Arizona republican., 1899-11-02
This Country and England TO
Make Common Cause.
BRACING ASIATIG SQUADRON
Something More Is Intended Than
the Subjugafion of the riIipinos.
The eastern Question" was
Under Consideration Before the
Spanish Wsr-There Will Be a
Positive Chinese Policy.

Washington, Nov. 1.-The Philippine
question is broadening out so as to
comprehend the whole problem of the
orient. A senator who has the conf
dence of the administration said yes
terday that in the discussion of the
war in the Philippines and contending
over what should be done to or for
the natives of that group of islands the
professors and the politicians were but
scratching over the surface and not
reaching down into the problem with
which the government is dealing; that
the FilipinOs were only an incident
We are strengthening our naval force
in manner dispropOrtionate with the
service the conditions in the Philip
pines admit of it's rendering in aid of
the suppression of the insurrection.
The battleships and armored vessels
there and to be sent there are of n
class not especially serviceable in
dealing with the Philippine war. 1t IS
strengthened. 1t may be necessary TO
recall the Oregon for an overhauling,
but if so the Iowa will take her place.
One of these great fighting engines will
be kept in the vicinity of Chinese wat
ers, while the other will be at San
Francisco or cruising off our Pacific
coast.
This is in compliance with the de-
mands of a broader policy than the
mere subjugation of the Filipinos 1t
is intended to maintain 4 naval force
on the Asiatic station superior to that
of any other power except Great Brit
ain in those waters. Russia is prepar-
ing to largely increase her naval force
in that quarter, but the British and
American squadrons will probably be
maintained at a strength to make
them. together. the equal of all the
others combined.
Before the question of dealing with
the Philippine islands arose, while
the islands We're still in the possession
of Spain and it was not anticipated
that they would ever become part of
the domain of the United States, the
problem of dealing with the eastern
question" was under consideration by
the president, the secretary of state
and the leading men in congress who
are familiar with international mat
ters. When England was threatened
seriously with a difficult complication
in that quarter and the partition or
dismemberment of China seemed i'm
Gsnent, it was being considered what
part this government would take in
the impending struggle for supremacy
in the orient. Mr.. Hay, succeeding Mr..
Day as secretary of state, entered the
state department thoroughly imbued
with the idea of friendly cooperation
with Great Britain to maintain the
common interests of the two countries
against the threatened inroads of the
other powers.
Attention was temporarily diverted
from the eastern question by more
immediate concern in the war with
Spain and by relaxation of the ten
sion between Great Britain and the
other powers for breathing spell.
When the question came up before
the United States whether or not the
cession of the Philippines should be
demanded of Spain as condition of
peace, and the president was reluc-
tant to have this country assume re-
sponsibility for possession so remote
from our shores, influences both in
this country and in Great Britain,
which were alive to the Importance of
jusIed, were exerted to bring about the
acquisition of that group of islands by
the United States, so as to secure an
interest in the orient which would at
once compel and enable us to partici-
pate in the adjustment of the east
ern question which must inevitably
come.
The men in the senate most familiar
with this matter talked earnestly with
the president of the Importance of the
Philippines TO the proper protection of
our interests in the orient, and it is
said that the British ambassador had
a long conference with the president
during which he pointed out the dang
er that if we did not take the Philip
pines Spain would sell them TO Ger
many, and that a great international
war might result from this disturbance
of the balance of power in the orient,
and that failure on our part to hold
the islands would be unfriendly to the
interests of Great Britain and be an
abandonment of all ambition on our