Arizona republican., 1898-08-29
ARGUMENT FOR RETENTION.


 ation should be the consideration Of our own self interest" By this is meant, of course, not a short-sighted selfshness but a broad view of what will best profit us in the long run. We must consider, therefore, not only our selves but our duty to other nations and to the world at large; for even in the most selfish view of the case we cannot properly say that 1t is for an nations ultimate interests to ignore or repudiate obligations to others or to the highest and broadest principles of advanced civilization. With this fact in mind no sensible person can deny, surely, that the question of the reten- tion of the Philippines, or any other territory that the war has put in our grasp, should be decided with a view to our own welfare.
 It makes no difference now whether we began the war for one purpose or another, whether or not we have ever thought of becoming a nation with colonies and worldwide domain, or whether, indeed, our institutions, po1iti- cal principles and form of government can be readily adapted to the mainten- ance of law and order among remote and half-civilized peoples to whom the policies of equal rights and universal suffrage cannot possibly be made to apply. All these considerations are aside from the present question. We are confronted by new and unprece- dented conditions; we must meet them as such. There can be no doubt that political connection with us will be for the advantage of the people of Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines. Will that connection be of any advan- tage to us? If it will not, no altruistic notions of conferring benefits on others would be sufficient to induce our peo- pie to assume so great burdens and take up such. difficult problems. If it will, there is no reason why we should hesitate, whatever the difficulties and threats.
 A question of such grave conse- quences should not, of course, be an- swered hastily nor without full and de- liberate examination of all the factors involved. But it does seem that a very strong argument for the perma- Spain has lost can be built on the ground of our broad and enlightened self interest alone It is true that a policy of colonialism will involve in creased expense, but our country's re- sources, wisely availed of, will enable us to stand that; and who can doubt that it will be more than balanced by actual financial results in trade se- cured through developing these nat urally rich islands? It is true that we are inexperienced in the governing of colonies, but it yet remains to be proved that, as some say, we are in- capable of it. Our moral and intellec- tual character is as high as that of any nation; and practical problems are precisely what we excel in solving. Just how we can best govern these prospective possessions we may not yet know; but surely American capac- ity and ingenuity can find a satisfac- tory way.
 The objection that retention of these islands may sometime involve us in in- ternational controversies may be said to be almost too remote to be consid- cred, certainly too remote to be con- sidered to have much weight. It is possible, Of course, that with the Philippines in our possession we might find ourselves so much interested in the division of China that we should get seriously entangled in the contro- versies arising therefrom. But that is only an imaginary possible occurrence of the future and it need, not frighten us away from taking the simplest, easi- est and most natural way of settling the problem we now have on our hands. Besides, we already have some interest in the adjustment of trade and dominion in Cuba. We may as likely be involved in that phase of the far eastern question without the Philip pines as with them.
 As for the benefits to ourselves if we take the Spanish islands, one thing at i least is certain. There will follow in- evitably such an enlargement of our national horizon as will lead us to set aside forever some of the petty and noxious questions of domestic policy that have engrossed far too much oi our political attention in the past There will also follow Q necessary de- mand for a higher class of men in the responsible offices of the government demand that can be and will be met and which, when met, will bring us the great boon of better government at home along with the increased respon- abilities abroad. Even then, were there not to be. as there certainly will be, a gain to us in dollars and cents from the expansion of territory proposed