The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-06-08

| xnow1edked aa1thority on the islands
| a yet come forward with less
| ceerfui view Of the situation than I
HE depicted Moreover, many
dhbting Thomas who has held the six
4 nice Of climatic considerations, and
tn danger of the white mans burden
SO near his eye that he could not see
| bEond, later on a personal investiga-
| tpn of the field, not confined to Manila,
3ut the great country back Of it in
f4uzon and the other islands, has, frank
Iiy acknowledged his error, and that
there " one of the greatest undeveloped
Fields Of investment that remain out
side OF the borders of the United
States.
Holding and developing the Philip
pines is not mere Imperialism, not
mere expansion in the popular use OF
those misleading terms, but taking le-
Ultimate advantage of a splendid ma
terial opportunity where unavoidable
responsibility has compelled us to as
sumo the sovereignty of these rich
Antilles of the Orient. If we call it
expansion or imperialism, then those
terms are synonyms for legitimate
commercial extension, and commerce
is the lifeblood of nations, provided it
has the moral strength of sinew and
bone to absorb the nourishment and
ozone of new blood, and not be poisoned
by those elements which invariably ac-
company extraordinary efforts in un-
tried fields. I believe that we have the
power of discrimination, the capability
of taking what is best and leaving
Ix-Ho &c iy1c oil
that in this great race of nations for
supremacy in the worlds competition
we shall be forever strong first.
THE climate is not such as to inter-
fere with the investment of capital
and with providing an extensive mar
ket for American products. which in
turn will benefit far more people in the
United States than any number might
seek the Philippines as place OF
residence. At the same time, there ls
no great danger for Americans or for
eigners residing in the tropics who
take care of themselves.
After a careful study of the differ
ent tribes of the Philippine Islands,
and an intimate acquaintance through
several years of races of Asiatics SINH
lar to them in tendencies, habits and
methods of life and ways of thinking,
it is my honest conviction that their
good qualities outweigh the bad: that
there is much of hope and promise in
their makeup, and that in compari
son with other Asiatic people they are
above the average While not as in
dustrious or thrifty as the japanese,
they compare favorably in intelligence
md iofv no Of OF
Asiatics 1 believe firmly that the
masses of the people are not turned
against us, with those feelings of
hatred and revenge which We cannot
overcome. When they fully understand
that our intentions are honora BILE; that
the recent conflict has not been justi-
fed from their standpoint, and that
possibly they have been misled by am
bilious leaders, 1 am confident they
will readily accept any form Of gov
ergznent we may institute. No greater
misfortune could befall us than to have
the Philippines a dumping ground for
mercenary politicians. Here is our
greatest danger. and if we can safely
entrust native Filipinos with a goodly
portion of the lesser offices for the
administrative of the interior we will
save ourselves from the greater Of two
evils.
THE United States have assumed
mighty and unavoidable responsibility,
not only to themselves and the natives,
but to the world, in occupying the
Philippine Islands. They could not re-
turn them to their former sovereignty,
sell them to another Power nor yield
them to native rule without Sinking
such responsibility and taking back
ward step from which the nation
would never recover"