The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-16
The Only Possible Outcome.

Various reports as to the admins
tration's purpose with respect to the
Philippines continue to appear; but
whereas the trend Of these surmises
few weeks ago was toward the re-
striction of American responsibility to
the narrowest limits possible without
forfeiture of our imperative need of
a coaling station and naval base, their
trend at present is toward our ulti-
mate control of the entire archipelago,
and this is a natural, and an inevitable
transformation.
Since Dewey opened up to his coun-
trymen this new field of duty it has
been a subject of continuous and care
full study by them, and the result of
this study has led large and intelli-
gent majority to certain already fixed
conclusions: % that we must at any
hazards protect our growing CONNER
cial interests in the Western Pacific
by the establishment at Manila of a
naval and commercial base; (2) that
in protection of that base we must rid
the island upon which it is located
Chat is to say, the island of Luzon)
of Spanish sovereignty or pretensions
to sovereignty; and (3) that if our rep
resentatives at Manila report the ma
tives of LuzOn to be at present un-
fit to maintain unaided a stable and
just government, we must do it for
them. Thus far the concensus of rep
resentative American opinion is unms-
taxable. No president, peace commits
sioner or senator looking with respect
upon the public opinion of his coun-
trymen could treat for peace with
Spain upon a footing less unequivocal
than this. We may add that this con-
clusion has the support of the great
body of the religious element in the
nation, of the commercial element al
most without exception, of the mill
tary and naval experts charged with
safeguarding our strategic interests,
and of those far-seeing statesman in
concern is the worlds pacific and or
derly development.
This brings us to the question of the
disposition Of the remainder of the
Philippine islands-the Vizsayas, Min
danao, Cebu, etc. 1t is at this point,
according to all reports, that the judg-
ment of the president and his advisers
is halting for additional information
and study. Yet here, as before, GER
tain conclusions seem to be inevitable
If we may place reliance upon the in
formation which the public has already
received from eminent students of this
eastern problem: "a Nowhere outside
OF Luzon had Spain ever gained suf-
ficient foothold to form the founda-
tions OF a stable government, her SOW
ereignty apart from Luzon being nom-
inal simply. To make valid her past
claims and to put herself in position
with our assent to rule actually these
other islands she must bring into play
both material and moral influences of
high order, which 1t is notorious that
she does not possess. % To permit
Spain to fly a nominal flag alongside
ours, standing for the abuses which
we have pronounced insufferabe ir
other localities, would be to write our.
selves down as inconsistent and throw
discredit upon our own high preten.
sions. (S) In Difference to the better
nations Of Europe which also have in
terests in the Orient we are morally
bound 10 so order our conduct tha
betterment and not worse chaos shall
follow our interposition in the Philip
pine archipelago.
The president is cautiously feelins
his way, as is BETTING when he II
about TO take n step in our foreign
relations without precedent in our his
tory; but in due time the incy!tabl,