The San Francisco call., 1898-12-20

There is a great diversity of opinion expressed as to the form of government which we should bestow on the Philip pine Islands so that we may safely strad- dle the fence which divides republican, ism from imperialism. The gravity of the question lies in that it will probably entail such an abrupt departure from the principles on which our republic has been reared that it will be a source of contin- ual dissatisfaction in our midst. It is one thing to colonize on this continent and in territory adjacent to ourselves, ana quite another thing to acquire territory over 1000 miles away. containing S,00O0O0 peo- ple of a race, color, language and customs so entirely different from our own, ana which people are incapable of se1-goV- ernment and will be for decades, partic- ularly when this foreign territory lies d. rectly in the path of foreign complica- tions and it's people can never become citizens of the United States and enjoy the privileges of which the American nag is the emblem.
 At this period it may not be amiss for any humble citizen of this country to offer suggestions as to the policy to be pursued. and some merit may be found Ill the following plan:
 First-Invite all nations to enter into treaty guaranteeing the permanent 1nteg- ritv and neutrality of the Philippine group in exchange for slightly quail fed form of "open door policy, which will hermit the United States to have the advantage of 9 per cent reduction rom any prevailing tariff on import duties.
 Second-The governing power to be vested in board of five Commissioners appointed by the President of the United States, to hold office at his discretion.
 Such are the essential features.
 THE TREATY.
 All nations desire equal trade and com mercial privileges; they would prefer the Philippine group to be independent rather than that any single nation shouio own it: thus, in event of war, the islands would not change hands or become fac- tor in political complications; they would he protected by all the powers from ln- fringement of neutrality laws; they would enjoy perpetual peace with the out side world. All first-class powers (with possibly one or two eXcepuons) now nave trade relations with the Philippines Whlch they do not wish disturbed by the country heinz made exclusively American; 1t IS, therefore. a selfish interest-always the most effective-that would persuade them to enter into such a treaty, ana It IS quIt.S consistent with reason that tRey "TIlu fTnii naturally recognize the right or the Onl z ted States to have preferentlal duly or 25 per cent less on imports, Whlch IS que b,- reason of conquest, ana necessary through the mgher plice oA
 The treaty would provide that cltizens of any nation party to the treaty WouIu have fhe same rights to acquire property and transact business as those of any other nation, including even the CHhIsu GU | States Such nations as refused 10 De party to the treaty coula De eTciuus9 @ sS enr enr l cent higher duties, and their citizens not | allowed to become property holders or | invested with the rights ot c1tlzens or l other nations.
 With d treaty of this character in force | the question of an army, navy or foru- fications for the group would be entirely | eliminated In itself this would mean an | enormous burden saved to the islands; or | to the United States if it was obliged to 1 assume the sole protection of the group; It does not require much pro1ound | dertaking 1t would be for us to place the 1 islands in such defensive condition as would enable them to resist the attack l of any first-class power. Would we not l have lost them, had we owned them, II we had lately been at war with any Of the powers except Spain? Of course, we | could thoroughly protect these iSlandS-it only requires time and an enormous out l lay of money-but is the game worth the candle, and can we not, with the aid of the proposed preferential duty, adVance l our interests as much as we can reason l ably desire?
 Free trade with the islands would oc-- | casion no end Of dlsSatlSfactlon ana
 complications in the United States. We | do not want competition with coolie labor. l If we demanded that our imports into the islands should be free of duty, how could
 we discriminate against the products of l the islands by duty on their imports l into this country? And that leads us to
 ask, Where would the revenues neces- | sary to support the islands come from if | the Philippines received no duty on their | imports? Certainly the United States
 would not want to make immense appro-
 priations every year out of its treasury had free trade and all other nations paid the duty, they would be largely-if not
 entirely-shut out of trade with the isl
 ands, and the loss of their present com merce would make our possession of the group most unpopular and invite re- prisals.
 l This treaty. plan Is aesteps psupward 1T