New-York tribune., 1899-02-12
IMPERIAL BARGAINS.
,,su SUGGESTIONS FOR TRADING
OFF THE PHILIPPINES FOR THE
BRITISH WEST INDIES.
London. January IS.

.oco xvhispers heard from time TO
- Iondon is: The Americans VIII 'ieue
u philippines for the British west inu'es'
" ., incredulous answer is returned the III
o,,on is impaired in second Whisper
'u" hoe been Mr Chamberlains plan from
.so, and he has been eager TO drive
ue v,tb President Mckinley for an eX-
os's" -, territory England can do nothing
rritish West Indies under the free
.,.s,oro and Americans are untitled fer
,,,th the Philippines on the only prao'
"'" ,,nos-,hose followed by Lord Kitchener in
''" cauaon An even exchange will be profit
-. % both countries" This is the version
, have received from two sources within
,a,. davs The same suggestion I have heard
., times during the last six months. and in
'"a -,oh,v g, Is described as Mr.. Chamberlain's
10, do not myself believe that either he or
- o,ber member of the Government has ever
untitled himself 10 this policy Of barter; but
~ fact that the rumor is constantly repeated
=. u,ell-infornied Englishmen is not without sig
.soonce At least il indicates that good many
I,,e-,slsts would be willing TO consider an
a~a- FOR exchange Of territories as a practical
matter Of business.
r,oso stage vhisperers who assume TO have
-.o,,ed secret cues from people high in author
- ,,evo- attempt an approximate valuation OF
49, ,ronortes 20 be hartered Some Of them
.,rgast an exchange OF the entire Philippine
-, for the single island Of Jamaica. 1t would
s.,rtoresting :. 20 know the basis Of this extraor-
s,,a-v problem Of equation Of values. Certainly
80, territorial area for Jamaica is barely
..r,r+b as large as the single island Of Luzon
~, total area n the British West Indies, in
,ndne Jamaica the Bahamas. Barbados the
1.sUard Islands the Windward Islands. Trini-
,,s and Tohago is 13107 square miles. or less
,hsn one-third Of the area Of Luzon In order TO
.cual the area II the entire Philippine group.
those hareainers would have 10 add British
uonduras and British Guiana TO the acreage Of
,hs British West Indies and even 10 hold on to
every square mile claimed from Venezuela as
within the so-called Schomburgk line, about
which SO much was heard three years ago.
POPULATION NOT A BASIS
T. is equally certain that population cannot be
the basis OF the proposed bargain IN the interest
~ Anrlo-Saxon good feeling. The lowest esti-
mate Of the native population Of the Philippine
c-oun Sc 5000 600 Against this there is popu-
lation of GO 600 in Jamaica one Of 1.5oooOO in
tbe British West Indies and one Of 1,7610oO in
all the British tropical possessions in the West
ern hemisphere. Comparisons based on trade or
revenue are more intricate than those which l
have made. and they are Of no practical value
The British islands in the West Indies have been
well governed and everything has been done 10
develop their resources and their trade. The
PHILIPPINES have been under Spanish adminis-
traton. their mineral wealth and productive re-
.sources are undeveloped. many Of the islands
are unexplored. and there large latent re-
serves OF potential value. which are lacking in
the British West Indies. where nearly every re-
Inunerative Industry has already been worked
out.
Evidently ths ractors Of this artificial equation
are not intrinsic elements OF value such as area
population Industrial resources and commerce,
for on any practical basis Of comparison the
Philippine group is worth much more than the
British West Indies. and an exchange Of terri
tories on even terms is out Of the question. This
is virtually conceded when these bargain pro
moters lay stress upon the assumption that the
Philippines are worth less 10 the Americans
than they would he to the English. and that
Jamaica and the other British West Indian pos
sessions would be more valuable TO America
than they now 10 England. and consequently
that each country would gain by trading off its
territories with the other The premise needs to
be sharply scrutnized before the conclusion is
taken up.
When Englshmen assert that the Philippines
Ee worth legs 20 Americans than they would he
70 Great Britain, they imply that the United
States Government lacks experience as col
onizing Power and WIFI be likely to make seri-
Gus mistakes In governing a remote dependency
with its millions Of natives. England has sent
Lord Kitchener 10 the Soudan. and has armed
him with full power 10 govern vast region IN
accordance with his judgment. The work will
be done. and little Will be- said about it. Soudan
questions viii not be carried into English poll
TICS and Lord Kitchener will continue his work
without interruption and in silence. The gov
eminent Of the Philippines would present few
ofhculties which the English have not overcome
IN India and other sections Of their vast empire
4hey are trained 20 the business Of governing
subject races They would organize a native
army in the Philippines with British officers
eNu appoint one u their best men as Governor
general; and they would exclude the subject
from party politics at home In this way they
would get on easily there. as they do every
"nere else whereas the Americans, being new
10 the business and having the bad habit Of
marc work of what seems 10 the English an easy
"o OF colonial administration
'hL BRITISH WEST INDIES IN A DECLINE.
VI the other hand. the admission is frankly
1Sue Mere that The British West Indies are now
a. hopeless state OF Industrial decline, and
'Ouo DO more valuable 70 America than they
ar 10 England. They are sugar islands. and
~si trade is with America. and under the free
s'ue system IT is impracticable for England 10
" anything thar win promote the revival OF
-'" fortunes The islands have been empted
"hte settlers and handed over 10 the negroes.
'"' there Us no effective method Of attracting
immigration 10 them and Of rendering their in
susUles profitable. The bargainers. who refer
"s'enously 10 Mr Chamberan's ulterior pol
Vi al equal exchange Of territories for mutual
."e"' assume that the Americans are in pO-
'Noh 70 do many things for the British West