Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-11-03
"lMPERlALlSM.n
Congr c'sman Circuit Favors Holding All
Tho Philippines.
To the Editor Of The Free Press:

l note the argument that runs through |
your questions against keeping them; also
the opinion of the eminent men who have
thus far replied, and feel that for myself
Il were perhaps better to listen and learn
than presume TO advance the Views which
/ entertain. Your letter, however, calls |
Tor some kind OF reply. and IL l say any
thing IL must be what l think.
The question raised is, whether We shall
keep the Philippines? Some may and do
say they are not ours. International law
md common sense say they are ours as
ugl;ns, spain. The surrender of the Span
ish capital and government to the Amerl-
can commander carried with 1t every loot
OF territory over which Spanish authority
extended; and this, on much the same
principle Of law as that by which posses
sion of the warehouse passes, by delivery
of the 10y. when what was left of the
Spanish government surrendered, ard the
yellow flag of Spain vent down in Mania,
the capital OF tho Philippines, and the
stars and stripes went up, In that moment
cf time the sovereignty OF the United
States was substituted for that of Spain,
and instantly our authority in those
islands became co-cXtensive with the au-
thority Spain had previously exercised:
The key was delivered to Uncle sam, ana
the whole group of Islands became MS,
The question is, shall we keep them
There seems To be no question ABOUT
Cuba She is to have al independent gov
arnment OF her own. The status of Porto
Rico is also settled by common consent.
She is To come under our flag. in fact, is
already under ii.
II we are to keep Porto Rico whose cap
ital was not captured in battle. why not
keep the Philippines which yielded To the
valor OF our soldic.s and sailors whose
bravery and blood solemnizes our title?
Hereafter Manila and Dewey will lie link
cd in history Us inseparably as Leonidas
and Thcrmopylac; and what patriotic AM
Crican, especially what NCrmomer, would
nc quite willing TO tess aside that which,
Under the Providence OF God was won in
the shock of battle BY the great deeds OF
our own citizens, unless, indeed, the thins
won be not worth having or tho keeping
vi 1t trench in some way on the public
honor or contraveuc the spirit and genius
OF our free government? IL the retention
OF tho Philippines be open tn either of
these objections, let them go.
; First, are they worth having? These
Islands, though several centuries under
control Of Spain, are still UNEMPLOYED In
the interior, and little Is known of their
geology. II is known, however, that iron
exists, and copper and gold. The natives
have themselves long used and sold to the
Christian settlers rude utensils made of
copper. 1t is known that the ore at Man
caydu contains upwards M Ii per cent
copper, while the ore of the famous Cal
umet ana nocla yields less than per cent.
Cola has also been mined in paying
quantities along the streams near the sea,
which proves Its existence Up IN the un-
explored mountains, and who can tell but
In quantities rivaliing the relds Of Cali
furYia, Australia, South Africa and Al
asks? Extensive coal deposits are found
i'm l.uzon. and several other islands of the
group, which have heretofore been a
Sourre ot great profit to the Spanish gov
crnment In fact. Manila has long been
known rs one OF the principal coaling sta
,ions in Asia,ic waters.
After declaration of war and proclama.
ton of neutrality by China. Dewey could
remain at Hong Kong. where he then
vas hut Is hours and could not take Goa
uuless he WAS bound for n neutral mort
and then only suftic,ent to carry him 10
the nearest 1t was accordingly arranged
Ia tayo Dewey take coal at Manila. While
h aid. 1, seems with very little difficulty
This incident illustrates the value OF not
merely the harbor of Manila bu, the Goa
OF the PHILIPPINES to our navy in time OF
war with any foreign power. II also Illus
lates the value to our merchant marine
which le, us hone in the future may carry
ut least our own trade whereas now IL is
almost wholly carried by foreign vessels
\ return Of capital from the West, ant
The COW rate OF interest now prevailing il
This country. will surely turn Easter,
money into sLius. and at no distant dan
w shan have our share of the world:
arriving trade
Sine. the oortS of Japan and China wer,
oncrea the nations have all been reach
irr for tho ;rnlr of those countries Outi
is .he nearest market from the Pacid,
coast. and with the Nicaragua canal wi,
h. from the Atlantic also. The Philip
mines li, in the very pathway of thi
trade. Our annual exports to China alon
= have Increased in the last three YEAR
from 81 ,,tS SO 10 almost Sll GO u1l \ hun
drcd wears from now. land nations Shout,
=, buld NOT for to-day alone but for the cen
turi,sC our trade in the orient will be
hundred fold greater than now; and II
/ that prcud dsv Nnnn our own vast foreig
commerce is carried by our own ships
e who will cCllpute the value TO the Ameri
e ,an pcnnI,, - NC .--c., coal folds of IN
= rnu,ppincsr Who fails also to see hoy
\ ,rSlsnens,hlc will he that coal 10 IN
naval squadron. which in that dav wi
! ,,r,tact cur commerce in that mart OF IN
a word If for nothing els, hut her cos
/ We want the pbilinninns Rut there is an
= ,,hrr lnr,,. reason why we want them
e ~. Amcr,ron n.,nlc nay ius, ahou
3. S,1o t.a 90 in gold annually TO for.ig
= |,urtr,ns for Fsus,r We o., tho surn
:. on6 tho foreigner Sets tho rnld TIL
/, phiinnines are ono of the hest supa
|, ,,,rt,i.s iu mo world ,hourh NO, turn,
Il % worry much account nv the lnzy Spar
= - WIN those islands and Porto R,c
n 80 Hawaii w., can in a lIttlc ,im, cosil
1 ,,,Scaucc our own sugar. Entrrnris,n
. r,aricars ,r,u loso NO ,in,a in dayalonin
= ~ ;,avs.r. which could coll for ,n,
e ,',,nn,nn, or1 sunn,ias n,tur,u,, 70 r
p. ,,,rnished nv our own peorle The ente,