New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-12
PLANS FOR TIE PHILIPPINES.

r,o srooest,on has been made here and there
that the Philippine Islands should DE di''ueu
among the five or six Powers which manires' Il
desire TO possess them. Thus only. II is sai"'
the various rivals could all be appeased. Inc
probability seems to be. however that such a"
Arrangement would be of all most certain 10
produce trouble. The facts OF geography con-
denim it. OF all important island groups ana
clusters in the world the Philippines are scarce
" executing Japan. the most compact. lhey
resemble n single great island split into man!
by narrow assures To apportion them among
rival Powers would be q task 1t would require
q now and greater Solomon to perform WIN
satisfaction. To keep them under diverse gov
ernments without incessant wrangllngs ana fric-
ton would be n task beyond the power OF hu-
man nature to perform. 1t might be practlca-
h,o for tho Tinted States to confne its complete
prcprietorship and sovereignty to the one Islam
If Luzop. and let the rest either form native
republic under our suzerainty or be restored 70
spanish administration under proper guaran-
fees: but that would seem to be about the ex-
treme limit Of division.
The idea that all nations which wish to do so
should be permitted to seize members or the
group. or at least ports. for coalng stations, Is
lion in law for such conduct. nor in the de-
mands of necessity. The islands belong either
70 Spain or to the United States If to the lat
ter. 1t would be hostile act against us Tor any
other Power to seize any of them III 70 the TOT
mer. 1t would not be friendly act Tor any
other Power thus to NEEDLE between this M
ton and that with which 1t Is at war For
such act there could be no justification IN need
.11
for no Power excepting the United states needs
n station there Great Britain does not, Tor sne
has Hong Kong and part OF Borneo and Singa-
pore and Australia. all within easy reach OF
each other France does not, for she has lndo-
China. living almost as near TO New-Caledonia
as do the Philippines Germany does not. for
she has EiaoChau and part Of New-Guinea and
n foothold on Samoa Russia does not. for all
her Pocifc interests lie further north. Japan
does not for she has Formosa. and her inter-
ests. too lie north Of LuzOn. But we nave no
other station in that quarter and we need one
as n last westward stepping stone toward the
"open doors of Aslatc trade.
These are elementary principles which Will
doubtless he duly considered in the making or
final disposition Of those interesting islanhs
This. too that the disposition will indeed be
final IL the United States takes the islands II
will have them for all time, If II desires to keep
them; though. of course, it VIII ne able TO get
rid of them mt any time. If 1t valves its natn-
raj rights and declines to take them, 1t Will
never have another chance to get them, unless
In a war of1conquest such as Is not TO be looked
for II il taxes them and finds 1t has made
mistake In so doing. II can correct that mistake
with ease. II 1t does not take them and finds II
has made n mistake In not taking them, 1t can
not correct that mistake.