The times., 1898-07-30
SATURDAY. JULY 90. lsss.
The Philippines Not a Danger.

The Philippines Not "a DANGER
For several weeks the few American
newspapers owned or LEASED by ths
Spanish bondholding and sugar inter-
ests have shrewdly and persis:entiy
argued that this country ought net TO
annex the Philippine Islands, for enc
reason because their possession would
involve Tie government cf an undes.r-
aeie native race, and for another that
any attempt on our rart to establish an
American sovereignty in the Far East
would Be regarded as a menace to TIE
political and commercial interests of
Russia, Germany and France.
1t is significant that the journals TAX
ing this position, and furthermore
warning the country that continental
EUroTe would certainly resort to armed
interference in case we should venture
Il retain the fruits Of Dewey's victory,
are The sane that before the declara-
tiCn Of war did everything possible to
prevent Intervention in Cuba, u bolster
The cause Of Spain, and generally to
sUbSeTve the purposes and conspiracy
q the sugar baTons and their allies,
The Spanish bondhol6ers, TO avert the
acquisition Of sugar-proGucing terrific
y CT the loss to Spain Of her colonies.
The continual croak of these expon-
ents Of Toryism may have exerted
some effect in soaring timorous people
into fear Of foreign wars but it is evil
cent enough that such possible pros
rect has not caused any less CT sleep
u the majority Of citizens. Even if
il had, we are able to see now that
there has been much cry and little wool
in the stories of unfriendly European
designs against us.
Now that the question OF our position
IN the Philippines seems to have reach
Cd the DCint Of q decision more or less
complete, we discover that it is not
Europe at all that s ands in the way of
g firm declaration of American sover-
eighty. Russia has assured cur Gov
ornment that no objection would be
made to the Americanization of the
archipelago. Great Britain and Japan
have always been complacent to the
idea. and now even Germany intimates
that. supposing we are willing to pro-
tect German interests at Manila, we
may have the whole territory and well
come.
So. it is plain that objection to pernna-
nent possession does not come from the
foreign quarter. There are siren
uous objections. however. based on
quite other than International
grounds and their character and
sources are. or by this time ought to
be, sufficiently clear. The great su-
gar interest has been fighting steadily
against Philippine, as recently it did
against Hawaiian annexation. The
Spanish bondholders again have at
tackled the White House kitchen stairs.
and have even landed one of their chief
attorneys in a position of recognized
advisory power as to the very subject
at issue Finally. the Vatican is in
evidence, sub rosa, partially, perhaps,
because the aged Pope, in the goodness
OF his charitable heart, would like TO
see some colonial possession left to the
crown Of his little godson; also, becaus
the enormous feudal interests of certain
religious orders in the Philippines, COW
ering, ii is said, property claims to near
ly onS-LnlIu Ol the istdnu area are con-
sidered safer under the Spanish than
they would be under the American flag.
To do full Justice to Leo XIII, and
the heads Of the orders concerned, there
Us no suggestion that they do not believe
the United States would enforce full
religious liberty in the Philippines. or
that the church would not continue TO
s7o.vful, p,da,- n,., r,,la n, fbe ITo~ Tro-t
5ust as it does in this country. 1t is
true, however. that a change of sover-
eighty might not suit the views of the
paonastic societies from financial point