The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-08-25
NECK. N. G. THURSDAY, NO. 81

far east that if an Englishman, Span.
lard and an American were to be left
on desert island, the first would Or
ganize a club, the second build a
church and the third start newspaper.
| The principal productions OF the is.
lands are rice, hemp, tobacco, coffee,
sugar and cocoa. Tobacco was a gov
ernment monopoly of Spain from 1881
until 1882, under which drastic opera
tions, while any one might raise to-
bacco, the government alone could
buy, and not only was this right re-
served, but the government also fixed
the price, and paid for the purchase
whenever it suited the convenience of
the exchequer, which sometimes was
not until two or three years. Besides
this, tribute Of 2,5OO,O00 pounds was
annually sent to Spain. This Was a
tenth of the entire product, and as each
district was required to furnish a GER
tain quantity of the leaf, the peasant
was often compelled to cultivate to-
bacco when other crops might be more
profitable. Since the abolition OF this
monopoly the manufacture of tobacco
into cigars and cigarettes has grown to
extraordinary proportions, twenty-thou-
sand persons being engaged IN the in
dustry in Manila alone. anila-hemp, D,
coffee and sugar comprise the chief ex-
ports, next to cigars, and to accommo-
date the commerce of the islands more
than a thousand vessels are required.
The political conditions which have
existed in the Philippines have been
identical with those that have caused
SO much suffering in Cuba. The home
government has imposed the most on
erous burdens upon the people, has
compelled them to support profl-
gate captaln-general with numerous
attaches, and to provide places at high
salaries for broken-down aristocrats to
fatten from the public revenues. A
large standing army has also been kept
ON the islands and heavy issues of bonds
have been made from time to time
to pay the expenses OF government ex-
| ploitations in other fields. To no sim
gle cause, therefore, can the frequent
rebelllons that haye taken place on
| the islands be attributed hnt thop may
| be -comprehended under the general
charge OF shameful expressions. One
of the most serious of these uprlslngs
took place in 1876. This was put
down by the mailed hand of General
| Weyler, who adopted the same cruel
tactics that he used SO savngely, but
vainly, in Cuba. The people of these
islands lack the spirit of endurance
| that has 50 marked the Cubans, and
speedily succumbed before the bloody
knife, the dripping bayonet and the
gatllng guns turned loose upon them.
This prompt quelling Of the Philip
pine insurgents gave General Weyler
the reputation Of being resolute and
adroit commander, and he was crown
ed with extravagant honors upon his
return to Spain. When the rebellion
had been suppressed, Weyler, as cap
tain general OF the islands, enforced
the former rules of oppression until he
was called to succeed General Campos
in Cuba. As soon as the people learn
ed that his mailed hand had lost its
grip upon their throats they broke out
in another rebellion, which still con-
times and of which the battle ut Ma
Mia, May l last, was an incident.
Spain has shown herself as unworthy
of the right to rule the Philippines
as she Is incompetent to exercise SOW
ereignty in Cuba Her policy In both
places has been one Of greed and butch
cry. She should be forever driven
from Cuba and the Philippines.
While the United States is not ma
ton of conquest, it would be maniiestly
right for us to hold the Philip
pines. Aside from a matter OF right
and Justice such action would be ad-
| vantageous from~a commercial stand
point. The products OF the Philip
pines are largely the same as those OF
| the Hawaiian islands, and we need
these products to supplement ours.
With both these groups In our posses
sion, and with the possible addition OF
| the Ladrone islands, we would have
possessions at convenient distances in
direct line from the United States to
the East Indies.
This would open the Pacific ocean to
our commerce, and the advantage that
might result to our trade is so great as
to be beyond computation. But
European nations also realize that
ftbese islands are valuable, and will un-
doubtedly want finger In the pie if
the Philippines are to become spoils CT
war. The principle OF the Monroe