Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-06-10

Correspondence Associated Press.)
LONDON. June 9.-What ever may be
the policy Of the United States toward the
Philippine Islands, the English capitalists
whose investments there give them the
right to speak with authority upon the
conditions and needs of the colony are
of one mind. Delegations of LONDON men.
representing some of the most important
upon Ambassador Hay to urge him to
make representation to his government
of their desire that the United States
retain permanent possession of the Phil
ippne Islands They are agreed in the
belief that with the guarantee of a stable
government the Philippines would become
a richer and even more desirable pos
session than Cuba. They agree also upon
the statements that Spanish rule is one
which discourages business enterprise
and repels capital and that the legitimate
profits of their business are mostly alb
sorbed by direct and indirect brides to
Spanish officials. Without liberal in
VestInentS to secure the favor of the rul-
ing class, these gentlemen tell the am
bassador that no business operation can
be conducted under the regime of Spain
The position of the Philippine capitalists
is one which prevents them from making
a public declaration of their views. Should
the Islands remain under Spanish SOW
ereignty that government might make
conditions burdensome for business men
who were on record as desiring a change
and who had made revelations
ABOUT SPANISH MISRULE.
They can make their designs known only
through secret diplomatic channels as
they have done. The president of an
important Philippine company, having
its principal office in London, who pre-
sented a statement to the ambassador
discussed the question with representa-
tive of the Associated Press, but only
on condition that his name be withheld.
He gave the usual recital of eXtortion by
the officials who go from Spain to these
islands as they go to Cuba, with the sole
purpose of acquiring as much money as
possible in the shortest time. He ridi-
cuied the suggestion that the Philippine
insurgents could be induced by the Span
iards to form an alliance against the
United States. The natives, he declared.
would welcome any power which would
relieve them from the domination of
Spain. He did not, however, seem to
place much confidence in the good faith
of the revolutionists. and incidentally re-
marked that he had knowledge that more
than one native insurgent had been in
spired and prompted by Spanish officials
for the increased revenues which would
come to them through the importation
of troops into the islands to suppress the
rebellion. Under proper treatment the
islanders, although consisting of several
different races, would be entirely tract
able.
The greatest difficulties the United
States would encounter in
MANAGING THE ISLANDS
would come from the religious orders,
which have been accustomed to squeeze
the natives, and have accumulated much
valuable property. The present insur-
rection was as much an uprising against
the church as against the government
and was conducted by a secret society
which had been organized to oppose the
priests, sort of Free Masonry which had
spread throughout the islands. AS an in
stance of Spanish colonial government
methods. he said there was but one road
outside Manila in the islands. The entire
absence of public works of all sorts was
great CT eek t. business enterprises.
Careful Investigations by the most eff
cient engineers had proved that the gold
deposits of the Philippines were among
the richest - the world and under con-
ditons favorable to their development he
was sure that the islands would surpass
Australia and South Africa as a gold
country.
In conclusion, this gentleman said the
American government need not be de-
TERED by fear Of the climate, Of invading
the Philippines with unseasoned troops.
During a residence of ten years he had
known of but one epidemic of disease,
and that was not of a serious nature.