Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1898-05-16

| red to the United States, Europe Is ask
ing whether America would keep them
or in turn trade them for other islands
now held by some other European pow
| er, say some Of the British West Indies.
! English official opinion can scarcely be-
| lieve any such result as this possible.
| As a prominent diplomatist remarked,
such thing is ''too good TO be true. =
| Were the Philippines in the hands Of
| England she would Immediately become
/ uncballenged mistress in the western
| Pacific, and the rival powers would
| have no choice but to combine against
| her 10 nullify her influence unless they
/ We're willing TO see the value of their
| present Asiatic spheres reduced 80 per
/ cent. Continental chancelleries believe
transfer of the Philippines TO England
| only remote possibility, but if the
present war is prolonged and SPANS
war debt TO the United States mounts
up at its present rapid rate for another
six months the United States might
have no alternative but to hold the
Philippines as security for debt that
could never be paid in money.
The rapid change of public opinion
in America on the subject of foreign
the United States is entering on new
era and that the glittering prize of east
ern trade is diverting the American peo-
pie from the old standards. Europe
realizes that New York and Chicago
are as keenly interested as London.
Paris, Berlin and St. Petersburg in the
great commercial developments that
must take place in the early future in
eastern Asia and the islands off the
Asiatic coast.
More than half the population of the
world lives in countries facing the Pa
cific and Indian oceans. Already the
foreign commerce of countries border
ing on those oceans, excluding North
America, is more than 81, 500. 900, 900
year. The American trade with the
east last year was about $50, 900, 900.
Even without the basis which the Phil
ippines would create this trade in few
years will have trebled. With that basis
it must advance TO far higher figure.
The islands are enormously rich, and
for all the purposes of the next ten
years would prove a more valuable asset
than Cuba They could easily be made
IA great commercial center, and Ameri
can energy could transform them into a
magnet for eastern trade
Great Britain would look upon all
this with entire complaoency, especial
ly if it were brought about by her CO.
operation, direct or indirect Her own
interests III China, together with the
natural increase that must come wheth
er the Chinese situation remains as it is
or the empire is broken up and parceled
81. 1fx-1
her ambitions in that part of the world.
To protect them-as they would be pro-
teoted We're the United States firmly
intrenched in the ippines-would
be great achievement for British di- |
plomacy, purchased at a small cost to
Great Britain.
1t is obvious that America, if she pro-
poses TO continue as n naval power and
thus to extend and protect her com
merce and trade, must get possessions
in various parts of the world that would |
be available as headquarters and bases
for vessels carrying the American flag
With that flag raised over the Philip |
pines as a base from which to command /
the orient, and with Hawaii as half /
way station in the Pacific, the western /
part of the United States would see q /
remarkable expansion. San Francisco
would soon become "A great city of ex-I
port and import, rivalane Si.o A.-.e- -se
les on the eastern coast of America.
That these considerations fail to lnfiu-
ence the American government is not
conceivable in Paris or Berlin, where
the American instinct for trade cp-
portunity is regarded as unerrlng- III IN
addition to these arguments for hoidlhg
the Philippines the status OF America
in Samoa is taken into acoount-as Der
lin believes it will be-the case for oc
cupation seems Irresistible.
With the Philippines, Hawaii and
Samoa at all times open to American
traders. and with the first two under
the flag. the commerce Of the Pacific
must soon become the commerce OF
America in a higher degree than with
any other people As against these con-
siderations there would be the difficulty
of administering the government of SO
large population in Asia and the ques-
ton of the various responsibilities TO
follow the entrance of America into the
| oriental scramble. Any such acqulsi-
| tion wouid inevitably entail a large in
| crease in the American navy and would
| nrobably compel the United States to
| raise It's navy 10 state VI elheiohSy 49,
| excelled by any other power save Eng
land. 1t would mean also large IN
| crease in the American military forces
and would lead to a persistent growth
of the military spirit, with many OF the
burdens and evils ii entails
| Whether these obstacles Will be re
garded as insurmountable from tns
point of view of Washington or wheth
err they will be considered mere tribes
in path leading to a large share IL
| the treasure of eastern Asia Is the cues
ton of paramount interest today at al
continental capitals. As compared Wit
this the fate of Cuba or even OF tn
Spanish dynasty has only temporar
sensational interest.-Chicago Times
| Herald.