The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-27

card to her sovereignty in the Philippines Is
- not known.
From time TO time rumors seep out from Paris,
and the nearest to reasonable CONCLUSION from them
= all is that Commissioners are hagghng with the
Spanish representatives over price to be paid for the
islands and their people To pay for territory after
We have whipped the nation that owned has pre-
cedent in our settlement with Mexico But that was
territory over which Mexican jurisdiction was not
only nominal but it was land that untouched by
the hand and untrod by the foot OF civilized man. In
all Of its vast area the Mexican settlers hardly num-
bered into the thousands, and when we made treaty
with Mexico their ownership OF the lands they occu-
pied was respected and they made citizens OF the
United States. 1t is not to be denied that their tate
when their nomadic simplicity was brought IN contact
with American shrewdness such as not to attract
people OF their sort into like companionshp. But
in dealing with Mexico we bought unpeopled land
and admitted the few civilized settlers to citizenship
In the Philippines, however, not buying un-
peopled land Human beings swarm there like ants
AS individuals tribes they own and occupy the
land They have drained to its sorry dregs the cup
of colonial experience. The few who have gained
great wealth are reported in favor OF annexation to
this country in order that their fortunes may be ul-
der the protection OF American fleet and garrison
1t is said that these rich natives complain OF Agun-
aldo that they paid to him large sum OF money
the cash and came out for independence. This Incl
dent means that there is Filipino gold ready to pay
for the advocacy OF annexation and that Aguinaldo
will not stay bought, because he is in the midst OF
the people wild and tame, who want no more colo
NAL government
Notwithstanding the prayer of the few rich for an
nexation it every day clearer that if we buy the
Philippines OF Spain we buying the privilege of
conquesting them. There ten millions OF people
l.,I 5,1+,D,, rf
only small minority of them. A modern rife can
non can fire shot from the shore and its inward
range will nearly everywhere cover the narrow rim
that has really belonged to Spain. Beyond that are
the tribes which are drawn upon for fighting force
by the revoutionists like Aguinaldo and have been
use, time and again force Spain to pag for peace
which she would not conque in that climate by arms.
II we are to pay twenty millions it is just two dol
lars per head for the Filipinos Buddhists, Moham-
medans and all. II they are worth 1t they ought not
to be sold If they not ought not to buy them
With their climate ally they make the effec-
tive assertion of Our jurisdiction cost ten
times what we pay per head for them 1t is amaz-
ing that the American people should abandon them
selves to such hasheesh dream as ownership OF
these islands Senator Morgan aids the deuson by
an interview in which he vaunts their vast and i'm
measurable wealth" Spain has been exploiting
them for centuries. She has driven their people to
lxbor performed unwngly as all labor IN the tropics
is Their production OF hemp, sugar, rice and to-
bacco has been forced by Spain for the benefit of the
few rich and the Chinese who control the trade With
all this forcing the total trade OF the whole archi-
pelago, imports and exports is only thrtytwo mil
lions of dollars a year This sum, generated by the
producing and consuming capacity of ten millions OF
people so fires the fancy of Senator Morgan that he
sees in it the evidence OF "vast and immeasurable
wealth"
California with but little one-tenth the num-
Der of people, exports forty millions year of the
plus products of her mines, orchards, fields vine
wards forests and watersl The Philippines produce
total trade equal to three dollars and twenty cents
per head of the population while California exports
nearly forty dollars per head
We invite the attention of Senator Morgan's
sumpuous and tropical imagination to the statistics
Of CALIFORNIA; trade.
IF the people are to pay twenty millions, or two
dollars per head for the Filipnos, who generate
trade of only three dollars and twenty cents per head
why not do little more for California. whose people
produce in exports alone than twelve times as
much?
The wife of Dreyfus is very i'll, circumstance