The Portland daily press., 1898-11-12

tensive and remote territors ana 10 eAeI-
else authority there. The blilPlnos nnso
a certain degree of culsure anu some luui
mentary ideas as to public administrator
but, as whole. the country 10 hoe ye'
capable Of self government
isThs cession of sovereignty over the
Philinnines to the United States would
be disastrous to all those having business
interests there as well for the natives as
for the Spaiards and for Europeans OF
every nationality Spain cannot transfer
her fhiIippine sovereignty to the United
Statss by a mere CLAUSE In peace treaty.
The United States would be confronted
with O war for the subjugation of 100000
Malayaua
ssl'his would mean the destruction of
all property in the Philippines. Trade
and commerce wonld be paralyzed there
The merchants and manufacturers of
Spain would lose the markets they now
enjoy.
EsBut the United States would not
gain these markets. At least they wou1d
gain them onl by fire and sword. The
case OF the hilippines Is entirely differ
ent from the cases Of Cuba and Porto
Rico.
"1he whole population of Mindauao
and the archipelago of the Visayas, and
tile great body OF the Inhabitants OF
Luzon sympathize with Spain and have
defended her cause with arms in past In
surreotions as we'll as in the present one,
with the same enthusiasm as the Span
iards of The Peninsula would show ~
these elenLenfs-OHce the ties which sat-
tach them to Spain were broken--would
rise without doubt. as single man IN
favor OF independence.
AS to the attituae of the Tagolas, al
ready risen in arms against Spain. there
can be no doubt Habits of fighting al
ready acquired, ambitions awakened by
the assurances of the chiefs who have
Irained the masses to cry for 1ndepen-
denoe, and the hopes which the U ntted
States government itself has raised in
them wonla all tend to make the Tagosas
the bitterest enemies of the United States
10 make this clear | need only point to
the relations ip between their armed
forces ana those of the United States as
shown in ths blooiy conflict that took
place between them at Cavite.
ss1he result OF all this would be war
of subjugat ON ineour.is ands OF Oceanica,
men as we'll as money for the United
stsies a war of desoiation and ruin for
the philippines and Their Inhabitants
ssNe who have such large personal and
business interests in the philippines view
with dismay The possibility CT this ter
rible eYent How can 1t be that the
American people, who beast of hringing
inte ,iiQence to bear upon humanitarian
questions should net hesitate in ACE of
the certain prospect Of plunging into such
a series Inevitable al as erss There
would result not only the damage TO prop
erty aud lpss Of lie iaseparable from all
war. but hose evils would ne aggrava ed
by the di ei sity of ra es and the enmity
existing betw cen them, rendering very
difficult the establishment OF any authors
ty that could keep The disasters OF war
vii hin normal limits.
"All have said would apply equally
whefh her the United States annexed The
Ihi ips ines or esta lishsd protectorate.
4hs latter course would be either in
sufficient to maintain order or would
have to assume such character as
would be rsear lett and opposed by the
natives as virtual annexation.