote and carry on our own form of government. Some Of the other powers may hem and haw little at first, but they will get used to 1t before we get through.-Kansas City World.
 It may be, as we said yesterday. that
 g-I- manently. But the necessity should be clear It looks now as though they would be either English or American. In the meantime we shall have to govern them as best we can.-Indianapolis News.
 That we shall be factor henceforth is recognized by the thoughtful English and European journals, and this recognition calls for display of diplomatic force in Washington. We are not ambitious to dominate the world by might, but we do believe that our peaceful trade relations should not be ignored, and the possession of the Philippines will give us a position such as we have never occupied. There Is no hurry. When peace comes we shall take up the peaceful topics of commerce, and diplomacy will then be relied upon.- Philadelphia Inquirer.
 It looks very much as though this coun- try would have to retain possession of these islands, and provide a stable gov ernment there. The consequences of war have placed these islands in our hands, and no matter how undesirable or trou- blesome they may be, we must make the best of them. We have not gone into this policy with the spirit of imperialism. I'm perialism seems to be forced upon us.- Utica (N. Y.) Observer
 It is hardly too much to say that the national policy has witnessed radical change since the Cuban war began. Foreign ports will be acquired in the eastern and western worlds; a navy suf- ficient to command the respect and in- spire the fear of the greatest European power will be created and maintained. We are not at all likely to enter upon a rather of commercial expansion. We want American influence to be felt In every port and every capital. We want the United States to be in fact the great est nation on earth.-F'resno Republican.
 To the United States, in a commercial sense, the benefits that will accrue from acquisition of the Philippines can hardly be overestimated The cities of the Pa- cific Coast would be first to feel the bene- fit and in virtue of relative contiguity should secure very great proportion of the traffic that will grow up between the islands and their protector, the Govern ment of the United States.-Seattle Daily Times.
 It is conceded by the European powers that the United States has the right, if she chooses to exercise it, to retain pos session of the Philippine Islands. The only advantage possession would give us would be a base of supplies in the far Pacific in case of another war; but out lying possessions of that character are usually very expensive in times of peace