The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-09-15
THAT PHILIPPINE POLICY

The special Washington dispatch In
Yesterdays Herald. outlining the presi-
dents policy relative to the Philippine
islands, is decidedly interesting. 1t
bears evidence Of FEASIBILITY, notwith-
standing the announcement of Secretary
Day that mo intimaton as to instruc-
tions will be allowed to leak out from
any source" The probability OF such
leakage, however, is shown In the adj
mission that quite a number of persons
must have been in the secret as it Is
stated that Everybody who knows
what the plars are has been pledged TO
secrecy by the president"
The policy as stated Is a compromise
proposition. 1t narrows the demand of
that class Of expansionists who have
been insisting that we should keep
everything of property kind that we can
lay hands on. On the other side it
broadens the line drawn by conserva-
tives who favor the retention Of moth
Ing but naval station.
1t would be difficult to appraise the
value Of that Philippine property but we
should say, at guess, that the island
of Luzon with the city Of Manila,
is worth more than an the rest. The
number of the islands is variously
stated, the difference probably de-
pending upon individual views as to
what constitutes an island and what is
merely a rock. The count has been
placed as high as two thousand, but
conservative estimates deduct about six
hundred AS the total area is ia 1926
square miles the average would be
about so square miles.
| The second section Of the president s
policy. as reported. gives Spain all thu
Islands except Luzon. with ''proviso"
that a liberal government shall be given
| to the inhabitants. What that proviso
comprehends we of course have no
present means Of knowing. The essence
| OF the proposition is that 1t turns all
the Fiipnos over to the tender mercies
of Spain, with the exception of jewellers
on the island of Luzon. II is needless
to say that it would hardly suit the am
bilious AgunaldO, who is not even will
| in the archipelago.
| The demand for complete separation
| of church and state, as we find it in the
third section, may be set down as little
harmless buncome. If the Spaniards have
possession of these 1899 islards they will
be likely to conduct religious matters
to suit themselves. Still, the attempt to
make the state and religion divorce
stick might afford places for some
homeless politicians. with the title of in
spectors of religion in the Philippines
The idea of the United States hold
| ing an option on all the group, SO as tc
keep other powers from acquiring in.
terests, is something novel The claim
for equal commercial advantages with
any nation, not excepting Spain herself,
should of course be insisted upon.
The question Of special interest raised
by the policy here indicated is whether
the United States should make the Phil
ippine island of Luzon an Anne rican ter
ritory. That is what 1t would neces.
sarily become if Spain should ceda it alb.
solutely to the United States. We be.
lieve that if vote were taken on tbs
| eXpedfency of such acquisition at least
nine-tenths of the people of the United
States would vote negatively. A nava
station, which is necessary to put US or
a level with other nations in connetitior
for the worlds trade, is all that we need
in the land of Aguinaldo.