The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-30
am NEw Observation-Disclosures.

OUR NEW REsPONSIBILITIEs.
Spain has agreed to take our $50 900
and let US have the Philippines. She pre-
tended to give them up with reluctance,
and only because she had to yield to SUI
perior force If the truth were known, il
would appear, probably. that she is glad
to be rid Of them She held out against
our demand for them for the reason.
doubtless, that she hoped to get a better
price for them. Her best interests die
tated that she should give them to US
without compensation rather than sign a
treaty that would leave them in her pos
session. She has not the means TO sup
press the revolt of the Fi.ippinos against
her authority. and even if she had the
revenues of the islands would not be suf-
icient to maintain her authority. There
fore, her papers, although abusing US for
insisting upon terms which they declare
are outrageously unjust, are saying that
the government did right in yielding. Ey-
identity they think that Spain
has made good bargain in disposing of
the Philippines for so large a sum of
money.
And what have We got that is Of benefit
to us? The only answer to this question
that has appeared on print-that is the
only answer deserving of NOTICES that
the United States have now a chance for
further expansion. This answer supposes
that this country is in need of room for
expansion. If there is no such need, then
there is no force to the answer. As a
matter of face, is there such a need? Is
it not true thai many of the states are
only sparsely settled? Is it not also true
that the markets of the world are now
open to our agricultural products and
that our manufactured products are find
ing their way into every country?
In what way will the possession of the
Philippines help us? We cannot plant col
onies of our people on the islands be-
cause, on account of the climate they can
not thrive there Our exports 10 the ISL
ands last year amounted to less than $780,
600. There is no prospect that they will
amountito any more when they shall have
passed into our possession. The President
mas piDCldllllNd AlC OpCH bOOA pDliNS
That means that we shall have practically
the same advantages in the islands In the
matter of trade that we have now. Spain
has a little advantage at present, but il
is so small as not to be of much conse-
quence We shall not have even that
small advantage. AS a matter of fact. I'M
der the open door policy. we shall not
L !, 81
with the islands, owing to the fact that,
being so much further away from them
than the other great commercial nations,
freight rates will prevent us from COM
peting with them. Mr.. Andrew Carnegie
calls particular attention to this point
in strong article over his own signature.
He contends that with the Philippines in
our possession and the open door" policy
being adopted we shall have even less
trade with the islands than We have now.
Assuming that he is right, is there any
body who can point out what advantage
the Philippines will be to us?
1t is easy to see that they will be ar
enormous annual expense to us. Besides
the twenty millions of dollars which We
have agreed to pay for them, we shall
have to keep an army and a fleet at OF
near Manila all the time. If the natives
are at all troublesome, the army will have
to be large. and a good many war vessels
win be needed. The possession of Spain's
colonies will not cost us much, if any
less than $lOO, 600 a year, everything con
sidered, the pensions as well as the in
as can be seen at this time, there are M
benefits for us in sight, except the con
sciousness of having done something fol
humanity, and that is an uncertain quaa
tity.