The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1899-11-24


M. B. Gwinn in the New York Life busi
ness, but took time enough to tell us
something about the Philippines and
the Filipinos; and to express himself on
the present condition of affairs there
and the outlook for the future. He
went out with the regiment at the start
and was mustered out with it at Frisco
on its return. When asked about the
value of the islands he said:
"They are very valuable, and with
American cash and energy will surprise
the world. With all the 300 years of
Spanish occupancy they have not got
beyond the bull cart in means Of trans
portation. There are immense bodies
of timber of the very finest quality, the
finest hard wood like ebony and mahog-
hany, but there is not steam sawmill
on the island of Luzon, all The lumber
is whipsawed and the flinders hewed
out by half naked cinnamon. All other
resources are as far behind, the sugar,
tobacco, coffee, cotton, hemp, mineral
and fruit While their production at
present is very primitive the possibil-
tiles are almost unlimited. The home
of the famous Manila fiber which makes
the best rope in the world there is no
rope made on the island), the fiber is
taken tn Hong Kong or other foreign
parts to be twisted into rope, so it is
appearently with every thing"
"What doyou think of the proposition
of our giving up the islands?h
"Never if had my way. think it
was the best thing our nation ever did,
to go into that part of the world and
teach them to respect us. They need
us. too, with our fresh equality ideas
and our occupancy OF those islands will
give to the world new map within ten
years. think it will be to the advant-
age to both them and us"
"What do you think OF the war with
the Filipinos?"
81 Yo.iik it is an onsgase ana-ought Co
10 stopped. l don't believe we are
justified in fighting them and carrying
on a war with them when little in
telligent diplomacy would end the war.
If we can't automatically stop the war,
we can't govern the country. If we
must use the strong arm of our army
and navy to whip them into submission,
we mnst calculate to use the same
means to keep them so, which condition
of things I would consider deplorable."
How coulTr he oar be stopped?
"In So intentlace give them the
benefit his mania protocol like we die
Spain until failed ,ss meets, then let
formulwhta government that
will correct the atn.ses under which
they have suffered; make it as near
home rule as they can, then let them
present their desires and mutually
aettle the details"
Do you believe anything short of
absolute independence with US off the
island, would satisfy them?
"Certainly do. They are anxious
for us to stay there. They want us to
form a protectorate over the islands;
to have a governor general, and the
supreme court. They would be willing
to have us negotiate the treaties and
trade relations with other nations and
back it all up with our army and navy,
the whole expense falling on the is
land. They want to control their
internal affairs, and l believe they
ought to do it "
Do you believe them to be capable of
"Yes, sir. While they may not be,
and surely are not, capable of running
a government shch as ours, they are
capable Misunderstanding government
that will suit them perhaps better than
one we would give them. l know our
say their government would
be destroyed by internal dissensions,
but who do you suppose has been
government over the is
land for the last Is months? Surely
not Spain; surely not us. If the island
of Luzon vas foot square the U. S.
has no more than one square inch under
its control nor ever has had. Now who
has been ruling it? 1t seems foolish to
me for our government to say that
power that has governed all this terri
tory for 1S months and within that time
have organized and equipped an army
that has successfully "stood off, a great
nation like the United States are not
capable, under peaceful conditions, and
under the counsel and guidance Of a
humane, wise nation like ours. Capable
Of administering simple government
o,cb uc thav wnutd understand and