The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1898-05-28
The Philippines.


and peace negotiation have begun, the
one question upon which other powers
than Spain are likely to express them
selves is that Of the retention or disposal
of the Philippine Islands. A manifest
duty is laid upon our public men to take
up the subject before 1t comes acute and
decide upoa the policy which this coun :
try ought firmly and unWaveringiy ad-
opt. 1t Is matter which will affect
most yitally our future, and Of all things
an illc0nsldered eleyenth-hour judg-
ment upon it Is most to be avoided.
The Clayton-Bulwer negotiations are
warning that treaties made in haste
have to be repented for at leisure. Now
is the timo to look carefully over the
whole field and make up our minds what
line Of conduct our stake in the deyolop-
ment of China demands from US.
The Fundamental fact Of the situation
is that our trade with China, which no W
amounts to s2o,O0O,OOOa a year, and Will
surely be trebled or quadrupled within
the next generation, is menaced with
extinction by tho policy of France In the
south and Germany and Russia in the
north. These powers have begun tho
work of splitting up the Chinese EN-
pire into spheres of influence" with the
ultimate purpose of keeping the trade
of each district in their own hands
That purpose, Of course, has not been
avowed officially. but no man can dou 1T
that it was the motive of their recent
actions. The mere fact that they will
give no guarantees for freedom Of COM
merce in the provinces that have come
under their control is proof enough that
they intend to colonize Oh principles of
foreign trade exclusion,
This intention is incompatible with
our interests. Our treaties entitled us
to all the commercial privileges and
favors that are granted by the Celestial
Empire to any other nation. It follows
that any concession made to foreign
power which does not carry with it an
equality of trading opportunities for
American merchants is fiat defiance
of our treaty rights which we cannot
afford to overlook. The "open door"
means everything TO the future of our
commerce, and we cannot stand by with
out protest snd see it close against us.
At such a price non-interventlon is too
dearly purchased. There is no uss in
making treaties il we are not to look
after them.
The question Of the Philippine Islands
is bound np inseparable with our com.
merclal position in China, and cannot
be considered thing apart. To protect
our merchants in the far East we need
what every other nation already has, a
sufficient fleet and permanent naval
station. 1t was just because we lacked
these common necessities that the pow
ers which have begun to devour China
felt they could override our plain lights
with impunity. Had we been in po-
sition to put our feet down at the begin.
ming, we might have stopped the game
of grab then and there. As 1t was, we
merely look on and trust 10 luck to keep
our interests intact.
The retention Of the Philippines to
serve as a basis Of operations for an eff
cient Pacific squadron becomes, there
fore, a matter of necessity and duty,
unless we wish to escape the obligation
every country Is under to protect the
privileges of its merchants wherever
they are threatened. At the same time,
the nature Of the case will make our
determation to keep them exceedingly
unwelcOmo to France, Russia and Ger
many, and exceedingly palatable to
Great Britein and presumably, in the
long run, to Japan. Already Germany
is giving signssot uneasiness and
Russia is manifesting anxiety over the
present friendly relation between Eng
land and America. Both powers are
aware that our main object In keeping
the Philippines will bs to forward q
policy to which they are opposed; aud it
is obvious that France, whose possessions
in Cuba lie nearest the archipelago, will
be nc more pleased than they at the
settlement of her ne W neighbor.
twill be, Of course, a matter Of great
regret If our plans should not harmonize
with those Of our friends of former years:
but we have to adjust our policy to
present-day conditions. Our commerce
in China must be preserved, and the
first necessity OF its preservation is the
retailing Of the Philippines.