The times., 1898-08-04


all the islands.-Chicago Journal.
With the fate of the islands left for fu-
ture decision public opinion will have op-
portunity TO declare itself on the moral
question and concerning our commercial
interests and the policy of retaining what
mas been brought potentially under our
control. But such discussion implies and
requires an absolutely free hand on the
part OF our Government to reach a de-
clsioh which will be accepted by Spain.
whether she has to eede a eoaling sta
uoh or the whole group of islands. 9th
u wise pestpontment would be but another
hdIhe Tor surrender. and that. we may be
i hot lnVo-ved in our terms OF peace.
New York Tribune.
Authentic reports from vvashine+on sav
tnat the Cabinet is in doubt reeardfDe,
our disposition of the Philippines. Sever
al OF Mr. Mckiniey's advisers. conspictI-
ousiy Secretary Gage. are represented as
idFoflhS the earliest possible reIinGuish-
ment Of the islands Such course wo,,Id
be not only great folly. but a great
wrong. Was Il merely that We might
keep the islands for a week or month
that Commodore Dewey staked the ex-
istence OF our Asiatic Squadron in the
fight at Manila Bay2 Was il merely for
a midsummer venture that stripped our
him in his position after he had won ~
Was it only "a passing whim that led US
to send 20.e00 of our best soldiers under
Gen. Merritt to occupy the Philippines
Chicago Inter Ocean
All the good effect of the victories won
BY the American army and navy in this
war will be lost if any point OF advantage
Is given Spain in her request for peace
We have made bissfors- neFora We are
making more now. We smashed prece-
dents when We successfully founded this
nation: now is the time 70 smash prece-
dents again What other countries have
done, or what they would do, may be
used as a guide. but We must strike out
Independently upon lines OF our own
formation, for our own advancement II
will be Just as easy for Us TO rate here
after as a frSt-class nation as a third
class one, If we improve our chances now
New London Day.
The most momentous political develop
ment since the discovery of the Western
Hemisphere has begun in the East. Its
effects upon this country. for good or III.
are beyond any prophets power TO meas
ure Whether it shall be for good or III
depends primarily upon this country it.
self
The point up for decision at the mo-
ment is the retention or abandonment OF
the Philippines. the establishment OF :hs
United States flag there in permanence
and power, or its withdrawal or sub
ordination.
Our long sleep of isolation has not hurt
Us. for the reason that meanwhile ne
world has changed but little outside. Brt
a tremendous change has begun. and our
sleep must end now, or our rude waking
hereafter win be too late
Only the towards heart or the FOOLS
mind can block the advance Of the Amer
lean Republic upon the road 10 greatness
which the recent events in The Philip
pines have proyidentiaIiy opened to it,
New York Sun.
II is an incident of me internal develop
ment of the country that the Philippines
have become a desirable pOssessisI Ev-
en- 50 lately as ten years ago II had by no
means been demonstrated, as il IS TODAY
thai 1t is an imperative necessity for the
United States 10 have free access 70 the
markets OF the world All international
politics have become merely a struggle for
markets. and IL IS ane of which We can
not If we would be passive Onl0Okers
There are two parties % this struggle. and
a position of neutrality on our par could
only result in giving the victory 10 the
party that stands Tor commercial ex-
pansion by military force, and for the eX-
cIusiOn of rivals from spheres OF infiu-
ence,~ or territory thus acquired by dis
eliminating tariffs. We have seen prom
ising market in Madagascar taken from
Us BY such means; we are seeing, as u
result of the same policy. the gradual
exclusion OF American goods from IndO-
China. and we are threatened with find
ing as the result OF like influences, that
our right TO trade in Manchuria on equal
~,
reduced TO a concession of pTecarioUs IA
vor. The next step in this process. if the
United States Is 10 take no hand in resist
ing it. viii be the partition OF China into
zones of commercial influence from some
of which we shall be as jealousy sxCiud-
ed as from Madagascar and Tonquin. and
in all of which our treaties with the chi
nese empire will be worth so much waste
paper
1t is rather worse than puerile TO talk
about maintaining intact our national
isolation. with all the advantages of
security against attack which it implies.
in face of facts like these. The capacity
of the American people for consuming
the articles of their domestic manufac-
ture has already been far outstripped by
the productive capacity OF American fac
tories and workshops. Let wealth and
population increase even with redOubled
activity. they viii merely stimulate the
improvement and expansion OF the apPli-
ances OF production Every year makes
1t more obvious that our people are
destined TO take and 70 hold the place
of the leading manufacturing nation of
the world. and every month makes more
abjectly foolish the claim that We need
not trouble ourselves about foreign mark
cts. 1t is a simple question OF self
preservation with US 10 find an outlet
for the surplus products of American
labor Anything that tends to narrow
that outlet must tend TO retard the nat
ural growth OF this Republic; TO subject
the country TO intermittent Industrial
panics. and TO dwarf the enterprise and
coniine the legitimate ambition of u
vigorous. inventive. and progressive peo-
pie.-New York Journal Of Commerce.
II Is the literal truth that among the
members of Parliament and the big class
of strong educated men in the prOfsS-
sions. business and the like. who shape
final English opinion. there is more real
anxiety about WashingtOn's decision on
the Philippine policy than there ever was
about Washington s rienacing policy over
Venezuela There is one universal 0pin-
ion. | discover no deviation from IL IN
any quarter 1t Is that the Americans, in
the logic OF the world of politics. cannot
now either commit themselves 10 boil
stering up the blood-stained and riddied
fraud of Spanish sovereignty over any
part of the archipelago or 80 away leay-
ing the wasted and dereIict remnants of
by the brown fiood.-Harold Frederic. in
,-lx