The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1898-08-13
OUR DUTY IN THE PHILIPPINES.


vail as to the future course of the
United States in regard to the Phil
ippines, says the Globe-Democrat.
To reserve a coaling or naval station.
and then wash our hands of the whole
business, will not dc. A calm exam
ination of our responsibilities makes
that much certain. We have COM
pletely broken the power of Spain IN
her colonies. The next step is to as
sert our just claims, and in doing it
to insure that the colonies in which
we have intervened shall either be-
come a part of our own territory or
enjoy, under our protection, far
better government than they have
hitherto known. Spain is powerless
to rule the Philippines further. Our
arms have reduced it to this position.
The Spanish troops at Manila are
without resources. Spain can not
supply nor pay them. 1t has no navy
left to co operate with them, and no
money to continue the struggle with
the insurgents. What Spain most
needs is relief from the colonial
drain, the cause of its present fnan-
cial exhaustion. This necessity is
tacitly recognized by the most intel
ligent Spanish statesmen. Without
the colonies the revenues can be en-
tirely devoted to the home govern
ment, which needs careful nursing to
avert graver troubles than colonial
wars.
To return the Philippines to the
feeble hands of Spain could have but
one speedy result, and that would be
their transfer, for a consideration, to
some European power. Another
barrier to our Pacific commerce
would then be erected on the eastern
coast Of Asia, a region where just
such impediments of late have been
multiplying. Probably Spain would
sell the Philippines to France, which
is deeply interested in Spanish bonds
and on especially close terms with
the Spanish people. France is the
ally of Russia. If we give back the
Philippines to Spain their future own
ership will be French and Russian.
AT this moment there are three
French warships at Manila, fact in
dicating a more than ordinary degree
of diplomatic interest. RelinquIsh-
ing our claims upon the Philippines
will simply build up the imperialism
of certain European powers, and
place them in control of territory
which we fairly won in war. Such
are the fruits Of the policy recon-
mended to this country by those who
are against any further annexation.
We owe something more TO the
Philippine insurgents than immediate
and complete abandonment. We
owe something more TO steadfast and
Cnobtrusive English friendliness than
to indirectly turn over the ownership
of the important Pacific group of
islands TO France and Russia, or pos
sibly to Germany. The insurgents
are untitled to fake supreme control
of an independent state, nor could
they defend it against the navy of
any European power. Aguinaldo's
aspiration for republic TO be formed
on the instant is wild dream.
Since we have won the Philippines
by the valor of our navy and by
transporting an army by ships, the
plain duty ahead is to hold all that
has been gained. To say that the
advisability of this step is in doubt
is simply to confirm It's propriety, for
as long as the question is in doubt it
is not right 10 halt until the way is
made clear. The splendid achieve
ment of Dewey opened a new era for
the Philippines. We have sent over
an army TO secure the victory. To
give back nearly everything to Spain
is lame and impotent conclusion,
and a course that would be deeply