Evening journal., 1898-12-06
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
PHILIPPINES AMID THE
Open DOOR" POLICY.

&<U INC h-uAtof OF lle tlNtulnB journal.
Sir: The stand and deliver" 'hands
policy, all along adopted by the
81 hited States towards Spain, has been
rried out to the letter; and perhaps
e mosu important, mpnumental
heme Of annexation OF this fast clos
g decade has just been consummated
the compelling Of Spain to accepo
5000, 900 for practically the whole Of
Pr colonial possessions in the West
dies and the Far East. That Spain
Ould have thus cheaply signed away
Pr just and legal territorial rights is
e more proof Of her powsrlessnees to-
" as nation, and it Is an additional
81 ldorsement OF the popularity, If not
e equity, OF the old adage-NIight is
ght. Mr.. w. 7. Stead. OF "Pall Mail
hzette' fame, expressed the real SEN
ment OF the people Of Europe-and,
S e believe, the true feeling Of the ma
E'ity OF the people Of the United
-ates-when he said: Outside OF
highland l have not met a single nom
merican who was not opposed to the
pansion Of America. Nor through my
hole tour of Europe have met a
ngle European who did not receive
he protestations OF the genuine sim
srity with which the United States
Uttered on the war with more or less
ocking incredu.ity." Mr.. Steads re-
ort, as just cited. viii carry weight,
om the fact that he has been Il touch
lth the statesmen and powerful per-
Dnalities governing the political world
Europe.
1t is a generally eoncsded fact that
hen the United States offered the ri
icuously small sum of s2O,OOOO0O for
he Philippine group, practically
S Drced sale valuation, and when 1t also
dded rider to the effect that II, the
nited States. would not put in any
lafm for war expenses-it is gen.
Srally conceded fact that the amount
nered for the entire Philippine Anchi-
e,ago was an altogether inadequate
um, for ais one Of the Spanish Minis
ers, OjedA, has said: Spain has raised
4O,OO0.O0 on the Manila customs
lone!" Had the United States the
ight when making the paltry offer Of
20, 900, 900 for the Philippines, to take
nto consideration its war expenditure
yhen that war expenditure had been
IMPLY compensated for by previous am
exatIon Of Spanish territory? II is
xactTy such Sharp practice dealing as
his that proves very conclusively that
he recent SpanfshAAmerican War was
ngaged in, so far as the United States
5 concerned, for the sole and only pur-
1ose OF acquiring outside or Spanish
territory. Even assuming that the an
iexaEion of the Philippines will prove
b be a financial loss to the United
States, will the sum Of s20,000,OOC
adequately compensate Spain for ths
oss Of practically the whole ~ her pos
sessions? Win such sum-a mere
DagateGle- compensate Spain FOL
he fat that to-day She Nc
longer ranks as al Nation, ais Power
% be reekoned with in the Congress
be Nations? Only the man Of contract
etD ideas. the man who measures tbs
very existence Of a nation with tape
VIII answer in the affirmative. a
rough estimate places SPANS loss, all
told, in the late war at something lik
81 81 100 600 900. The same rough estf
mate places the loss, all told, of th'
United States at 1920 OOOO 900, leaving
baranbe of some $500, 100000 in favo
of the United States. Does that lool
like a war for hnmanity's sake? ]
there be man who imagines that
presents any such aspect, then all W
can say is THAT that mans mental Wis
ion is most painfuny, most distress
ingly defective.
1t is Thought in some quarters tha
the open door" policy will be adopte
by the United States in its Far Eas
pOssessions What, we would inquir'
is the fiscal meaning of the phras
open door'?-a phrase THAT is as oi
as the hills. 1t most certainly does nc
mean, as a great many Of us imaglnl
the mere placing OF each and ever
country upon am equal footing. rh
broader, tIVrer and larger meaning
the phrase open door" is the adoptlo
of the principles OF free trade. Ent
land adopts the open door" poliS
with her colonies simply because sh
England, is free trade country. B'
does anyone think that the Unite
sthtes, a. high protective country, WI
adbpt. in It's fun or literal sense, ui
open door" policy in the Philippines
Certainly not. Were free trade the o
der of the day in the Phillppiss, whl
chance would the products OF this cou
try have with the output Of other al
free trade countries? In all probaIb
ity the same laws. tariff and otherwif
operating in the United States will
N. d. NfIrsTli n